The State Medical Service Association was a pressure group formed by British doctors early in the twentieth century to press for reform of health services.

One of its demands was for "freeing a large section of medical men and women from such distasteful and incongruous work as the assessing and collecting of fees for services rendered."[1] It wanted to build on the National Insurance Act 1911 and develop a National Health Service, including hospital care in a comprehensive service.[2]

Dr Benjamin Moore and Dr. Milson Russen Rhodes of Didsbury were prominent members.

The plans produced by Lord Dawson for the Lloyd George government in 1920 drew on the ideas of the Association.[3]

It published a journal, Medical World [4] from 1913 which was adopted by the Medical Practitioners' Union in 1914.

When the Socialist Medical Association was founded in 1930 it absorbed many of the members and the organisation collapsed as a result.[5]

References

  1. ^ "A Few Reasons For Advocating a State Medical Service". The State Medical Service Association. 1912. Retrieved 21 March 2017.
  2. ^ Tudor Hart, Julian (1994). Feasible Socialism. London: Socialist Health Association. ISBN 090068724X.
  3. ^ "65th anniversary of the NHS - How workers won the National Health Service". The Socialist. 3 July 2013. Retrieved 1 April 2017.
  4. ^ Records of the Medical Practitioners' Union, University of Warwick Modern Records Centre
  5. ^ The Socialist Medical Association and the Foundation of the NHS
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