The relationship between social class and the use of health services in Britain

Abstract

There is considerable evidence to suggest that despite the availability of free medical services under the British National Health Service, there remains a clear social class bias in accessibility to a wide range of health care services. The literature on social class and the use of health services is examined and it is suggested that the greatest inequalities are to be found in the use of preventive services. In the second half of the paper, some tentative proposals, which might erve to reduce existing patterns of inequality, are examined.