Why Is Universal Health Care Successful In UK And Europe
The UK and Europe at large are among the regions that have made tremendous steps in making healthcare affordable to all the residents. For instance, the United Kingdom introduced the National Health Services (NHS) as early as 1948 and has kept it running to date. Apart from England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, there are several other countries with the universal healthcare system in Europe including France, Germany, Netherlands, and Spain.
Like several other successful systems, there are a number of factors that made universal health care triumphant in the UK and Europe. These include:
Public-Private Balance
Even though universal health care systems are largely managed by the various governments, through the ministry of health, they receive an overwhelming support from both the private sector and the residents. The collaborative effort from all stockholders has played a significant role as far as the success of the system is concerned. The European governments have continued to show great commitment to the course. They have continually introduced a number of reforms to fit the ever-changing public health priorities and socioeconomic development. The UK and Europe have also launched a number of measures that support residents’ personal lifestyles. The region has also prioritized citizens’ healthcare.
Sustainable Financing
European governments have adopted diverse but sustainable funding approaches towards quality universal health coverage. Most of these countries finance their healthcare systems from a combination of taxation, individual saving plans, and defined coverage. Universal healthcare in Spain, Sweden, Portugal, and Denmark is primarily financed by tax revenue. However, Germany and France rely on both public and private contributions to run their health system.
The UK’s National Health Services (NHS) is mainly financed from general taxation and contributions from the National Insurance. A small percentage of the funding is however generated from user charges, including dental treatment and spectacles. The system also receives additional income from parking fees and land sales. The diversified financing base has sustained NHS in the four countries making up the United Kingdom thereby contributing to its success.
Strong Regulatory Governance
The European governments have clear policies regulating the provision of universal healthcare services. Even though there are private players in the health sector, the governments play the oversight role and make substantial investments in medical care. They control the supply of healthcare professionals and are responsible for the management of public hospitals.
The NHS, for instance, is controlled by the United Kingdom government through Department of Health. However, NHS services are provided by a number of its trust organizations as well as private firms, including NHS acute trust, NHS care trusts, NHS ambulance services trusts, and NHS mental health trusts. European governments’ commitment to creating an enabling environment for universal health care through change driven policies has greatly impacted on the system.
Innovation, Quality Leadership, and Smart Investments
Europe has greatly embraced technology when it comes to healthcare. This has not only helped to improve the efficiency of the universal health care system but also reduced the cost of providing medical care to residents. The Europe and UK governments are constantly making calculated investments in medical technology. In addition to innovative technologies, the region has also capitalized on its healthcare human resource as well as proactive healthcare approaches.
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