Annals of Oncology 13:811-813, 2002
© 2002 European Society for Medical Oncology
News |
Bad news for taxpayers, good news for patients, in the UK
Chancellor Gordon Brown announced, in April 2002, that spending on the national health service (NHS) in the UK will exceed £100 billion in 5 years time (Table 1). ($1
£0.62; http://www.ecb.int/home/eurofxref.htm). This means spending would increase by an average of 7.4% in real terms for each of the next 5 years—funded in part by a 1% increase in national insurance contributions. More impressively, over the 5 years, the NHS budget will rise by 43% in real terms, and will have doubled since 1997. Mr Brown dismissed calls for alternative funding methods for the health service; general taxation was the equitable option, he said.
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Mr Brown said the increase in NHS investment would be pegged to reform, including a new system of independent scrutiny of patient complaints. New financial incentives for hospital performance, greater freedom for high performing hospitals and trusts, devolution of power and resources to
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