The NHS - 60 YEARS ON - A NATION DIVIDED BY HEALTH AND BY WEALTH
Dai Davies MP - Blaenau Gwent
Paul Starling, Founding Director:
The Bevan Foundation Policy Think-Tank.
IN MEMORY OF ANEURIN BEVAN
July 5th, 2008
THE DREAM - JULY 5TH, 1948 ANEURIN BEVAN:
“The essence of a satisfactory health service is that the rich and the poor are treated alike, that poverty is not a disability, and wealth is not advantaged“.
“No society can legitimately call itself civilized if a sick person is denied medical aid because of lack of means”
“Preventable pain is a blot on any society. Much sickness and often permanent disability arise from failure to take early action, and this in its turn is due to high costs and the fear of the effects of heavy bills on the family“.
“What emerges … in the final count, is the massive contribution the British Health Service makes to the equipment of a civilized society“. (a).
“To me the greatest single contribution that the National Health Service has made …. is that it has provided a large scale means of passing from a class ridden, individualistic society into a co-operative commonwealth …. wherein we expect from every one according to his powers, and vouchsafe to every man according to his need“.
“I believe it will lift the shadow from millions of homes. It will keep very many people alive who might otherwise be dead. It will relieve suffering ….” (and create a society) “which needs above all to realise itself as a community rather than as so many millions of human beings pursuing personal individual objectives“. (b).