UK and Twenty Comparable Countries GDP-Expenditure-on-Health 1980-2013: The Historic and Continued Low Priority of UK Health-Related Expenditure
It is well-established that for a considerable period the United Kingdom has spent proportionally less of its gross domestic product (GDP) on health-related services than almost any other comparable country. Average European spending on health (as a % of GDP) in the period 1980 to 2013 has been 19%...
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Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
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Kerman University of Medical Sciences
2016-09-01
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Series: | International Journal of Health Policy and Management |
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Online Access: | http://www.ijhpm.com/article_3241_0c5e75fd378ee88d4982add890694d1b.pdf |
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author | Andrew J.E. Harding Colin Pritchard |
author_facet | Andrew J.E. Harding Colin Pritchard |
author_sort | Andrew J.E. Harding |
collection | DOAJ |
description | It is well-established that for a considerable period the United Kingdom has spent proportionally less of its gross domestic product (GDP) on health-related services than almost any other comparable country. Average European spending on health (as a % of GDP) in the period 1980 to 2013 has been 19% higher than the United Kingdom, indicating that comparable countries give far greater fiscal priority to its health services, irrespective of its actual fiscal value or configuration. While the UK National Health Service (NHS) is a comparatively lean healthcare system, it is often regarded to be at a ‘crisis’ point on account of low levels of funding. Indeed, many state that currently the NHS has a sizeable funding gap, in part due to its recently reduced GDP devoted to health but mainly the challenges around increases in longevity, expectation and new medical costs. The right level of health funding is a political value judgement. As the data in this paper outline, if the UK ‘afforded’ the same proportional level of funding as the mean averageEuropean country, total expenditure would currently increase by one-fifth. |
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format | Article |
id | doaj.art-a18b8a1f56ef4ced95997a2932aa8d9a |
institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
issn | 2322-5939 2322-5939 |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-04-12T21:04:03Z |
publishDate | 2016-09-01 |
publisher | Kerman University of Medical Sciences |
record_format | Article |
series | International Journal of Health Policy and Management |
spelling | doaj.art-a18b8a1f56ef4ced95997a2932aa8d9a2022-12-22T03:16:45ZengKerman University of Medical SciencesInternational Journal of Health Policy and Management2322-59392322-59392016-09-015951952310.15171/ijhpm.2016.93UK and Twenty Comparable Countries GDP-Expenditure-on-Health 1980-2013: The Historic and Continued Low Priority of UK Health-Related ExpenditureAndrew J.E. Harding0Colin Pritchard1Faculty of Health & Social Sciences, Bournemouth University, Dorset, UKFaculty of Health & Social Sciences, Bournemouth University, Dorset, UKIt is well-established that for a considerable period the United Kingdom has spent proportionally less of its gross domestic product (GDP) on health-related services than almost any other comparable country. Average European spending on health (as a % of GDP) in the period 1980 to 2013 has been 19% higher than the United Kingdom, indicating that comparable countries give far greater fiscal priority to its health services, irrespective of its actual fiscal value or configuration. While the UK National Health Service (NHS) is a comparatively lean healthcare system, it is often regarded to be at a ‘crisis’ point on account of low levels of funding. Indeed, many state that currently the NHS has a sizeable funding gap, in part due to its recently reduced GDP devoted to health but mainly the challenges around increases in longevity, expectation and new medical costs. The right level of health funding is a political value judgement. As the data in this paper outline, if the UK ‘afforded’ the same proportional level of funding as the mean averageEuropean country, total expenditure would currently increase by one-fifth.http://www.ijhpm.com/article_3241_0c5e75fd378ee88d4982add890694d1b.pdfUK gross domestic product (GDP)Healthcare ExpenditureInternational Comparison |
spellingShingle | Andrew J.E. Harding Colin Pritchard UK and Twenty Comparable Countries GDP-Expenditure-on-Health 1980-2013: The Historic and Continued Low Priority of UK Health-Related Expenditure International Journal of Health Policy and Management UK gross domestic product (GDP) Healthcare Expenditure International Comparison |
title | UK and Twenty Comparable Countries GDP-Expenditure-on-Health 1980-2013: The Historic and Continued Low Priority of UK Health-Related Expenditure |
title_full | UK and Twenty Comparable Countries GDP-Expenditure-on-Health 1980-2013: The Historic and Continued Low Priority of UK Health-Related Expenditure |
title_fullStr | UK and Twenty Comparable Countries GDP-Expenditure-on-Health 1980-2013: The Historic and Continued Low Priority of UK Health-Related Expenditure |
title_full_unstemmed | UK and Twenty Comparable Countries GDP-Expenditure-on-Health 1980-2013: The Historic and Continued Low Priority of UK Health-Related Expenditure |
title_short | UK and Twenty Comparable Countries GDP-Expenditure-on-Health 1980-2013: The Historic and Continued Low Priority of UK Health-Related Expenditure |
title_sort | uk and twenty comparable countries gdp expenditure on health 1980 2013 the historic and continued low priority of uk health related expenditure |
topic | UK gross domestic product (GDP) Healthcare Expenditure International Comparison |
url | http://www.ijhpm.com/article_3241_0c5e75fd378ee88d4982add890694d1b.pdf |
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