title: What would a socialist health service look like?
abstract: A socialist health service cannot be a socialist island in a sea of capitalism, as the record of the British National Health Service shows. Nonetheless, since health is a basic need, it can be a key component of the advocacy of socialism. I propose two central socialist principles. On the basis of these I suggest that a socialist health system would emphasise care rather than service; insist on democratic structures and control of resources; and require the prohibition of private medicine.
authors.affiliation: University of Brighton, School of Historical and Critical Studies, UK.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Brecher
mesh_terms: D030861:Capitalism; D004739:England; D015276:Health Care Rationing; D006808:Humanism; D006801:Humans; D026706:Paternalism; D018802:Patient-Centered Care; D011315:Preventive Medicine; D040841:Resource Allocation; D012935:Social Justice; D012941:Social Responsibility; D012945:Social Values; D012950:Socialism; D013222:State Medicine / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*