Abstract
Since its inception in 1948 the NHS has endeavoured to provide a high quality,
universal, comprehensive service, free at the point of use. It did this by being publicly
funded, publicly provided and publicly accountable.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Publisher | (BMA) British Medical Association |
| Place of Publication | London, UK |
| Publication status | Published - 2010 |
Bibliographical note
Author's note: This 30 page pamphlet was commissioned by the BMA after their attempt to generate the pamphlet in house failed to satisfy the organisation's national council, and the publicity department were instructed to call in expert help.The task was to take a very complex and jargon I draft with many missing references, and to complete a popular and readable critique of the Labour government's market reforms in the National Health Service – in a short space of time, to a defined word length (the pamphlet design had already been decided).
The finished text had to satisfy the committee, the publicity department, the BMA's lawyers, and also present sufficient evidence to support the BMA's policy against internal critics who held different views.
This meant it had to be absolutely rigorous in its use of references, precise in its wording, and employ a minimum of rhetoric: any jargon had to be clearly explained.
Many thousands of the pamphlet were printed and then reprinted early in 2010 as part of the BMA's campaign. It was widely used as a source by journalists and by campaigners.