The Politics of the NHS from 1945 to 2024

What is the course about?

We will survey the history of the welfare state and the creation of the National Health Service in the UK, particularly focusing on the various political arguments and struggles that were determining for its establishment.

We will also survey the evolutions of the NHS and of the policies regulating it throughout the years up until today, and will then focus on contemporary debates around the state of the NHS today as well as its future.

In a context of upcoming general election, this course will provide learners with key tools to understand the political value of arguments surrounding the NHS and the welfare state in the UK, and to critically analyse the different arguments regarding where to take the NHS going forward.

What will we cover?

- A historical review of the establishment of the British welfare state and of the NHS
- A survey of the challenges brought to the NHS since 1945 to 2016
- An in-depth look at the arguments made around the NHS in the context of the 2016 Referendum vote for the UK to leave the European Union
- A critical assessment of the various political projects that will be central to the next General Election in the UK and of their arguments about the NHS.

What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...

-- Take a critical and historically informed approach to the value of the NHS in British society today
- Relate the NHS to the wider ideals of the welfare state
- Understand the political nature of the NHS and its role in recent central political debates for British politics.

What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?

The course is at an introductory level and is suitable for those new to the subject as well as those who have some familiarity with the topics to be covered. A good grasp of English to keep up with the course and participate fully is necessary. As with most of our history and politics courses, an open mind and a willingness to listen to and think about views with which you do not always agree are more important than specific levels of skills.

How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?

The course will run in person and use a combination of lectures, backed by PowerPoint presentations, and discussions in large and small groups. Material to prepare the discussions will be available on the course website, and will include short extracts from key authors on the history of the NHS, as well as newspapers pieces on various key political debates and moments we will be studying.

Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?

There are no additional costs, but you may wish to bring pen and paper for notetaking.

When I've finished, what course can I do next?

- HPC133: The criminalization of protests and democracy in Western Europe
- HPC138: Left populism and socialism today
- HPC141: Looking beyond headlines: colonialism and contemporary conflicts.