The National Health Service (NHS) is England’s publicly funded healthcare system and one of the four National Health Service networks across the United Kingdom. It ranks as the world’s second-largest single-payer healthcare system, following Brazil’s Sistema Único de Saúde. Primarily financed through general taxation, with a minor contribution from National Insurance, the NHS operates under the supervision of the Department of Health and Social Care. It offers healthcare services to all legal residents of England, as well as residents from other UK regions, with most services being free at the point of use. Additionally, the NHS supports medical research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).
