Health service in UK lagging behind that of other wealthy countries

Britain's health service is lagging behind that of other high-income countries, research suggests.  The study by the London School of Economics and Harvard School of Public Health compared  ten countries, examining spending levels, and a range of indicators measuring quality of care,  The study, published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), said the quality of NHS care appears to be "slipping", with Britons faring worse than their counterparts abroad. Researchers compared the UK with Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland and the US, using data, some of which came from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The UK was found to have the lowest healthcare expenditure per person at £2,978, compared with an average of £4,438 in the other countries. Overall, the UK spent approximately 8.7 per cent of GDP on health in 2017, compared with the average of 11.5 per cent. GPs in the UK reported spending the least amount of time with patients, compared with similar countries, the study found.  Overall, 92 per cent of family doctors said they spent less than 15 minutes on each appointment, compared with 38 per cent of those elsewhere.  None said they spent 25 or more minutes with a patient, compared with an average of 15 per cent in other countries, while 8 per cent spent 15 to 25 minutes per appointment, compared with 45 per cent in other countries.  When it comes to doctors, the UK had fewer, at 2.8 per 1,000 people in 2017, compared with an average of 3.5. The number of practising nurses in the UK in 2017 was also "considerably lower" at 7.8 per 1,000 people, compared with an average of 11.4 in the other countries. The UK had the lowest survival rates for breast and colon cancer, and second lowest for cervical and rectal cancer.  And 19 per cent of hospital patients waited two months or more to see a specialist, compared with a 12 per cent average in other countries. The study also found the UK had fewer hospital beds, at 2.5 per 1,000 people, compared with four per 1,000 in other countries. However, there were fewer healthcare-associated infections in the UK, fewer people suffered a blood clot after surgery and more over-65s had a flu jab. There were also more women undergoing breast and cervical screening. The authors said: "Our study suggests that the NHS should look towards improving staffing ratios, long-term care provision, and social spending, which are lower than comparator countries and have been declining in recent years. "Despite already low levels of labour, the UK is making do with fewer doctors and nurses, a challenge that is likely to be exacerbated in the context of Brexit. "Although access to care compared favourably to other countries, utilisation was lower than average and quality seems to be slipping. Health service outcomes, as well as heath status, are sub-optimal." The study's authors said the UK "will almost certainly need to spend more on healthcare staffing, long-term care, and other social services" in the future. The Conservatives have promised an NHS budget rise of 3.4 per cent a year on average, so that by 2023/24, £149 billion will be spent.   Health and wellbeing | Read more Labour has pledged a 4.3 percent increase in health funding annually over four years - amounting to £6 billion extra a year by 2023/24, which the Lib Dems have pledged to match. Mark Dayan, policy analyst at the Nuffield Trust, said: "Our work last year with the Institute for Fiscal Studies, King's Fund and Health Foundation showed the UK lags behind on many areas of cancer and in overall avoidable deaths for killer diseases. "But the NHS does appear relatively efficient, and actually has perfectly normal waiting times despite the complaints we so often hear. "This report is right to point to low levels of key staff as an underlying concern.” Jonathan Ashworth, shadow health secretary, said: "It’s clear that years of tory underfunding and under staffing of our NHS has had a huge impact on patient care, with many waiting longer for appointments and treatment.  "Labour will invest in our health service with a £40bn cash boost to help deliver real change, recruit more doctors and nurses, and give patients the standard of care they deserve."

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