Society and Health - Social Issues

• THE WELFARE STATE
• A system supported by the government that attempts to provide economic security for people who are unemployed, elderly or ill, e.g. NHS.
• The Beveridge report was produced after WW2 and immediatly set up health care systems, housing and employment opportunities for nation.
• It was established to fight against the five ' evil giants ', these giants were :
• 1. WANT - many people were very poor, and being unable to work was the main cause of poverty, the report created National Insurance, a tax paided by workers to provide sickness and disability benefits, retirement pensions, and widows and maternity benefits for those unable to work.
• 2. DISEASE - The heath of the nation was poor, and being were unable to pay for own medical bills, the NHS was then formed.
• 3. IGNORANCE - Most children left school at 14 or before,so welfare reform made education free, and compulsory until the age of 15, and offered free milk, school dinners and medical services.
• 4. SQUALOR - Many people lived in poor housing,mainly due to the war, social housing was introduced and made decent home for all.
• 5. IDLENESS- After the war there was a very high employment rate, so industries were taken over by the government to keep employment rates up.

Welfare reform

• Many of the good intentions of the welfare reform met many problems.
• The cost of the NHS continued to rise, and peoples expectations of health care also risen.
• Some charges were introduced for some health services.

The NHS now

- On a typical day in the NHS:

• Almost onemillion people visit their family doctor.
• 130,000 go to the dentist for a checkup.
• 33,000 people get the care they need in A+E.
• 8000 people are carried in an NHS ambulance.
• 1.5 million prescriptions are dispensed.
• 2000 babies are delivered.
• 25,000 operations are carried out, including 320 heart operations and 125 kidney operations.
• 30,000 recieve a free eye test.
• District nurses make 100,000 visits.

STATUTORY, PRIVATE AND VOLUNTARY PROVISION

- The main sources of health and social service providers are:

• Statutory health and social services provided by law which are free of charge.
• Private sector health and social services which need to be paid for by the individual.
• Voluntary health and social services which is provided by charities and voluntary organisations.
• Informal health care which is…