2 , ▁c . ▁ 2 5 ) ▁is ▁an ▁Act ▁of ▁Parliament ▁passed ▁by ▁the ▁Parliament ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁Kingdom . ▁It ▁extended ▁pres cription ▁charges ▁and ▁dent al ▁charges ▁for ▁National ▁Health ▁Service ▁patients . ▁The ▁one ▁sh illing ▁charge ▁for ▁pres cri ptions ▁was ▁introduced ▁on ▁ 1 ▁June ▁ 1 9 5 2 . ▁ ▁The ▁pres cription ▁charge ▁and ▁additional ▁charges ▁for ▁" amen ity " ▁b eds ▁in ▁hosp it als ▁were ▁en act ed ▁under ▁the ▁National ▁Health ▁Service ▁( Am end ment ) ▁Act ▁ 1 9 4 9 . ▁The ▁ 1 9 5 2 ▁Act ▁extended ▁pres cription ▁charges ▁issued ▁by ▁hospital ▁out - pat ient ▁depart ments ; ▁en act ed ▁further ▁dent al ▁charges ; ▁en act ed ▁charges ▁for ▁hospital ▁app li ances ▁and ▁allowed ▁local ▁authorities ▁to ▁charge ▁for ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁day ▁nur series . ▁People ▁who ▁received ▁national ▁assistance ▁and ▁their ▁depend ents ▁were ▁able ▁to ▁rec laim ▁the ▁cost ▁of ▁the ▁pres cription . ▁War ▁p ension ers ▁were ▁also ▁able ▁to ▁claim ▁back ▁the ▁cost ▁if ▁the ▁pres cription ▁related ▁to ▁their ▁war ▁dis ability . ▁ ▁A neur in ▁Be van , ▁the ▁former ▁Minister ▁of ▁Health ▁who ▁founded ▁the ▁N HS , ▁issued ▁a ▁statement ▁on ▁ 1 ▁February ▁ 1 9 5 2 ▁condem ning ▁the ▁Act : ▁ ▁I ▁have ▁just ▁been ▁studying ▁the ▁new ▁National ▁Health ▁Service ▁Bill . ▁If ▁this ▁is ▁carried ▁into ▁law ▁it ▁means ▁that ▁the ▁free