History of NHS Scotland facts for kids
NHS Scotland is the system that provides healthcare for everyone in Scotland. It means that people living in Scotland can get medical care without having to pay for it directly when they need it.
This important service was started on July 5, 1948. It was created by a special law called the National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1947. At first, it was looked after by a government official called the Secretary of State for Scotland. Later, in 1999, control of NHS Scotland moved to the Scottish Government and the Parliament.
How Healthcare Started in Scotland
Before NHS Scotland began in 1948, the government was already involved in healthcare. However, it wasn't available to everyone. For example, a system called the Highlands and Islands Medical Service already covered half of Scotland. This service was paid for by the government and had been running for 35 years.
During World War II, many new hospitals were built. This increased the number of hospital beds to 30,000. By 1947, there were also 112 health centres that were part of another service.
The 1947 Act brought all these different healthcare services together. Before, healthcare was provided by local councils, charities, and private groups. It was usually only free for emergencies. The new NHS system was paid for by taxes. This meant people generally did not have to pay when they received care for existing health problems or for vaccinations.
NHS Scotland officially started on July 5, 1948, making healthcare more widely available.
Paying for Prescriptions
Prescription charges are small fees you might pay for medicines prescribed by a doctor. A law in 1949 allowed these charges to be collected. However, they were first put into practice in 1952 by a different government.
The Scottish Government decided to stop these charges. On April 1, 2011, prescription charges in Scotland were removed. This means that Scotland is now the only country in the UK where people do not have to pay for their prescriptions.
Improving Hospitals
In 1962, a large plan was announced to update hospitals across Scotland. This programme involved spending £70 million to make hospitals more modern and better equipped.
