The Family Allowances Act 1936 provided for a payment of five shillings a week for each child in a family, except the first, payable to the mother. Therefore it was not payable to families with an only child.
The Health Service Act 1937 was a compromise worked out after discussions between the Labour and Liberal parties. It established a comprehensive health service free of charge to all users. No doctor or patient was obliged to join with private practice continuing with the new service. Regional Boards of local authorities would take over ownership of the muncipal hospitals in each region. The voluntary hospitals would have the option of coming into the Health Service, of staying out, or choosing a half-way house whereby they would receive public funds in return for partial submission to the authority of the Regional Boards. Doctors working in health centres would be paid a salary. Those practising individually would be paid a capitation fee under contract to a central Medical Board established by the Minister of Health, but comprised mostly of doctors. This Medical Board had the duty to secure a fairer distribution of doctors throughout the country by forbidding entry to areas with too many doctors in relation to the population. The sale and purchase of doctors' practices was not abolished. The Act came into force on Monday 6 September 1937. [1]
[1] The provisions of the Health Service Act were much like those proposed in the White Paper A National Health Service, published in February 1944 in OTL, and are taken from the book Aneurin Bevan 1945-1960 by Michael Foot.
The Health Service Act 1937 was a compromise worked out after discussions between the Labour and Liberal parties. It established a comprehensive health service free of charge to all users. No doctor or patient was obliged to join with private practice continuing with the new service. Regional Boards of local authorities would take over ownership of the muncipal hospitals in each region. The voluntary hospitals would have the option of coming into the Health Service, of staying out, or choosing a half-way house whereby they would receive public funds in return for partial submission to the authority of the Regional Boards. Doctors working in health centres would be paid a salary. Those practising individually would be paid a capitation fee under contract to a central Medical Board established by the Minister of Health, but comprised mostly of doctors. This Medical Board had the duty to secure a fairer distribution of doctors throughout the country by forbidding entry to areas with too many doctors in relation to the population. The sale and purchase of doctors' practices was not abolished. The Act came into force on Monday 6 September 1937. [1]
[1] The provisions of the Health Service Act were much like those proposed in the White Paper A National Health Service, published in February 1944 in OTL, and are taken from the book Aneurin Bevan 1945-1960 by Michael Foot.