Reforming UK healthcare funding

By Rachel

With the continuing criticism of NICE (National Institute for Clinical Excellence), it seems to me that we should be looking for new ways to address healthcare funding in the UK. This is particularly relevant as the population ages and increasingly expensive therapies are coming on to the market, such as the cancer drugs.

Perhaps we need to move on and engage the public in a new dialogue. A recent report entitled ‘Making the NHS the best insurance policy in the world’, issued by the UK think tank Reform, poses an interesting concept. The report calls for a National Health Protection System whereby healthcare systems would compete to insure patients. The aim is to create competition between private firms and primary care trusts, resulting in driving down costs and improving choice. Is this the debate we should be having rather than continuing the rage against NICE?

Add comment September 17th, 2008