UK healthcare 'mediocre’

UK healthcare 'remains mediocre’

The UK's healthcare service has ranked 17th out of 29 countries in an annual survey of EU healthcare.

The Euro Health Consumer Index 2007, published by the Health Consumer Powerhouse in Brussels, found that despite excelling in providing information to patients, the quality of the UK's healthcare service lags far behind many of their northern European neighbours.
In five categories covering 27 performance indicators, the UK scored 581 points out of a potential 1,000, putting it in a similar league to Hungary, Italy and Slovenia. Austria, in top place, scored 806 points.

In particular, the report said the UK lets patients down through poor access to new treatments, especially in cancer, longer than necessary waiting times and rates of MRSA infections.

"Patients in the UK have the right to expect more. Despite substantial funding increases, the UK still is a mediocre overall performer," said Dr Arne Björnberg, the Euro Health Consumer Index director. "It may be that this represents the end of the road for the rationing approach which the UK has pursued."

Health Insurance Magazine 05 October 2007