<P> Free healthcare at the point of use comes from the core principles at the founding of the National Health Service by the Labour government in 1948 . In practice , `` free at the point of use '' normally means that anyone legitimately fully registered with the system ( i.e. in possession of an NHS number ) , available to legal UK residents regardless of nationality ( but not non-resident British citizens ) , can access the full breadth of critical and non-critical medical care , without payment except for some specific NHS services , for example eye tests , dental care , prescriptions and aspects of long - term care . These charges are usually lower than equivalent services provided by a private provider , and many are free to vulnerable or low - income patients . </P>
<P> Free healthcare at the point of use comes from the core principles at the founding of the National Health Service by the Labour government in 1948 . In practice , `` free at the point of use '' normally means that anyone legitimately fully registered with the system ( i.e. in possession of an NHS number ) , available to legal UK residents regardless of nationality ( but not non-resident British citizens ) , can access the full breadth of critical and non-critical medical care , without payment except for some specific NHS services , for example eye tests , dental care , prescriptions and aspects of long - term care . These charges are usually lower than equivalent services provided by a private provider , and many are free to vulnerable or low - income patients . </P>
when did national health care start in england
when did national health care start in england
1948
1948