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122-688: The George Cross ( GC ) is the highest award bestowed by the British government for non-operational gallantry or gallantry not in the presence of an enemy. In the British honours system , the George Cross, since its introduction in 1940, has been equal in stature to the Victoria Cross , the highest military award for valour. It is awarded "for acts of the greatest heroism or for most conspicuous courage in circumstance of extreme danger", not in

244-542: A 3.4% increase in funding every year to 2024, which would allow it to receive an extra £20bn a year in real terms funding. [dead link] There is concern that a high proportion of this money will go to service NHS debts rather than for improved patient care. In June 2018, it was reported that there were calls for the government to write off the NHS debt. Saffron Cordery of NHS Providers said that hospitals needed help to do their work without being up in deficit, as two-thirds were in

366-484: A National Health Service in 1944 with his consultative White Paper "A National Health Service" which was circulated in full and short versions to colleagues, as well as in newsreel. When Clement Attlee 's Labour Party won the 1945 election he appointed Aneurin Bevan as Health Minister . Bevan then embarked upon what the official historian of the NHS, Charles Webster , called an "audacious campaign" to take charge of

488-405: A community with sin and corruption. Fortitude and courage are distinguishable in that fortitude is the mental or emotional strength that enables courage in the face of adversity. According to Presbyterian theologian William Swan Plumer , "There is also, in strict propriety of language, a difference between courage and fortitude. Courage faces and resists danger; fortitude endures pain.... Courage

610-495: A general moral balance. Ambrose held that fortitude without justice occasions injustice; since the stronger a man is the more ready to oppress the weaker. Courage is a natural virtue which Saint Augustine did not consider a virtue for Christians. The Tao Te Ching contends that courage is derived from love ( 慈 故 能 勇 ) translated as: "From love one gains courage." In Hindu tradition, Courage ( shauriya ) / Bravery ( dhairya ), and Patience ( taamasa ) appear as

732-464: A goodness of manners. These virtues are always meant to act in the interests of individual while the positive and/or negative effects of society are merely a byproduct. This stems forth from the idea put forth in Leviathan that the state of nature is "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short" and self-preservation is the most fundamental aspect of behavior. According to Hobbes courage is a virtue of

854-540: A half inches. Bars can be awarded for further acts of bravery meriting the GC, although none have yet been awarded. In common with the Victoria Cross, in undress uniform or on occasions when the medal ribbon alone is worn, a miniature replica of the cross is affixed to the centre of the ribbon, a distinction peculiar to these two premier awards for bravery. In the event of a second award, a second replica would be worn on

976-647: A heroism and devotion that will long be famous in history. The Governor answered: By God's help Malta will not weaken but will endure until victory is won. The cross and the messages are today in the War Museum in Fort Saint Elmo , Valletta . The fortitude of the population under sustained enemy air raids, and a naval blockade which almost saw them starved into submission, won widespread admiration in Britain and other Allied nations. Eric Grove argued on

1098-511: A key factors in facing the Devil (both internally and externally). Many have this belief because of the courage the Prophets of the past displayed (through peace and patience), despite there being people who despised them. Thomas Hobbes lists virtues into the categories of moral virtues and virtues of men in his work Man and Citizen . Hobbes outlines moral virtues as virtues in citizens, that

1220-435: A lack of an operational definition, the advancement of research in courage is limited. So they conducted studies to try to find "a common structure of courage". Their goal from their research of implicit theories was to find "people's form and content on the idea of courage". Many researchers created studies on implicit theories by creating a questionnaire that would ask "What is courage?". In addition, in order to " develop

1342-612: A lot of coverage in the media. The Welsh and UK governments announced a partnership on 23 September 2024 to reduce NHS waiting lists in England and Wales during the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool. This collaboration aimed to share best practices and tackle common challenges. Previously, Eluned Morgan rejected a Conservative proposal for treating Welsh patients in England. The Welsh Conservatives welcomed

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1464-551: A measurement scale of courage, ten experts in the field of psychology came together to define courage. They defined it as: the ability to act for a meaningful (noble, good, or practical) cause, despite experiencing the fear associated with perceived threat exceeding the available resources Also, because courage is a " multi-dimensional construct, it can be "better understood as an exceptional response to specific external conditions or circumstances than as an attribute, disposition, or character trait". Meaning that rather than being

1586-409: A noble good or worthy end, despite, perhaps, the presence of the emotion of fear. To further the discussion of the implicit theories of courage, the researchers stated that future research could consider looking into the concept of courage and fear and how individual's might feel fear, overcome it and act, and act despite it. The term "clinical courage" came to light in relation to modern medicine in

1708-426: A person of any military rank in any service and to civilians including police, emergency services and merchant seamen. Many of the awards have been personally presented by the British monarch to recipients or, in the case of posthumous awards, to next of kin. The investitures are usually held at Buckingham Palace . The George Cross was instituted on 24 September 1940 by King George VI . At this time, shortly after

1830-516: A religious root. For religion is the state of being grasped by the power of being itself. J.R.R. Tolkien identified in his 1936 lecture " Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics " a " Northern 'theory of courage'" – the heroic or " virtuous pagan " insistence to do the right thing even in the face of certain defeat without promise of reward or salvation : It is the strength of the northern mythological imagination that it faced this problem, put

1952-407: A show character or an attribute, courage is a response to fear. From their research, they were able to find the "four necessary components of people's notion of courage". They are: With these four components, they were able to define courage as: a willful, intentional act, executed after mindful deliberation, involving objective substantial risk to the actor, primarily motivated to bring about

2074-454: A sort of perseverance – "preservation of the belief that has been inculcated by the law through education about what things and sorts of things are to be feared". Plato explains this perseverance as being able to persevere through all emotions, like suffering, pleasure, and fear. As a desirable quality, courage is discussed broadly by Aristotle in the context of soldiers in battle for a noble cause. In Nicomachean Ethics , where its absence

2196-496: Is "trusting in your own strength", as observed by Jacob Grimm in his Teutonic Mythology : Men who, turning away in utter disgust and doubt from the heathen faith, placed their reliance on their own strength and virtue. Thus in the Sôlar lioð 17 we read of Vêbogi and Râdey â sik þau trûðu , "in themselves they trusted". Ernest Hemingway famously defined courage as "grace under pressure". Winston Churchill stated, "Courage

2318-619: Is addressed earlier in Man and Citizen . David Hume listed virtues into two categories in his work A Treatise of Human Nature : artificial virtues and natural virtues. Hume categorized courage as a natural virtue. In the Treatise' s section "Of Pride and Humility, Their Objects and Causes", Hume wrote that courage is a cause of pride: "Every valuable quality of the mind, whether of the imagination, judgment, memory or disposition; wit, good-sense, learning, courage, justice, integrity; all these are

2440-715: Is also one of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit . National Health Service The National Health Service ( NHS ) is the umbrella term for the publicly funded healthcare systems of the United Kingdom , comprising the NHS in England, NHS Scotland and NHS Wales . Health and Social Care in Northern Ireland was created separately and is often locally referred to as "the NHS". The original three systems were established in 1948 (NHS Wales /GIG Cymru

2562-522: Is also translated as "courage", but includes the aspects of perseverance and patience . In the Western tradition, notable thoughts on courage have come from philosophers Socrates , Plato , Aristotle , Aquinas , and Kierkegaard , as well as Christian beliefs and texts. In the Hindu tradition, mythology has given many examples of courage, with examples of both physical and moral courage exemplified. In

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2684-419: Is for action; fortitude for suffering. In this sense, fortitude differs little from constancy and patient endurance." Thomas Aquinas says that fortitude ranks third after prudence and justice among the cardinal virtues. He distinguishes fortitude from fearlessness, which can too easily become recklessness through short-sighted audacity with disastrous results. In both Catholicism and Anglicanism , fortitude

2806-420: Is it a denial of the emotion. The ideal is to judge a situation, accept the emotion as part of human nature and, we hope, use well-developed habits to confront the fear and allow reason to guide our behavior toward a worthwhile goal." According to Putman, Aristotle refers to an appropriate level of fear and confidence in courage. "Fear, although it might vary from person to person, is not completely relative and

2928-530: Is only appropriate if it 'matches the danger of the situation'". The same goes for confidence in that there are two aspects to self-confidence in a dangerous situation: Without an appropriate balance between fear and confidence when facing a threat, one cannot have the courage to overcome it. Professor Daniel Putman states "if the two emotions are distinct, then excesses or deficiencies in either fear or confidence can distort courage". Courage does not mean that you are not afraid, it means that you are willing to face

3050-545: Is regardless of whether they derive a salary or wage from the organisation, or receive any type of funding or assistance from the organisation for the purposes of working overseas. This is in recognition of the fact that most missionaries would be unable to afford private health care and those working in developing countries should not effectively be penalised for their contribution to development and other work. Those who are not ordinarily resident (including British citizens who may have paid National Insurance contributions in

3172-399: Is rightly esteemed the first of human qualities because it is the quality that guarantees all others." According to Maya Angelou , "Courage is the most important of the virtues, because without courage you can't practice any other virtue consistently. You can practice any virtue erratically, but nothing consistently without courage." And C.S. Lewis wrote that "Courage is not simply one of

3294-478: Is that of "clinical recklessness", in which the actions of a clinician in stepping outside of their competence results in unprofessional behaviour, which exposes patients to risk or harm. One symbol often associated with courage is the lion . It is sometimes seen in the Catholic Church as a depiction of Christ's triumph over sin. It also is a symbol in some cultures as a savior of the people who live in

3416-556: Is the vice of cowardice and its excess the vice of recklessness , courage represents the mean between the two extremes. Thucydides , a 5th century  BCE Greek historian, wrote, "The bravest are surely those who have the clearest vision of what is before them, glory and danger alike, and yet notwithstanding, go out to meet it." In the Roman Empire , courage formed part of the universal virtue of virtus . Roman philosopher and statesman Cicero (106–43  BCE ) lists

3538-623: Is unlawful in Malta to use the George Cross, an imitation of it or the words George Cross for the purposes of trade or business without the Prime Minister 's authorisation. Courage Physical courage is bravery in the face of physical pain, hardship, even death, or threat of death; while moral courage is the ability to act rightly in the face of popular opposition, shame , scandal , discouragement, or personal loss. The classical virtue of fortitude ( andreia , fortitudo )

3660-431: Is virtues that without exception are beneficial to society as a whole. These moral virtues are justice (i.e. not violating the law) and charity. Courage as well as prudence and temperance are listed as the virtues of men. By this Hobbes means that these virtues are invested solely in the private good as opposed to the public good of justice and charity. Hobbes describes courage and prudence as strengths of mind as opposed to

3782-719: The 2023 Coronation . The George Cross has been awarded to the island of Malta, the Royal Ulster Constabulary and the National Health Service of the United Kingdom. The GC was awarded to the island of Malta in a letter dated 15 April 1942 from King George VI to the island's Governor Lieutenant-General Sir William Dobbie : To honour her brave people, I award the George Cross to the Island Fortress of Malta to bear witness to

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3904-539: The European Health Insurance Card . Those from other countries with which the UK has reciprocal arrangements also qualify for free treatment. Since 6 April 2015, non-EEA nationals who are subject to immigration control must have the immigration status of indefinite leave to remain at the time of treatment and be properly settled, to be considered ordinarily resident. People not ordinarily resident in

4026-583: The Institute for Fiscal Studies had stated a 5% real-terms increase was needed for real change. Paul Johnson of the IFS said the 3.4% was greater than recent increases, but less than the long-term average. In July 2016, health experts said the money would "help stem further decline in the health service, but it's simply not enough to address the fundamental challenges facing the NHS, or fund essential improvements to services that are flagging." In November 2018, it

4148-611: The New Zealand Cross replaced the role of the George Cross. Up until then, the last George Cross awarded to a New Zealander, was posthumously awarded to Sgt Stewart Guthrie of the New Zealand Police for his actions and bravery during the Aramoana massacre . Holders of the Victoria Cross or the George Cross are entitled to an annuity , the amount of which is determined by the awarding government. As of 2015,

4270-486: The Office for Budget Responsibility said that "the rising trend in health and social care spending and pensions will be adding something like another £75 billion spending over the next five years, £150 billion, potentially over the next decade" as if treatments are available to keep people alive longer, then people will want them. In July 2022, The Telegraph reported that the think tank Civitas found that health spending

4392-606: The Socialist Medical Association , successfully proposed a resolution at the 1934 Labour Party Conference that the party should be committed to the establishment of a State Health Service. Following the 1942 Beveridge Report 's recommendation to create "comprehensive health and rehabilitation services for prevention and cure of disease", cross-party consensus emerged on introducing a National Health Service of some description. Conservative MP and Health Minister, Henry Willink later advanced this notion of

4514-487: The Treatise : "We easily gain from the liberality of others, but are always in danger of losing by their avarice: Courage defends us, but cowardice lays us open to every attack". Hume considered what excessive courage does to a hero's character in the Treatise' s section "Of the Other Virtues and Vices": "Accordingly we may observe, that an excessive courage and magnanimity, especially when it displays itself under

4636-476: The 'Centre for Health Economics' at the University of York found that between 2004/05 and 2016/17 the productivity of the NHS has increased nearly two and a half times as quickly as the larger economy. Between 2010 and 2017, there was a cap of 1% on pay rises for staff continuing in the same role. Unions representing doctors, dentists, nurses and other health professionals have called on the government to end

4758-569: The 162 individuals who received original awards, 86 have been posthumous. In addition, there were five posthumous recipients of the Empire Gallantry Medal whose awards in four cases were gazetted after the start of the Second World War and whose awards were also exchanged for the GC. All the other exchange recipients were living as of the date of the decisions for the exchanges. Dominic Troulan represented recipients at

4880-453: The 2000s, mostly in relation to the practice of medicine in remote or resource-limited settings. It has been described as the practice of medicine outside of a clinician's usual scope of practice, or relevant clinical guidelines, in order to provide essential medical care, where no alternative exists. It has been specifically discussed in relation to rural generalists, paramedics, general practitioners, and rural medicine. The opposing theory

5002-630: The Albert Medal and the Edward Medal (EM) became George Cross recipients, but unlike the EGM exchange of insignia, they had the option of retaining their original insignia. Of the 69 holders of the Albert Medal and 70 holders of the Edward Medal eligible to exchange, 49 and 59 respectively took up the option. The GC, which may be awarded posthumously, is granted in recognition of: acts of

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5124-625: The BBC in 2017 that the George Cross was awarded as a propaganda gesture and consequently 'the island of Malta could not be allowed to fall as Singapore had done. Indeed, the North African campaign was being fought in 1942 as much to sustain Malta as vice versa.' The George Cross was incorporated into the Flag of Malta in 1943 and, since independence in 1964, remains on the flag. The GC was awarded to

5246-702: The Canadian Cross of Valour instead. The George Cross was awarded to 23 Australians, 11 to the Australian forces and 12 to civilians. It is the highest decoration of the Australian honours system after the British Victoria Cross and the Victoria Cross for Australia . Although Australia established the Cross of Valour within the Australian honours system in 1975 'for acts of the most conspicuous courage in circumstances of extreme peril' it

5368-516: The EEA coming to the UK for a temporary stay of more than six months are required to pay an immigration health surcharge at the time of visa application, and will then be entitled to NHS treatment on the same basis as a resident. This includes overseas students with a visa to study at a recognised institution for six months or more, but not visitors on a tourist visa. In 2016 the surcharge was £200 per year, with exemptions and reductions in some cases. This

5490-608: The EU holding a valid European Health Insurance Card and persons from certain other countries with which the UK has reciprocal arrangements concerning health care can get emergency treatment without charge. The NHS is free at the point of use, for general practitioner (GP) and emergency treatment not including admission to hospital, to non-residents. People with the right to medical care in European Economic Area (EEA) nations are also entitled to free treatment by using

5612-554: The Eastern tradition, the Chinese text Tao Te Ching offers a great deal of thoughts on courage, both physical and moral. According to Professor Daniel Putman, "courage involves deliberate choice in the face of painful or fearful circumstances for the sake of a worthy goal". With this realization, Putman concludes that "there is a close connection between fear and confidence". Fear and confidence in relation to courage can determine

5734-598: The GC (along with that of the George Medal), dated 24 September 1940, was published in The London Gazette on 31 January 1941. The King in his speech announcing the new award, stated that it would rank next to the Victoria Cross. This was second on the Order of Wear, much higher than the then existing awards for bravery not in the presence of the enemy, the highest being the two-class Albert Medal (AM); and

5856-701: The GC (in 1978) was Constable Michael Kenneth Pratt of the Victoria Police, Melbourne , for arresting two armed bank robbers in June 1976. For 39 years until the award to Dominic Troulon in 2017, Pratt was the most recent living civilian George Cross recipient. A memorial to Australian recipients, George Cross Park, was opened in Canberra , the Australian capital, on 4 April 2001 by the Governor General of Australia , Sir William Deane . In 1999,

5978-451: The GP's health and that of their patients at risk. The Royal College of Physicians surveyed doctors across the UK, with two-thirds maintaining patient safety had deteriorated during the year to 2018: 80% feared they would be unable to provide safe patient care in the coming year while 84% felt that increased pressure on the NHS was demoralising the workforce. In June 2018, at a time when the NHS

6100-694: The Island of Malta , the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) and the National Health Service (NHS). There have been 165 original awards including those to Malta, the RUC and the NHS, including 106 made before 1947. About 30% of the 162 original awards to individuals have been to civilians. There have been 251 exchange awards, 112 to Empire Gallantry Medal recipients, 69 to Albert Medal recipients and 70 to Edward Medal recipients. Of

6222-698: The NHS England published the NHS Long Term Plan . The Guardian reported that data for 2020 suggests a change, and that the doctors' trade union and professional association , the BMA , say this was largely due to raised spending during the pandemic and the effect of Covid on the whole economy, since the GDP of the UK dropped more than that of all other G7 nations. The BMA also said in December 2022 that

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6344-400: The NHS experienced "historical underfunding and under-resourcing" during the ten years before COVID. The King's Fund maintains The investment in services started in 2021 was badly needed, but despite it restoring key services and performance standards will require years. Shortages of workers and growing staff numbers experiencing burnout and thinking of leaving the NHS may stop progress. If

6466-446: The NHS has among the lowest numbers of doctors, nurses and hospital beds per capita in the western world. In May 2018, it was said that nurses within the NHS said that patient care was compromised by the shortage of nurses and the lack of experienced nurses with the necessary qualifications. In June 2018 it was reported that the NHS performed below average in preventing deaths from cancer, strokes and heart disease. In September 2018 it

6588-738: The NHS. The NHS is the largest employer in Europe, with one in every 25 adults in England working for the NHS. As of February 2023, NHS England employed 1.4 million staff. Nursing staff accounted for the largest cohort at more than 330,000 employees, followed by clinical support staff at 290,000, scientific and technical staff at 163,000 and doctors at 133,000. In June 2018, the Royal College of Physicians calculated that medical training places need to be increased from 7,500 to 15,000 by 2030 to take account of part-time working among other factors. At that time there were 47,800 consultants working in

6710-632: The Patten Report, with "the Police Service of Northern Ireland (incorporating the Royal Ulster Constabulary)" established on 4 November 2001. The RUC is often referred to as "RUC GC"; the 2000 act established a registered charity "to be known as 'The Royal Ulster Constabulary GC Foundation' for the purpose of marking the sacrifices and honouring the achievements of the Royal Ulster Constabulary"; other instances include

6832-532: The Principles of Morals . Søren Kierkegaard opposed courage to angst , while Paul Tillich opposed an existential courage to be with non-being , fundamentally equating it with religion : Courage is the self-affirmation of being in spite of the fact of non-being. It is the act of the individual self in taking the anxiety of non-being upon itself by affirming itself... in the anxiety of guilt and condemnation.... every courage to be has openly or covertly

6954-435: The RUC in 1999 by Queen Elizabeth II following the advice of the first Blair ministry . The citation published by Buckingham Palace on 23 November 1999 stated: For the past 30 years, the Royal Ulster Constabulary has been the bulwark against, and the main target of, a sustained and brutal terrorism campaign. The Force has suffered heavily in protecting both sides of the community from danger—302 officers have been killed in

7076-430: The Royal Ulster Constabulary and who have accepted the danger and stress this has brought to them and to their families. The Queen presented the George Cross on 12 April 2000 in a ceremony at Hillsborough Castle , County Down , attended by the senior RUC officers; the cross was accepted by Constable Paul Slaine, who had lost both legs in a 1992 IRA attack . The Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000 gave effect to much of

7198-442: The UK are in general not entitled to free hospital treatment, with some exceptions such as refugees . People not ordinarily resident may be subject to an interview to establish their eligibility, which must be resolved before non-emergency treatment can commence. Patients who do not qualify for free treatment are asked to pay in advance or to sign a written undertaking to pay, except for emergency treatment. People from outside

7320-464: The UK can use the NHS without being asked to pay the full cost of the service, though NHS dentistry and optometry do have standard charges in each of the four national health services in the UK. In addition, most patients in England have to pay charges for prescriptions though some patients are exempted. Aneurin Bevan , in considering the provision of NHS services to overseas visitors wrote, in 1952, that it would be "unwise as well as mean to withhold

7442-456: The UK had increased by more than any country despite the significant drop in national income due to the COVID pandemic. The Labour Government elected in 2024 stated that their policy was that the "NHS is broken". They announced an immediate stocktake of current pressures and the reasons for them led by Labour peer Lord Ara Darzi. This was to be followed by development of a new "10 year plan" for

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7564-456: The UK of which 15,700 were physicians. About 20% of consultants work less than full-time. Brexit , in 2020, was predicted to affect medical practitioners from EU countries who worked in the NHS, accounting for more than 1-in-10 doctors at the time. A 2017 survey suggested 60% of these doctors were considering leaving, with a record 17,197 EU staff leaving the NHS in 2016. The figures led to calls to reassure European workers over their future in

7686-491: The UK. A study by the Centre for Progressive Policy called for NHS trusts to become "exemplar employers" by improving social mobility and pay especially for those "trusts in poorer places where they can play a particularly large role in determining the economic wellbeing of the local population." They found the NHS to be " a middle ranking employer in comparison to other large organisations and falls short on social mobility and

7808-776: The Victoria Cross for Australia and the British Victoria Cross is included in s.103 of the Veterans' Entitlement Act and is presently $ A4,447 per year. Although there is not a statutory instrument for the payment of the George Cross annuity, both annuities for the Australian Cross of Valour and George Cross match the Victoria Cross Allowance payment. Since 1943, in accordance with the George Cross (Restriction of Use) Ordinance , it

7930-640: The annuity paid by the British government was £ 10,000. In Canada under the Gallantry Awards Order , members of the Canadian Forces , or people who joined the British forces before 31 March 1949 while domiciled in Canada or Newfoundland , receive $ 3,000 per year. Australia has been responsible for the payment of both the Victoria Cross Allowance and the George Cross annuity since the 1940s. The Victoria Cross Allowance which includes both

8052-574: The award followed an 18-month period in which the health service had been at the forefront of the fight against the coronavirus pandemic in the UK . The message read: It is with great pleasure, on behalf of a grateful nation, that I award the George Cross to the National Health Services of the United Kingdom. This award recognises all NHS staff, past and present, across all disciplines and all four nations. Over more than seven decades, and especially in recent times, you have supported

8174-546: The cap on health service pay, claiming the cap is damaging the health service and damaging patient care. In 2017, the pay rise was likely to be below the level of inflation and to mean a real-terms pay cut. In 2017, the House of Commons Library research predicted that that real-terms NHS funding per head was to fall in 2018–19, and stay the same for two years afterwards. In January 2018, The Guardian reported that GPs faced excessive workloads throughout Britain and that this put

8296-518: The cardinal virtues but does not name them as such: "Virtue may be defined as a habit of mind ( animi ) in harmony with reason and the order of nature. It has four parts: wisdom ( prudentiam ), justice, courage, temperance." However, Cicero held that "a courageous spirit in a human who has not attained perfection and ideal wisdom is generally too impetuous". In De Officiis Ministrorum , Ambrose echoes Cicero in holding reservations regarding those who exhibit courage without yet having demonstrated

8418-442: The cause of pride; and their opposites of humility". Hume also wrote that courage and joy have positive effects on the soul : "...since the soul, when elevated with joy and courage, in a manner seeks opposition, and throws itself with alacrity into any scene of thought or action, where its courage meets with matter to nourish and employ it". Along with courage nourishing and employing, Hume also wrote that courage defends humans in

8540-567: The challenges that lay ahead of you. According to Putman, there are four possible ways courage could be distorted: Thus, Putman identifies fear and courage as being deeply intertwined and that they rely on distinct perceptions: "the danger of the situation", "the worthiness of the cause", "and the perception of one's ability". Plato's Laches discusses courage, but fails to come to a satisfactory conclusion on what courage is. Many definitions of courage are offered, including: ...a man willing to remain at his post and to defend himself against

8662-424: The climax of the Battle of Britain and during the third week of the Blitz , there was a strong desire to reward the many acts of civilian courage. The existing awards open to civilians were not judged suitable to meet the new situation, therefore it was decided to institute the George Cross and the George Medal to recognise civilian gallantry in the face of enemy action, and brave deeds more generally. Announcing

8784-592: The department is making 4,000 training positions available for GPs every year, which help create an extra 50 million appointments annually. In 2023, a report revealed that NHS staff had faced over 20,000 sexual misconduct from patients from 2017 to 2022 across 212 NHS Trusts. Some of the claims included rape, sexual harassment, stalking, and sexualised remarks at staff from patients. In the report, female staff members were told by hospitals to continue caring for patients even after there were issues regarding abuse or harassment without further safeguards in place. Other parts of

8906-571: The enemy without running away... ...a sort of endurance of the soul... ...knowledge of the grounds of fear and hope... While many definitions are given in Plato's Laches , all are refuted, giving the reader a sense of Plato's argument style. Laches is an early writing of Plato's, which may be a reason he does not come to a clear conclusion. In this early writing, Plato is still developing his ideas and shows influence from his teachers like Socrates. In The Republic , Plato describes courage as

9028-744: The escapees. Courage of a different sort was displayed by two prisoners of war who endured terrible suffering. Captain Lionel Colin Matthews was eventually executed by his captors for building a resistance network in British North Borneo in the Second World War, while Private Horace William Madden , captured in Korea in 1951, died of privations while assisting fellow prisoners and openly resisting enemy efforts to force him to collaborate. The last Australian to be awarded

9150-555: The extremely dangerous role of mine disposal during the Second World War . Privates Benjamin Gower Hardy and Ralph Jones were posthumously awarded the George Cross for manning a Vickers machine gun during the Cowra breakout , a mass escape by Japanese prisoners of war in central New South Wales on 5 August 1944. Hardy and Jones disabled the weapon and denied its use to the escaping prisoners before they were overwhelmed and killed by

9272-457: The first of many controversies over changes to the NHS throughout its history. From its earliest days, the cultural history of the NHS has shown its place in British society reflected and debated in film, TV, cartoons and literature. The NHS had a prominent slot during the 2012 London Summer Olympics opening ceremony directed by Danny Boyle , being described as "the institution which more than any other unites our nation". Everyone living in

9394-503: The first two of ten characteristics ( lakshana ) of dharma in the Hindu Manusmṛti , alongside forgiveness ( kshama ), tolerance ( dama ), honesty ( asthaya ), physical restraint ( indriya nigraha ), cleanliness ( shouchya ), perceptiveness ( dhi ), knowledge ( vidhya ), truthfulness ( satya ), and control of anger ( akrodha ). Islamic beliefs also present courage and self-control as

9516-603: The form the NHS finally took. Bevan's National Health Service was proposed in Westminster legislation for England and Wales from 1946 and Scotland from 1947, and the Northern Ireland Parliament 's Public Health Services Act 1947. NHS Wales was split from NHS (England) in 1969 when control was passed to the Secretary of State for Wales . According to one history of the NHS, "In some respects

9638-424: The four services in 2015–16 employed around 1.6 million people with a combined budget of £136.7 billion. In 2024, the total health sector workforce across the United Kingdom was 1,499,368 making it the seventh largest employer and second largest non-military public organisation in the world. When purchasing consumables such as medications, the four healthcare services have significant market power that influences

9760-663: The free service from the visitor to Britain. How do we distinguish a visitor from anybody else? Are British citizens to carry means of identification everywhere to prove that they are not visitors? For if the sheep are to be separated from the goats both must be classified. What began as an attempt to keep the Health Service for ourselves would end by being a nuisance to everybody." The provision of free treatment to non-UK-residents, formerly interpreted liberally, has been increasingly restricted, with new overseas visitor hospital charging regulations introduced in 2015. Citizens of

9882-450: The frowns of fortune, contributes in a great measure, to the character of a hero, and will render a person the admiration of posterity; at the same time, that it ruins his affairs, and leads him into dangers and difficulties, with which otherwise he would never have been acquainted". Other understandings of courage that Hume offered can be derived from Hume's views on morals, reason, sentiment, and virtue from his work An Enquiry Concerning

10004-628: The global price, typically keeping prices lower. A small number of products are procured jointly through contracts shared between services. Several other countries directly rely on Britain's assessments for their own decisions on state-financed drug reimbursements. Calls for a "unified medical service" can be dated back to the Minority Report of the Royal Commission on the Poor Law in 1909. Somerville Hastings , President of

10126-555: The greatest heroism or of the most conspicuous courage in circumstances of extreme danger. The award is for civilians but also for military personnel whose actions would not normally be eligible to receive military awards, such as gallantry not in the face of the enemy. The Warrant states: The Cross is intended primarily for civilians and award in Our military services is to be confined to actions for which purely military Honours are not normally granted. The Cross shall be worn by recipients on

10248-622: The importance of courage: "The great epochs of our life are the occasions when we gain the courage to re-baptize our evil qualities as our best qualities." According to the Swiss psychologist Andreas Dick, courage consists of the following components: Researchers who want to study the concept and the emotion of courage have continued to come across a certain problem. While there are "numerous definitions of courage", they are unable to set "an operational definition of courage on which to base sound explicit theories". Rate et al. states that because of

10370-429: The individual in order to ensure a better chance of survival while the moral virtues address Hobbes's social contract which civilized men display (in varying degrees) in order to transcend the state of nature. Hobbes also uses the idea of fortitude as a virtue. Fortitude is "to dare" according to Hobbes, but also to "resist stoutly in present dangers". This is a more in-depth elaboration of Hobbes's concept of courage that

10492-513: The left breast suspended from a ribbon one and a quarter inches in width, of dark blue, that it shall be worn immediately after the Victoria Cross and in front of the Insignia of all British Orders of Chivalry. When the Cross is worn by a woman, it may be worn on the left shoulder, suspended from a ribbon fashioned into a bow. In June 1941 the specification of the ribbon width was amended to one and

10614-404: The line of duty and thousands more injured, many seriously. Many officers have been ostracised by their own community and others have been forced to leave their homes in the face of threats to them and their families. As Northern Ireland reaches a turning point in its political development this award is made to recognise the collective courage and dedication to duty of all of those who have served in

10736-415: The lowest being the single class Empire Gallantry Medal (EGM). In a substitution of awards unprecedented in the history of British decorations, holders of the EGM were required to exchange their insignia for the GC, most receiving their replacement GC at a formal investiture. The four honorary EGM awards to foreigners were not exchanged and could therefore continue to be worn. In 1971, surviving recipients of

10858-511: The monsters in the centre, gave them victory but no honor, and found a potent and terrible solution in naked will and courage. 'As a working theory absolutely impregnable.' So potent is it, that while the older southern imagination has faded forever into literary ornament, the northern has power, as it were, to revive its spirit even in our own times. It can work, as it did even with the goðlauss Viking, without gods: martial heroism as its own end. Virtuous pagan heroism or courage in this sense

10980-564: The names of the RUC GC Widows' Association, RUC GC Historical Society, and RUCGC–PSNI Benevolent Fund. On 5 July 2021, on the 73rd anniversary of the founding of the NHS of the UK, Queen Elizabeth II announced in a personal handwritten message that the four NHS organisations of the United Kingdom would be awarded the George Cross. It was reported that the award was recommended by the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson. The conferral of

11102-700: The needs of everyone, that it be free at the point of delivery, and that it be based on clinical need, not ability to pay. Three years after the founding of the NHS, Bevan resigned from the Labour government in opposition to the introduction of charges for the provision of dentures, dentists, and glasses ; resigning in support was fellow minister and future Prime Minister Harold Wilson . The following year, Winston Churchill 's Conservative government introduced prescription fees. However, Wilson's government abolished them in 1965; they were later re-introduced but with exemptions for those on low income. These charges were

11224-552: The new award, the King said: In order that they should be worthily and promptly recognised, I have decided to create, at once, a new mark of honour for men and women in all walks of civilian life. I propose to give my name to this new distinction, which will consist of the George Cross, which will rank next to the Victoria Cross, and the George Medal for wider distribution. The medal was designed by Percy Metcalfe . The Warrant for

11346-451: The new funding is to be efficiently used the NHS will need a comprehensive and fully funded workforce strategy to ensure future supply of staff. In March 2022, Rishi Sunak doubled the annual efficiency target for the NHS in England. The 2.2 per cent target would deliver annual savings of saving of £4.75 billion. At the same time the additional Covid funding is being removed in 2022–23. At the same time Sir Charles Bean , recently leader of

11468-592: The new partnership as overdue, while Plaid Cymru criticized it as insufficient for addressing deeper issues within the Welsh NHS. There was a concern that a disorderly Brexit might have compromised patients' access to vital medicines. In February 2018, many medical organisations planned for a worst-case Brexit scenario because "time is running out" for a transition deal to follow the UK's formal exit that occurred in March 2019. Pharmaceutical organisations working with

11590-467: The number of GPs has fallen by 1,622. Some family doctors have 2,500 patients each, forcing patients to attend A&E instead. Certain regions have fewer than 50 GPs per 100,000 people, while other regions have more than 70, presenting a challenge to the NHS's founding principle of equal treatment. A growing number of family doctors are reporting unsustainable workloads, and many have chosen to work part-time. A Health and Social Care spokesperson said that

11712-420: The past) are liable to charges for services. There are some other categories of people who are exempt from the residence requirements such as specific government workers and those in the armed forces stationed overseas. In 2016, the systems were 98.8% funded from general taxation and National Insurance contributions, plus small amounts from patient charges for some services. As of 2016, about 10% of GDP

11834-538: The patients. In wards which had not closed staff sometimes worked under stress due to staff shortages. It was also predicted then, that Brexit was likely to aggravate those problems. In November 2019, it was reported that due to the shortage of nurses the NHS was then relying on less qualified staff like healthcare assistants and nursing associates. For the period between 2010 and 2018 the Health Foundation funded research by Birmingham University said there

11956-479: The people of our country with courage, compassion and dedication, demonstrating the highest standards of public service. You have our enduring thanks and heartfelt appreciation. Elizabeth R. There have been 10 GCs awarded to Canadians including those by substitution for awards superseded by the GC. The recipients comprised nine men and one woman. The GC is no longer awarded to Canadians by the King of Canada , who awards

12078-425: The personal relationship between doctor and patient. Conservative MPs voted in favour of their amendment to Bevan's Bill to maintain local control and ownership of hospitals and against Bevan's plan for national ownership of all hospitals. The Labour government defeated Conservative amendments and went ahead with the NHS as it remains today; a single large national organisation (with devolved equivalents) which forced

12200-430: The presence of the enemy, to members of the British armed forces and to British civilians. Posthumous awards have been allowed since it was instituted. It was previously awarded to residents of Commonwealth countries (and in one case to Malta , a colony that subsequently became a Commonwealth country), most of which have since established their own honours systems and no longer recommend British honours. It may be awarded to

12322-448: The real Living Wage", and ranked trusts using a 'good employer index'. Ambulance trusts were ranked worst. On 6 June 2022, The Guardian said that a survey of more than 20,000 frontline staff by the nursing trade union and professional body, the Royal College of Nursing , found that only a quarter of shifts had the planned number of registered nurses on duty. The NHS is facing a shortage of general practitioners . From 2015 to 2022,

12444-419: The remaining 20% split between buildings, equipment, training costs, medical equipment, catering and cleaning. Nearly 80% of the total budget is distributed by local trusts in line with the particular health priorities in their areas. When the NHS was launched in 1948 it had a budget of £437 million (equivalent to £20.07 billion in 2023). In 2016–2017, the budget was £122.5 billion. In 1955/56 health spending

12566-437: The report showed that staff were pressured into not reporting grievances. In June 2023, the delayed NHS Long term Workforce Plan was announced, set up to train more doctors and nurses and create new roles within the health service. In 2024, multiple NHS hospitals started mandating radiographers to ask all male patients aged 12 to 55 if they were pregnant. This policy was instated as part of an 'inclusivity' drive and received

12688-622: The ribbon. Recipients are entitled to the postnominal letters GC. All original individual GC awards and the latest collective award to the National Health Service have been published in The London Gazette . The George Cross Committee of the Cabinet Office considers cases of military and civilian gallantry. The committee has no formal terms of reference. Since its inception in 1940, the GC has been awarded 416 times: 401 to men, 12 to women, and three times collectively, to

12810-418: The success of a courageous act or goal. They can be seen as independent variables in courage, and their relationship can affect how we respond to fear. The confidence that is being discussed here is self-confidence; confidence in knowing one's skills and abilities and being able to determine when to fight fear or when to flee it. Putman states that: "The ideal in courage is not just a rigid control of fear, nor

12932-431: The transfer of ownership of hospitals from local authorities and charities to the new NHS. Bevan's principle of ownership with no private sector involvement has since been diluted, with later Labour governments implementing large scale financing arrangements with private builders in private finance initiatives and joint ventures. At its launch by Bevan on 5 July 1948 it had at its heart three core principles: That it meet

13054-442: The virtues but the form of every virtue at the testing point, which means at the point of highest reality." In Beyond Good and Evil , Friedrich Nietzsche describes master–slave morality , in which a noble man regards himself as a "determiner of values"; one who does not require approval, but passes judgment. Later, in the same text, he lists man's four virtues as courage, insight, sympathy, and solitude, and goes on to emphasize

13176-537: The war had made things easier. In anticipation of massive air raid casualties, the Emergency Medical Service had brought the country's municipal and voluntary hospitals into one umbrella organisation, showing that a national hospital service was possible." Webster wrote in 2002 that "the Luftwaffe achieved in months what had defeated politicians and planners for at least two decades." The NHS

13298-413: The year to 2018. It was also said that some expressed doubt over whether May could carry out this proposed increase in funding. The next day, Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt backed the extra £20bn annual increase in NHS funding and responded to criticism by stating that taxation would be used to carry out the funding and that details would be revealed at the next budget. In June 2018 it was reported that

13420-454: Was 11.2% of the public services budget. In 2015/16 it was 29.7%. This equates to an average rise in spending over the full 60-year period of about 4% a year once inflation has been taken into account. Under the Blair government spending levels increased by around 6% a year on average. Between 2010 and 2017 spending growth was constrained to just over 1% a year. A 2019 report said that a study by

13542-417: Was born out of the ideal that healthcare should be available to all, regardless of wealth. Although being freely accessible regardless of wealth maintained Henry Willink 's principle of free healthcare for all, Conservative MPs were in favour of maintaining local administration of the NHS through existing arrangements with local authorities fearing that an NHS which owned hospitals on a national scale would lose

13664-588: Was costing about £10,000 per household in the UK. This, they said, reflected the third highest share of GDP of any nation in Europe. This was said to show that the UK "has one of the most costly health systems – and some of the worst outcomes". The findings were made before the government increased health spending significantly, with a 1.25% increase in National Insurance , in April 2022. Civitas said this showed evidence "runaway" spending as health spending in

13786-598: Was founded in 1969) as part of major social reforms following the Second World War . The founding principles were that services should be comprehensive, universal and free at the point of delivery—a health service based on clinical need, not ability to pay. Each service provides a comprehensive range of health services , provided without charge for residents of the United Kingdom apart from dental treatment and optical care. In England , NHS patients have to pay prescription charges ; some, such as those aged over 60, or those on certain state benefits, are exempt. Taken together,

13908-482: Was increased to £400 in 2018. The discounted rate for students and those on the Youth Mobility Scheme will increase from £150 to £300. From 15 January 2007, anyone who is working outside the UK as a missionary for an organisation with its principal place of business in the UK is fully exempt from NHS charges for services that would normally be provided free of charge to those resident in the UK. This

14030-547: Was insufficient and falling NHS capital spending that put patient care and put staff productivity at risk. The Health Foundation said that £3.5 billion more a year would be required to get capital spending to the OECD average. Spending limits were effecting service efficiency, and patient care. Shortages of equipment and equipment failures had an impact as did relying on ageing diagnostic equipment. In 2018, British Prime Minister Theresa May announced that NHS in England would receive

14152-509: Was not until 1992 that Australia officially ceased recommending British honours. During the period 1975 to 1992, the last George Cross to an Australian was awarded in 1978. Of the 23 awards, 14 were direct awards and nine were Empire Gallantry Medal (two), Albert Medal (six) and Edward Medal (one) exchange awards. Four awards were to officers of the Royal Australian Naval Volunteer Reserve who served in

14274-551: Was reported that Cancer Research UK maintained that more NHS cancer personnel were needed to enable the UK to catch up The NHS in England was expanding early diagnosis services with the goal of increasing the proportion of cancers diagnosed early (at stages 1 and 2) from 53% to 75% in the decade to 2028. In September 2018, it was reported that the NHS was the first health service in Europe to negotiate coverage for novel CAR-T cancer therapy, with agreement reached within 10 days of its European marketing authorisation. On 7 January 2019,

14396-462: Was reported that death rates from breast cancer were falling faster in Britain than in any other of the six largest countries in Europe, and were estimated then to have improved beyond the European average. In October 2018, according to Breast Cancer Care , 72% of NHS trusts across the UK did not provide dedicated specialist nurses for patients with incurable breast cancer." In September 2019 it

14518-479: Was reported that staff shortages at histology departments were delaying diagnosis and start of treatment for cancer patients. In England and Scotland cancer wards and children's wards have to close because the hospital cannot attract sufficient qualified doctors and nurses to run the wards safely. In November 2018 it was reported that cancer patients and child patients were having to travel very long distances to get treatment and their relatives had to travel far to visit

14640-480: Was short of doctors, foreign doctors were forced to leave the UK due to visa restrictions. A study reported in November 2018 found that a fifth of doctors had faced bullying from seniors in the previous year due to pressure at work. In May 2018 it was reported that the NHS was under-resourced compared to health provisions in other developed nations. A King's Fund study of OECD data from 21 nations, revealed that

14762-540: Was spent on health and was the most spent in the public sector. In 2019, the UK spent roughly 10.2% of GDP on healthcare compared to 11.7% in Germany and 11.1% in France. The money to pay for the NHS comes directly from taxation. The 2008/09 budget roughly equated to a contribution of £1,980 per person in the UK. Some 60% of the NHS budget is used to pay staff. A further 20% pays for pharmaceuticals and other supplies, with

14884-501: Was thought that inflation may erode the real value of this funding increase. As part of the 2018 funding increase the UK Government asked the NHS in England to produce a 10-year plan as to how this funding would be used. In September 2019, it was reported that cancer survival rates in the UK had been rising fast but probably still lagged behind the best results internationally, mainly because of late diagnosis. In March 2019 it

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