Table 1 Core attributes of the National Health Service, reflecting one possible (and fairly successful) implementation of a Universal Healthcare Coverage system
From: Sharing the British National Health Service around the world: a self-interested perspective
Attribute | Description |
|---|---|
Comprehensiveness | Cradle-to-grave system, covering effective and cost-effective health care, public health and complementary social care. In the 'ultimate’ case, 'comprehensiveness’ embraces all health determinants from pre-natal to the grave. |
Universality | All residents of the UK (citizens, legal and illegal immigrants) are covered. |
User fees | Care is free at the point of use |
Funding source | Progressive general taxation funding |
Resource allocation | Centralised resource allocation formula which takes account of need, deprivation, market forces |
Purchasing/commissioning | NICE explicitly accounts for the opportunity cost of new investment decisions in services and technologies |
Ownership of healthcare delivery agents | Mix of public, private and third sector, all under contractual arrangements to offer care to NHS patients based on fee schedule and quality standards |
Co-existence with private system | Small (and shrinking) private market co-exists with the NHS but no opt-out of the NHS exists for British tax-payers |