History of NHS Scotland

Prior to the creation of Scotland's NHS in 1948, the state was involved with the provision of healthcare, though it was not universal.

Half of Scotland's landmass was already covered by the Highlands and Islands Medical Service, a state-funded health system run directly from Edinburgh, which had been set up 35 years earlier.

[2] By June 1947, there were 112 centres that were part of the St Andrews and Red Cross service.

[3] The 1947 Act provided a uniform national structure for services which had previously been provided by a combination of the Highlands and Islands Medical Service, local government, charities and private organisations which in general was only free for emergency use.

The new system was funded from central taxation and did not generally involve a charge at the time of use for services concerned with existing medical conditions or vaccinations carried out as a matter of general public health requirements.