The NHS or National Health Service is the name used for the UK’s public health service. It was established in 1948 as one of the major social reforms decided after the Second World War. it was founded upon these main principles. That the services should be comprehensive, universal and free. UK residents are not charged for the treatment they receive. Citizens within the EU containing a European Heath Card can receive emergency treatment at no cost. Along with persons from countries with which the UK has reciprocal arrangements concerning health care.
Funding
The funding of the NHS comes 98.8 percent from general taxation and National Insurance contributions along with donations. The 2008/9 budget roughly equates to a contribution of £1,980 per person in the UK. When Launched the NHS budget was around £437 million however it received more than £100 billion in 2008/2009. 60 percent of the NHS budget is used to pay staff. With a further 20 percent paying for drugs and other supplies.
The government announces that over £1 billion a year will be freed from NHS bureaucracy through reform, redirecting funds into patient care and frontline services.
NHS hospitals are piloting a rapid 15-minute blood test to distinguish viral vs bacterial infections in children, enabling faster diagnosis and treatment of serious illnesses like sepsis and meningitis.
Last month, the UK Government published its long-awaited 10-Year Health Plan, with one of its three key shifts being the move from ‘analogue to digital’.
NHS Shared Business Services has launched a £150M framework for digital dictation, speech recognition, and outsourced transcription. This will provide immediate time-saving tools and create a future-ready pathway for emerging Ambient Voice and AI scribing technologies.
A Royal College of Physicians survey finds 59% of UK doctors delivered care in temporary spaces during summer 2025, highlighting that NHS corridor care is now a year-round issue.
Oxford research reveals that underweight children incur healthcare costs comparable to those with obesity, challenging current health priorities and highlighting the need for comprehensive weight management strategies.
A new report from NHS Providers and PA Consulting shows that smarter capital investment could cut waiting times, drive growth, and deliver housing for NHS staff.
A Royal College of Physicians survey of over 550 doctors shows only 10% are confident hospitals can safely manage winter pressures, citing overcrowded emergency departments, staffing shortages, and temporary care measures.
A new NHS screening programme will test babies for hereditary tyrosinemia type 1 at five days old, enabling early treatment to prevent organ damage, liver failure, and other serious complications.
