Health-care failings make Britain the poor relation within Europe

The United Kingdom's health-care system is a bad deal for patients compared with those in the rest of Europe, according to a new report. Although it has the highest-paid doctors and the second-highest number of nurses per head of population, the United Kingdom was described by the study as "the poor relation" of European health-care.

The study used official data to compare the U.K. system with those of the Netherlands, Spain and France. The researchers found the United Kingdom had the:
 

• Second-lowest number of general practitioners (GPs).
   
• Lowest number of GP consultations per inhabitant.
   
• Lowest number of dental consultations per capita.
   
• Second-lowest health-care spending as a share of gross domestic product (GDP).
  
  The findings of the Comparative Study of European Health-care Systems cast further doubts on the performance of the U.K. health system.
  
  Katherine Murphy, of the Patients Association, said: "This is a damning indictment of Britain's health-care system compared with that enjoyed by many of our European neighbours. Despite having the highest-paid doctors, in many cases we have the worst care."
  
  Source: Patrick Sawer, Health-care failings make Britain the poor relation within Europe, London Telegraph, November 12, 2007.
  
  For text: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/11/11/nhealth111.xml
  
  For more on Health Issues: http://www.ncpa.org/sub/dpd/index.php?Article_Category=16
  
  FMF Policy Bulletin/ 20 November 2007