Alan,
The point you made about the dismal fiscal situation of UK is precisely
what concerns me as far as NHS spending is concerned. But the ultimate
question is: does spending have to increase every year to have good
health care and outcomes.
Here I am thinking of the Japanese example. The Japanese prime minister
sets the overall budget for the entire health system annually--including
spending cuts--and everyone has to live with it. Annual health spending
has remain at around 8% of GDP for years. The Japanese continue to be
high users of their health system--they go to the doctor almost 3 times
more often than UK patients, have by far the most CT and MRI machines in
the world, and continue to have live the longest (women 85.5, men 78.5
vs. UK 81.1 and 76.9 (OECD 2007)).
Best,
May
-----Original Message-----
From: Maynard, A. [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Tuesday, May 11, 2010 4:12 AM
To: May T. Cheng
Cc: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: British election
May
We await decisions about what sort of coalition/partnership we get. The
Conservatives got 10 million votes but the other two parties between
them got 14 million votes. The "first past the post" system gives a very
unequal distribution of the 650 seats in Parliament.
All parties say the NHS is safe in their hands but given the poor UK
fiscal situation, which is as bad if not worse than in some of the
Eurozone PIGS (Portugal, Italy,Greece and Spain), I fear the NHS is not
safe in anyone's hands!
Watch this space!
Best wishes
Alan
May T. Cheng wrote:
>
> How will a coalition government affect the NHS? --- May
>
>
>
> *From:* Anglo-American Health Policy Network
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] *On Behalf Of *Adam Oliver
> *Sent:* Monday, May 10, 2010 12:33 PM
> *To:* [log in to unmask]
> *Subject:* British election
>
>
>
> This will interest some of you?
>
>
>
> http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/election_2010/8673526.stm
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Please access the attached hyperlink for an important electronic
> communications disclaimer:
>
http://www.lse.ac.uk/collections/planningAndCorporatePolicy/legalandComp
lianceTeam/legal/disclaimer.htm
>
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