FACTBOX-Some details on the National Health Service

(Reuters) - The government published a draft constitution for the National Health Service in England earlier this week, ahead of the 60th anniversary of the creation of the NHS on Saturday.

Here are some facts on the NHS.

THE BACKGROUND:

* The NHS was founded at a time when massive innovation was occurring, partly prompted by war. The pharmaceutical industry was creating a flood of new drugs. Antibiotics, better anaesthetic agents, cortisone, drugs for the treatment of mental illness such as schizophrenia and depression, good diuretics for heart failure and anti-histamines all became available.

-- These developments, while improving the lot of the patient, raised the cost of the NHS and the government found it had little experience of running a health service with an explosive tendency to expand.

THE PRINCIPLES BEHIND THE NHS:

* It was financed almost 100 percent from central taxation:

* Everyone was eligible for care, even people temporarily resident or visiting the country.

* People could be referred to any hospital, local or more distant.