What Does National Health Service (NHS) Mean?
The National Health Service (NHS) is the organization that oversees and carries out all public health services within the territories of England, Scotland, and Wales. Established following World War II, it remains the most comprehensive, universal, and affordable health services option available to residents in the United Kingdom.
As one of the world's largest publicly funded health services, it covers the broad range of sectors listed below:
- Antenatal screening
- Routine screenings (such as the NHS Health Check)
- Treatments for long-term conditions
- Transplants
- Emergency treatment
- End-of-life care
Funded directly by taxation, the NHS is ranked as the best system in terms of efficiency, safe care, coordinated care, patient-centered care, and cost-related problems. It is ranked as the second best for equity in comparison with the healthcare systems of 10 other countries.