ANNEXE 6

United Kingdom: Establishing a mixed economy in healthcare 2005 Duncan Innes Head of Public Policy

UK healthcare - key points The National Health Service is funded by tax not insurance - there are no charges to see a doctor or go into hospital The State owns NHS hospitals, although there is some freedom for management Private hospitals do not employ doctors All referrals to both public and private hospitals come through General Practitioners BUPA insurance pays all costs for treatment in any private hospital (not just those owned by BUPA)

Mainly surgical operations l UK: 35 private hospitals 27,000 NHS patients in 2003

250 care homes; 16,000 residents mixed private and State ownership and funding Long-term care of older people

The future Prices fixed nationally - similar to DRGs Choice - by December 2005 all patients in England will be offered four or five hospitals for surgery, booked at a time to ensure short waiting Still no choice of doctor, or what treatment is given Commission for Healthcare Audit and Inspection inspects standards in both public and private hospitals on a similar basis

18 - week waiting time and up to 15% of surgical operations in private hospitals by 2008 Government to spend £500m-£1bn more on imaging (MRI;CT;PET) and pathology

‘Why use private hospitals and insurance in the UK?’ More capacity to permanently reduce waiting times Better productivity to treat more patients. Utilisation of all the resources available in England spread good practice and innovation