ABSTRACT
The National Health Service (NHS) is often seen as the jewel in the context of the welfare state that emerged in the UK after the Second World War. Universal healthcare free at the point of contact has been the key feature of delivery of healthcare. Having been formed on 5 July 1948, as it reaches its 75th birthday, it is important to both look back and learn from the history but be rooted in present and look forward to ascertain how we can continue to save it, use it appropriately and at the same time ensure that it is a service fit for the 21st century. In this chapter, some highlights from history are brought together. It is not a comprehensive overview but necessarily a selective one. Budgetary demands, lack of proper workforce planning and working in silos continue to overshadow some of its major achievements.
