National Health Service real value of this funding increase. National Health Service The National Health Service (NHS) is the name used for each of the public health services in the United Kingdom – the NHS in England, NHS Scotland, NHS Wales, and the affiliated Health and Social Care (HSC) in Northern Ireland – as well as a term to describe them collectively. They were established together in 1948 as one of the major social reforms following the Second World War. The founding principles were that services should be comprehensive, universal and free at the point of delivery. Each service provides a comprehensive range
Passenger rail franchising in Great Britain Passenger rail franchising in Great Britain Passenger rail franchising in Great Britain is the system of contracting out the operation of the passenger services on the railways of Great Britain to private companies through a system of franchising. The system was created in the 1990s as part of the privatisation of British Rail, the former state owned railway operator, and involves franchises being awarded by the government to train operating companies (TOCs) through a process of competitive tendering. Franchises usually last for a minimum of seven years and cover a defined geographic area or service type; by design, franchises are