UK Health Care System Ranked Below Average in Study on Treatable Conditions Survival Rates

The King's Fund think tank has found that people in the UK are less likely to survive treatable conditions, such as breast cancer and stroke, than those in other rich nations.

The study attributed this to the performance of the NHS, which has below-average spending and fewer staff and equipment than other healthcare systems.

However, the NHS is very efficient within its budget and has low levels of admin expenses.

The UK also has one of the lowest levels of key clinical staff, with fewer doctors and nurses per capita than most other countries.

The study also found that the UK has fewer hospital beds and medical equipment relative to its population size, with the US having more scanners than the UK.

The study concluded that the UK health service was neither a leader nor a laggard, but it was clear that the NHS has "sadly seen better days." The NHS has seen an increase in waiting lists for routine treatments, but it was noted that the UK removes most financial barriers to accessing healthcare and has low levels of people avoiding medical care due to cost fears.