Welfare

The origins of welfare state in Britain: During the first half of 20th century a number of welfare benefits were founded . There are: _ Old- age pension scheme ( !0"# _ $artial sic%ness and unemployment insurance ( ! 2# _ &nemployment benefits conditional on regular contributions and proof of need ( !'(# The real impetus for the welfare state came in !(2 from a go)ernment commission. *n !(" the +ational ,ealth -ct turned the report.s recommendations in to law and the +ational ,ealth /er)ice was set up. I. THE BENEFITS SYSTEM:

_ 0inancial help by direct payments of go)ernment money ( by Department of /ocial /ecurity# _ &nemployment benefit ( organi1ed by department of 2mployment# _ Old- age pension _ $ension 0und ( also called a 3superannuation scheme4 # _ *ncome support ( /upplementary benefit# Other benefits exist such as: _ 5hild benefit _ ,ousing benefit _ /ic%ness benefit _ 6aternity benefit _ Death grant * The system of course has its imperfections The language of benefits: *n the last 7uarter of the 20th century the le)el of unemployment increased rapidly8 many aspects of unemployed life ha)e become well-%nown in society. 9ecei)ing unemployment benefit is %nown as being 3on the dole 3 and the money itself is often referred to as 3dole money4 II. SOCIA SE!"ICES AN# CHA!ITIES: _ :uilding and running if old people.s homes and the pro)ision of 3home help4 for people who are disabled. _ 6any charitable organi1ations for help from )olunteers ( ;0.000# _ 5harities and social ser)ices department of local authorities sometimes cooperate. One e<ample is the 3meals = on = wheels4 system. _ The 5iti1ens -d)ice :ureau (5-:#. So$e well%&nown 'harities: _ The /amaritans organi1ation _ The /al)ation -rmy _ :arnado.s _ 62+5-$

III. THE NATIONA HEA TH SE!"ICE: (. The fo)n*ation: _ The +ational ,ealth /er)ice (+,/#8 which was establish in !(" in the >orld >ar **8 is the &?.s public health system and it is pro)ided by a single payerthe :ritish go)ernment- and is funded by the ta<payer. /ince its launch in !("8 the +,/ has grown to become the world.s largest publicly funded health ser)ice. _ -ll appointments and treatments are free for millions of people e)ery year. :ut it is not a charity. @ou are paying for it8 mainly as ta<payer and it will relie)e your money worries in time of illness. _ it pro)ides you with all medical8 dental8 and nursing care. 2)eryone8 rich or poor8 man8 woman or child can use it or any part of it. There are no charges8 e<cept for a few specials item. There are no insurance 7ualifications. +. S'ale The +,/ employs more than 8Am people. Of those8 Bust under half are clinically 7ualified8 including8 '!8A"0 general practitioner (C$s#8 'A08'2A nurse8 "8D"A ambulance staff and 0;8A hospital and community health ser)ice (,5,/# medical and dental staff. The +,/ deal with o)er million patients e)ery 'D hours. ,. F)n*ing _ 0unding for the +,/ comes mostly from general ta<ation (" E#8 plus some from the national insurance contributions ( 2E# = paid by both employee and employer- and AE from other charges. _ >hen the +,/ was launched in !(" it has a budget of F('A million (roughly F! billion at a today.s )alue#. 0or 20 2G ' it is around F 0"8! billion. -. .etting treat$ent in NHS _ 0rom the public.s point of )iew8 it is the beautiful simple. _ +o form to fill in and no payment to be made e<cept dental and eyes medicals care and drug prescription charges. _ To get the full benefits of the system8 Bust register with a local +,/ doctor. 6ost doctors in the country are C$s- the heart of system. They will pro)ide primary healthcare and to ma%e referrals to further ser)ices as necessary such as whate)er tests8 surgery8 consultation or medicine8 etc. _ $ro)ides free ambulance ser)ices for emergencies e)en by transport or air. /. #iffi')lties an* sol)tions a0 #iffi')lties: the 1atients who nee* the treat$ents are raising ra1i*l2 _ 6edical treatment has increases dramatically _ Old people needing medical care has grown so large _ - huge number of employers the cost ha)e roc%et and patients are limited resources a)ailable by waiting to their turn and possibly to die as a result. 30 Sol)tion To ma%e the +,/ more cost-efficient: _ ,ospital use e<ternal companies for duties _ ,ospital opt out of local authority control and become self- go)erning trust. _ $aying for C$s depends on the number of registered patients they ha)e these changes ma%e commercial considerations ta%ing precedence o)er medical ones and +,/ is being to bro%en down in fa)or of pri)ate medical health care HI steady rising of people who prefer pri)ate medical health care.

,owe)er8 when +,/ set up8 it was intended to offer people medical insurance 3 from the womb to the tomb48 it can still claim to be largely successfull I". THE ME#ICA 4!OFESSION: (. #o'tors _Doctors generally ha)e a )ery high status in :ritain and greater prestige than ordinary C$s8 with hospital consultants ran%ing highest but it doesn.t mean that the C$s are regarded as second-class. _Doctors ha)e the right to wor% part time for the +,/ and spend the rest of time to earn big fees from pri)ate patients. +. .eneral 4ra'titioners 5 .4s: _0amily doctors in :ritain are %nown as Ceneral $ractitioners8 and usually called C$s. They are the heart of system. _>hen you are ill8 and it is not an emergency8 you go first to your local doctor. *f necessary8 the doctor will refer you to hospital to see a consultant for more speciali1ed treatment. _6y C$s wor% in a 3group practice4. That is they wor% in the same building as se)eral other C$s. This allows them to share facilities or when the doctor of patient is una)ailable8 the patient can be seen by the doctor.s colleagues. ,. N)rses: The status of nurses in :ritain is influenced to their origins in the ! th century. They wor% )ery hard8 they are doing their wor% out of the goodness of their heart rather than to earn a li)ing wage but they ha)e always been badly paid. -s a result8 the )ast maBority of who are still women gi)e up their Bobs after only a few years. 4ra'ti'e n)rsing $ractice nurses wor% in C$ surgeries or hospital as part of the primary healthcare team8 which might include doctors8 pharmacists and dietitians. *n larger practices8 you might be one of se)eral practice nurses sharing duties and responsibilities while in others8 you might be wor%ing on your own8 ta%ing on many roles. _Treating small inBuries _,elping with minor operations done under local anesthetic _,ealth screening _0amily planning _9unning )accination programmes (for e<ample against flu# _9unning programmes to help people to stop smo%ing.