Is the NHS Falling Behind its European Peers?
Perceptions of the NHS are generally positive but is this supported by the statistics?
According to research by the NHS Confederation, the NHS is regarded as the most impressive healthcare provision out of ten key European countries in terms of safety, value and equality.
However, key statistics, issued by the NHS Confederation earlier this summer reveal some less than favourable comparisons between the UK's NHS and the provision of healthcare in comparable European countries.
When significant aspects of healthcare in the UK are compared with those in Germany and France, we would appear to be lagging behind in many aspects absolutely fundamental to the successful provision of adequate and effective care to this country's public.
Staffing Levels
Both NHS and EU statistics suggest that the UK government provides fewer core medical practitioners to underpin healthcare than our European partners.
Where Germany provides more than four physicians and eleven nurses per 1000 people, and France provides more than three physicians and almost ten nurses, the NHS provides only 2.8 physicians and 6.67 nurses.
In contrast, however, the UK would seem to provide greater numbers of midwives than either of those countries.
Funding
Financial input into the health service is another area where the UK seems to be falling behind Europe.
With Sweden, France and Germany spending approximately 12% of gross domestic product on healthcare, the UK is languishing at 9th in the list with under 10% of its GDP spent supporting public health.
What this means in terms of government spending on health per person is a difference between Germany and the UK of over $1,000 per year. According to a recent report in The Times, it would require an additional £24 billion per year to make up that difference.
The impact of funding shortages
The impact of funding shortages could be seen most dramatically last winter when A&E services began to crumble under the weight of increased demand.
Shortages in staffing levels of both nurses and midwives is a regular feature in the media with recent reports on the impact of these staff shortages.
A study undertaken by the University of Southampton recently reported in The Times, identified that nurses have insufficient time to undertake approximately one third of the tasks allotted to them, thereby putting patients' lives at risk.
Additionally, the outbreak of a deadly fungus at King's College Hospital was attributed to a shortage of nurses.
A recent analysis by the Royal College of Nursing found that 90% of England's biggest hospitals are operating with insufficient nursing levels.
Shortages of beds in hospitals have also been put down to lack of funding in other aspects of healthcare, such as care homes and GP surgeries. The UK currently offers 2-3 beds per 1000 people in comparison to Germany which provides over 8 beds per 1000 people.
Does this affect medical outcomes?
Unfortunately, a report commissioned by the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry identified that cancer sufferers in the UK have a shorter survival outcome than in many other European countries.
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