National Health Service (Amendment) Act 1949

The National Health Service (Amendment) Act 1949 (12, 13 & 14 Geo. 6. c. 93) is an Act of Parliament passed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The Act safeguarded the independence of GPs, who were allowed to treat private patients.[1] It also proposed prescription charges of not more than 1s. for every National Health Service prescription.[2] However, due to the intense opposition aroused by this proposal, the charges were not implemented till 1952.[3]

National Health Service (Amendment) Act 1949
Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long titleAn Act to amend the National Health Service Act, 1946, and the National Health Service (Scotland) Act, 1947, and otherwise to amend the law in relation to services provided under the said Acts.
Citation12, 13 & 14 Geo. 6. c. 93
Dates
Royal assent16 December 1949
Other legislation
Amends
Text of statute as originally enacted
Text of the National Health Service (Amendment) Act 1949 as in force today (including any amendments) within the United Kingdom, from legislation.gov.uk.

The Prime Minister, Clement Attlee, announced on 24 October 1949: "There has been some excessive and unnecessary resort to doctors for prescriptions. This must be checked. A charge not exceeding one shilling, for each prescription will now be imposed. Arrangements will be made to relieve old age pensioners of this charge".[4] The Minister of Health, Aneurin Bevan, told students at University College, London on 15 November: "Now that we have got the National Health Service based on free prescriptions, I shudder to think of the ceaseless cascade of medicine which is pouring down British throats at the present time. I wish I could believe that its efficacy was equal to the credulity with which it is being swallowed".[5]

Notes
  1. Policy and inauguration, The National Archives, retrieved 13 June 2019.
  2. 'Proposed Changes in Health Service', The Times (11 November 1949), p.4.
  3. 'A Well Received Budget', The Times (11 April 1951), p. 6.
  4. 'Mr. Attlee's Broadcast', The Times (25 October 1949), p. 2.
  5. '"Cascade" of Free Medicine', The Times (16 November 1949), p. 4.
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