International Healthcare: United Kingdom, Research Paper Example

Type of Healthcare System

The United Kingdom provides a universal system of health coverage, whereby all persons who are classified as “ordinarily resident” are eligible to receive free health insurance coverage which is sponsored by the National Health Service (The Commonwealth Fund, 2015). The National Health Service (NHS) was established in 1948 and provides free care to residents of the country and remains an organization who places the greatest emphasis on its patients and the treatment that they deserve (National Health Service, 2013). The NHS is comprised of more than 36,000 General Practitioners who are employed in over 8,300 practice settings; furthermore, some urgent care facilities exist for patients in need of these services (National Health Service, 2015). The NHS funds a variety of services for patients throughout the United Kingdom through its trusts or foundation trusts, whereby a number of facilities may be governed by these trusts, led by a board of directors and council of governors, each of whom is responsible for a given community area (National Health Service, 2013).

Cost to the Individual Patient

In the United Kingdom, General Practitioners typically receive reimbursements for individual patients at the cost of 136 British Pounds (Kaffash, 2015). For most prescription drugs on an outpatient basis, there is a copayment of approximately 8.05GBP, which is the equivalent of $12 USD, while hospital prescribed drugs are of no cost to patients (The Commonwealth Fund, 2014). For dental services, out-of-pocket cost is approximately 219GBP, or $315 USD per treatment; in addition, nine percent of all expenditures in the UK are related to out-of-pocket expenses (The Commonwealth Fund, 2014). This reflects the importance of developing an understanding of the costs of these services for the insured and what each person must be responsible for under this type of healthcare system (The Commonwealth Fund, 2014).

Access of Care

For persons who are “ordinarily resident” to the United Kingdom, access to healthcare services is simplified to some degree because these persons are covered by the universal health coverage system; in addition, persons who require emergency treatment for infectious diseases who are not classified at the above status may receive healthcare services in this regard under some conditions (The Commonwealth Fund, 2014). Patients are typically free to select their own practice of physicians, but this is sometimes limited when they do not accept new patients; therefore, this must be considered when making decisions regarding General Practitioners and their practices (The Commonwealth Fund, 2014). Outpatient specialty care is also available for patients, often in hospitals, where consultations typically take place as necessary; in addition, mental health services are covered by the NHS and includes access to prescription drugs used to treat mental health conditions, along with an increased level of availability of psychological services (The Commonwealth Fund, 2014).

Limitations to Care

In spite of the availability of universal health coverage for residents of the United Kingdom, there are some limitations that exist, including the potential risk of being shut out of a preferred General Practitioner physician group if they are not accepting new patients (The Commonwealth Fund, 2014). In addition, it is possible that psychological health services and therapies to treat mild mental health conditions may be difficult to obtain and require extensive waiting periods (The Commonwealth Fund, 2014). Furthermore, in spite of a greater emphasis on mental health services by the NHS, this remains an underfunded area with fewer options for patients who experience mental health issues or illnesses (The Commonwealth Fund, 2014). In addition, long-term care services are limited in that reimbursement payments for providers are low; furthermore, this option is not universal for all persons and is based upon specific means and needs (The Commonwealth Fund, 2014). Therefore, it is important to consider that in spite of universal healthcare coverage, there are limits to the care that is available and how it is distributed to residents, based upon type of illness (physical versus mental), as well as other issues that may influence access to care for population groups such as older adults who may require long-term care services (The Commonwealth Fund, 2014).

Cost Effectiveness

The healthcare system in the United Kingdom is generally cost effective for those who are insured, particularly since their out-of-pocket expenses are relatively low; however, providers such as General Practitioners may receive lower than desirable reimbursement payments for covered services (The Commonwealth Fund, 2014). Therefore, it is important to address the challenges associated with maintaining a high quality and cost effective approach to healthcare services in the United Kingdom that will continue to thrive. Continued guidance and support regarding cost effective measures for consumers and for practitioners are instrumental in shaping the environment in which these services are provided; therefore, the NHS must explore new options in this area in order to effectively determine how to maintain cost effective approaches to these services which do not compromise care and treatment in any way (The Commonwealth Fund, 2014).

Patient Satisfaction

From the perspective of the patient in the United Kingdom, there must be a greater emphasis on the development of surveys and other instruments in order to gauge the level of satisfaction with the services that are provided (National Health Service, 2015). In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of satisfied patients, with 71 percent of patients satisfied with General Practitioner services; 69 percent satisfaction with outpatient services; 58 percent satisfaction with accident and emergency services; 54 percent satisfaction with dentists, and only 30 percent satisfaction with social services (National Health Service, 2015). Therefore, it is important to consider these satisfaction rates and to determine the best possible approaches that are available in order to effectively manage the needs of the patient population who receive these services. The NHS should place a greater emphasis on restoring and/or improving patient satisfaction in some of the weaker areas such as dentistry, and in particular, social services, where there appears to be a greater need to emphasize the importance of shaping an environment where these services are more comprehensive and consistent in nature to support the needs of the populations who are served.

Primary vs. Specialist Care

Primary care in the United Kingdom is mostly supported by General Practitioners who work in individual or group practices to provide generalized services to their patients, and when these services are not adequate to diagnose and/or treat a specific problem, patients will be referred for specialist care in another facility, such as a hospital (National Health Service, 2013). In addition, there is an ever-increasing emphasis on community-based care which supports local healthcare services at the community level, along with specialized care and hospitals and other facilities (National Health Service, 2013). In this context, it is important for the NHS to continue to expand its options with respect to healthcare services and to be mindful of its responsibility to remain consistent in its provision of care and treatment to the designated patient population. Since both primary and specialist care are required, the coordination of these services is essential in supporting and preserving the comprehensive health and wellbeing of the patient population throughout the country who are able to access this type of universal coverage.

References

The Commonwealth Fund (2014). International profiles of health care systems. Retrieved from http://www.commonwealthfund.org/~/media/files/publications/fund-report/2015/jan/1802_mossialos_intl_profiles_2014_v7.pdf

The Commonwealth Fund (2015). The U.K. health care system. Retrieved from http://www.commonwealthfund.org/topics/international-health-policy/countries/united-kingdom

Kaffash, J. (2015). Average GP practice receives £136 per patient annually – less than a Sky TV subscription. Retrieved from http://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/your-practice/practice-topics/pay/average-gp-practice-receives-136-per-patient-annually-less-than-a-sky-tv-subscription/20009191.fullarticle

National Health Service (2013). Guide to the Healthcare system in England, including the Statement of NHS Accountability. Retrieved from https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/194002/9421-2900878-TSO-NHS_Guide_to_Healthcare_WEB.PDF

National Health Service (2015). New research – public NHS satisfaction levels rise with dissatisfaction levels at all time low. Retrieved from https://www.england.nhs.uk/2015/01/29/nhs-satisfaction-levels-rise/