Comparative
European Politics
Political Culture
and the British Health Care System
Reading: Reid, Chpt. 7, ÒThe UK: Universal Coverage, No BillsÓ
Discussion
Questions:
What model of
healthcare delivery has the UK adopted – the Beveridge or Bismarkian
model
Describe the main
features of the UK system
What does the
design of the British healthcare system reveal about the political culture of
the UK in the 20th and 21st centuries?
That is, what values are reflected in its healthcare system?
Does this
represent a shift in British political values compared to earlier
centuries?
If so, what
caused this shift in values?
What model of
healthcare delivery has the UK adopted – the Beveridge or Bismarkian
model
Describe the main
features of the UK system
Single payer
system
No fees at point
of service
Physicians are
independent business people but receive the bulk of the fees from the
government
Nationally set
fees with incentives for providing preventative care, having numbers of people
enrolled at your practice (capitation)
Government
controls costs by enumerating what tests, procedures it pays for
All must register
with a GP; gatekeeper to Òconsultants,Õi.e., specialists
Other healthcare
workers are employees of NHS
Some
privatization, investment in building hospitals
Popularity of
program?
2005
A poll by Ipsos
MORI found the combined patient and public satisfaction rating for the NHS
overall was 63%
but the public's
rating was much more negative than that of patients
A separate survey
by Populus found that, on average, patients rate attributes of NHS care such as
nursing care, cleanliness and waiting times 12% higher than the public as a
whole.
Both groups gave
GP services a similar satisfaction rating - around 80%
Source: BBC News
Complaints/drawback
of system?
Wait lists
(queues) to see specialists;
Government
determines what tests, procedures are paid for
Physician
salaries?
What does the
design of the British healthcare system reveal about the political culture of
the UK in the 20th and 21st centuries?
That is, what values are reflected in its healthcare system?
Social justice,
freedom from want for all
Equality
Requisite for
government to respect and guarantee Human Rights
Does this
represent a shift in British political values compared to earlier
centuries?
Yes! Move away from class privilege, toward
egalitarianism
Extension,
perhaps, of sentiment that upper classes have a responsibility to care for
lower through charity, poor relief
If so, what
caused this shift in values?
WWII, Great Depression,
greater recognition that state has responsiblitiy to provide for peopleÕs basic
needs,and that access to medical treatment is one of the fundamental
rights/need