The Bitgrum Eyeing The World's Most Essential News Topics
Healthcare has always been an essential sector in every country. As the saying goes, “Health is wealth.” The United Kingdom’s primary healthcare provider, the National Health Service (NHS) ranks as one of the best healthcare systems in the world. It continues to prove that a state can provide its citizens with proper and good health care regardless of income or wealth.
NHS was founded on 5th July 1948 by the government of the United Kingdom (UK), and it caters to permanent residents in England. It is free at the point of use and financed through general taxation.
Even with NHS’s commendable achievements, it still has its downside. In 2017, NHS was ranked number one health system due to its efficient and affordable services regarding vaccinations and screening of individuals.
However, it lacks the propensity on the side of preventing early death, heart attacks and prolonging cancer survival. In 2018, a recent study also indicated that the United Kingdom continues to have this problem.
This is due to the lack of staff; wherein, doctors are forced to juggle patients, budget, equipment such as MRI scanners and CT scanners. Another reason that also contributes to this factor is the lifestyle of the people such as smoking and obesity which often results in the lethal diseases.
Furthermore, in another recent study, it was shown that cancer patients were failed to be correctly monitored. NHS only provides up to five years of follow-up monitoring for cancer diseases.
However, the lethal diseases may last anywhere from one month to 21 years. But despite it all, the government plans to help NHS by pledging a £20 billion funding boost for the NHS by 2024.
Update: June 28, 2018, – The government states that the funding shall support the growing concerns of NHS towards health services. But, health experts said that, although it may help in the declining of health service, it is not enough to address the challenges NHS is facing.
Experts believed that the NHS faces financial pressures since they are spending more than they’re receiving.
Other countries with the same scheme provide quality healthcare service such as Luxembourg, which is currently the number one best health care system in the world as seen in the 11th annual global Prosperity Index of the Legatum Institute.
The State of Health in the EU: Luxembourg’s Country Health Profile 2017 states that Luxembourg has by far the most expensive health system in Europe. Following the state-fund system of Luxembourg may be a start for NHS.
