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Challenges faced by the UK healthcare system

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Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................. 3
Challenges in UK Healthcare System .............................................................................................. 3
Recommendations........................................................................................................................ 5
Conclusion ................................................................................................................................... 6
References ................................................................................................................................... 7

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Introduction
The given report discusses the issues that are creating challenges for the overall UK

health care system. The National Health Service Act 1946 establishes a framework for

providing equal access to a comprehensive health system service, free to all UK residents.

The recent budget has announced that NHS will receive the largest sustained funding as of

now. The challenge for the NHS is to deliver quality care to justify such a massive injection

of public spending. However, the NHS is the dominant player in health care, but the number

of people taking private health insurance has grown dramatically in the past few years. The

role of private sector has increased rapidly because the NHS is unable to deliver quality

health care service to people. The NHS has outlined several measures to focus on the patient's

needs. The UK healthcare is facing considerable pressure on its budgets because of the rise in

the cost of new technology, rising income, and demographic change (Emmerson, Frayne &

Goodman, 2007).

Challenges in UK Healthcare System

The NHS is striving hard to meet the expectation of patients by improving quality and

performance. The challenges face by the health care system in the UK is threatening the

sustainability of a high-quality health service. The following are the three main issues faced

by the health care system in the UK:

Demand for NHS Services- It is becoming extremely difficult for the NHS to provide

quality of care because of new spending avenues that are likely to arise. The reason for such

concerns is as the economy grows the income, peoples' expectations of the types of service

they need are likely to increase. The NHS is a labor-intensive organization; the future

economic growth is likely to put pressure on NHS budgets at the level of the wage bill in

economy rise and the hospital wage bill grow. The cost of adopting new technology is

expensive; hence, the NHS requires significant funding increase to meet the health care
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standard. The population of the developed world is aging. In the UK, there is a high concern

over such demographic change. The aging population has implication for the cost of

providing health care. The treatment of elderly is expensive compared to other age groups.

The aging group takes a considerable proportion of the health budget. The rising expectation

of patients and public for access to the latest therapies, coordinated health and social care

services, customized to their needs are posing challenges for the UK health care system.

Supply of NHS Services- The demographic trends are affecting health care spending.

The health care costs vary across the life cycle, but the elderly populations are particularly

expensive. The cost of providing care is getting expensive. The healthcare innovation is more

costly than the replacement of old technology, for example, the latest cancer therapies raise

affordability questions. The limited financial resources are another challenge that the UK is

experiencing. The UK health care system needs to consider how health care expenditure is

allocated appropriately to provide integrated services. The UK health care system has limited

productivity improvements. Measuring the productivity of NHS is complicated and hotly

debated. The recent national statistics suggest that the NHS has not fully utilized its capacity.

The improvements in better performance management, reducing the length of stay, and better

procurement practices have an important role to play in keeping health expenditure at an

affordable level.

Sustainability and improved quality- Waiting list is another crucial indicator of NHS

quality. The long waiting times by patient for treatment is affecting the quality of care

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provided by the NHS. It has become a challenge for the system to reduce the time and

adequately manage the resources. The difference between the results provided by different

hospital and regions are often seen as the difference in efficiencies. The differences are

unacceptable as they are contrary to the idea of equity that all residents of the UK have the

same right to the same level of health irrespective of background (NHS England, 2013).

Recommendations
The UK health care system demands a sustainable system in the face of challenges

experienced by the NHS. The aging population and rapidly changing lifestyle has increased

the prevalence of chronic disease. It requires strong orientation towards prevention,

consistent standards of primary care that is well coordinated and integrated. The proactive

and systematic management of chronic illness will improve health outcomes, impact on

health inequalities and reduce inappropriate use of hospitals. The engagement and active

empowerment of patients are the greatest resources within the NHS. The UK health care

system can overcome the problem of rising waiting time by adapting to integrated models of

care. The virtual integration of system and resources will significantly increase productivity

and minimize the wastage of resources. The introductions of self-management programs that

empower people to improve their health will considerably improve health outcomes and

reduce unplanned hospital admission. The systematic primary prevention is an important

measure to lessen the burden of disease in the population. It will also help in maintaining the

financial sustainability of the NHS (Transforming our health care system 2013).

Primary prevention programs such as No Smoking days will improve health outcomes

and save costs. Successful secondary prevention in early stage of disease such as taking

measures to reduce high blood pressure involves low-cost intervention and low-technology

(Kotz, 2010).

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Conclusion
Hence, it can be concluded that there is a need to transform the UK healthcare system.

The future trend and the upcoming issues threaten the sustainability of health care systems in

the UK. The NHS England has immense potential and opportunity to transform into a health

service that is safe and fit for the future. As discussed the critical issues faced by UK

healthcare system needs to be addressed immediately. The suggestion provided above will

assist the health care system to improve the quality of care. The measure will help the NHS to

maintain its long-term sustainability and transform the health of their population by

improving clinical outcomes and reducing cost.

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References
Emmerson, C., Frayne, C. & Goodman, A. (2007). Pressures in UK Healthcare:

Challenges for the NHS. London: KKS Printing.

Kotz, D. (2010). How cost-effective is No Smoking Day. Tobacco Control, 20 (4), 302-

304

NHS England. (2013). Retrieved December 24, 2014, from

http://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/nhs_belongs.pdf

Transforming our health care system. (2013). Retrieved December 24, 2014, from

http://www.kingsfund.org.uk/sites/files/kf/field/field_publication_file/10PrioritiesFinal

2.pdf

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