Page:The New National Health Service Leaflet 1948.pdf/3



You will also be entitled to all forms of treatment in general or special hospitals, whether as an in-patient or as an out-patient. These include, for instance, maternity care, sanatorium treatment, care of mental health, and all surgical operations.

The help of consultants and specialists of all kinds will be made available to you as national resources allow, whether at hospital, at special health centres, or at home.

Your doctor will arrange this help when you need it.

Hospital charges will cease on 5th July. Where accommodation permits, however, you can pay something for greater privacy (for example, in single rooms or small wards). Or if you do not want to use the new service itself, there will be private pay-bed accommodation for which you can make your own private fee arrangements with doctors.

Your doctor will give you a prescription for any medicines and drugs you need. You can get these free from any chemist who takes part in the Scheme. In some country areas the doctor himself may dispense medicines.

The same is true of all necessary appliances. Some of them will be obtainable for through hospitals; some your doctor can prescribe for you. There will be no charge, unless careless breakage causes earlier replacement than usual.

A dental service will be provided, but at present there are too few dentists to make a full service available to all without delay.

After 5th July you can go to any dentist taking part in the new arrangements (there will be a list at your Post Office). You need no application form. Just call, by appointment, on the dentist of your choice when you need him. At his surgery you and he will sign a form for your treatment under the new arrangements. All necessary fillings and dentures will be supplied without fee, but if you want anything specially expensive, and beyond what is necessary, you will pay the extra cost yourself.

Until a full dental service, without delays, can be made available, a special priority service for expectant and nursing mothers and young children is being organised by local authorities (in addition to the school dinners service). Full information about this priority service can be obtained at Welfare Centres.

Care of the eyes will be undertaken by specialists at hospitals, or at special clinics which will be part of the hospital service, as fast as these can be organised. Meanwhile, a Supplementary Eye Service will be available after 5th July.