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AKA "The National 'Elf" or just the NHS.
The NHS is what Americans might call "socialized medicine". It's free at the point of use. Seeing a doctor costs nothing, nor does getting a tap removed from your child's toe. Emergency treatment is free.
It's been around since the Labour government of Clement Attlee set it up in a broken post-war Britain. It's one of the few nationalised businesses of Attlee's Government to survive the Conservative government of Thatcher and Blair's New Labour government.
However, not everything is free. Prescriptions cost a fixed amount, £7.40 (you can get discounts or the fees waived if you fulfill certain criteria, such as being unemployed, under 16, over 60, or have certain chronic conditions that require a lot of medication, such as diabetes). However, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland have all now abolished prescription fees. Certain operations, such as non-essential comestic surgery, (stuff like reconstructive surgery and skin grafts are free, although though more minor ailments like small(er) birthmarks tend to be further down the waiting lists in contrast to something like a large port wine stain) are not covered, and there are also fees for dental care in some cases. For example, if you are at school or in the first two years of full-time education, if you are pregnant or have had a baby in the last year, it's free. Orthodontics are also free if you are under 18, but is somewhat unique in that your orthodontist has to apply on your behalf for a grant from the NHS rather than just getting it when it is needed. However, this balances out as the majority of treatments are carried out on pre-teens/adolescents and the process allows the last of their adult teeth to grow in, a requisite for beginning treatment. Glasses were also free to begin with, but now vouchers are handed for children to put towards a pair from a high-street optician. They also give out wigs for chemo and alopecia patients, although not of the best quality. Items that need replacing such as splints are also free. Those on low incomes can also be reimbursed for transport cost if an ambulance mini-bus cannot come to pick them up.
The NHS employs over 1.5 million people, one of the largest employers in the world with 1 in 25 people of the workforce being directly employed. The NHS has a rough budget of £100 billion, equivalent to 18% of all government spending and can only be described as a behemoth of an organisation. The NHS is such a large part of Britain that no credible political party can call for its dissolution without being laughed out onto the street. Even the fiercest right-wing parties support the NHS in full. Of course, the NHS is an important political chess-piece: health policy is a major part of any party's manifesto and elections are won and lost based an a party's intentions for the NHS, and any politician proposing to abolish the NHS would be commiting political suicide.
The NHS is often perceived to be in crisis by the media, with the current problems of hospital superbugs such as MRSA and C. Difficile. However, there are hardly any serious calls for it to be abolished, with all the main parties wanting reform rather than abolition. Every party tries to make itself seen as the party of the NHS (Labour has traditionally done best here) because, despite all the grumbling, the concept of the NHS is almost universally popular.
That's not to say that it's the only choice for sick people. Private healthcare is available from people like BUPA, who advertise on TV.
The NHS in fiction:
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