The Development of the Welfare state and the National Health Service in Britain
Table of Contents
- Introduction.
- The Elizabethan Poor Law of 1601.
- The Poor Law Amendment Act (1834).
- Analyzing and evaluating the changes to both the welfare state and the National Health Service.
- The welfare State in Britain.
- The introduction of the NHS.
- A Royal Commission on the NHS.
- The 1989 white paper 'Working for Patients'.
- More changes to create a more coordinated NHS for the 21st Century.
- Conclusion.
- Bibliography.
SummaryThe Poor Law of 1601 was introduced as a response by the Government to rising levels of concern over how 'the poor' should be supported. As a result of several poor harvests, and soldiers returning from war there was increased vagrancy, which concerned the Government who were increasingly worried about the possibility of social disorder and revolt. Under The Poor Law of 160, each parish was made responsible for its own parishioners that were impoverished, frail or handicapped and in need of support. Each parish became obliged to relieve the old and the helpless, to provide work for those deemed capable but who were finding it difficult to find work in their usual trade. The parishes also became responsible for helping to support unprotected children, often by introducing them into apprenticeships at a young age. The funding for providing this was collected by a 'Parish Administrative Unit', which was responsible for collecting poor-rates from the other parishioners. This was a form of revised local tax which was means tested and calculated, collected and then allocated and distributed by unpaid Churchwardens or Parish Overseers (later known as Relieving Officers) who were elected by the parish vestry every year.There were two types of relief provided for the needy, 'outdoor relief' (through money, supplies of materials such as flax/ wool to provide a skill from which they could make money and work, or as basic foods such as bread) or 'indoor relief' (which included various form of institutional care).
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