About our NHS news today
Get the latest on the National Health Service in the UK, including the NHS in England, NHS Scotland, NHS Wales, and HSC in Northern Ireland.
The NHS refers to the publicly funded healthcare system in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1948, the NHS is funded by general taxation. There are three systems in the UK which use the NHS name – NHS England, NHS Scotland and NHS Wales. Health and Social Care in Northern Ireland was created separately and is often locally referred to as 'the NHS'. Each service provides a comprehensive range of health services, free at the point of use for UK residents, apart from dental treatment and optical care. In England, NHS patients have to pay prescription charges; some, such as those aged over 60 and certain state benefit recipients, are exempt.