A comparison of health services in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland shows marked differences in the likelihood of emergency admission to hospital, staying overnight or being operated upon.
Healthcare information providers CHKS analysed statistics from the four nations exclusively for HSJ. Differences included the fact that patients having an elective operation in England are 40 per cent more likely to be treated as a day case than patients in Scotland.
"Each NHS is right to use their own policies and standard operational procedures to meet the differing needs of their populations"
Welsh residents are 20 per cent more likely to be admitted to hospital as an emergency than elsewhere. CHKS head of market intelligence Paul Robinson said: "This is about primary care and whether patients are being rushed in or not."
The figures suggest differences in the organisation and efficiency of services. But they also point to different clinical standards.
And there is a host of other interesting data, for example:
England.
· 2002-03 spend per head: £1,085
· 2002-03 hospital beds per 1,000 population: 3.8
· GPs per 1,000 population: 0.57
Scotland
· 2002-03 spend per head: £1,262
· 2002-03 hospital beds per 1,000 population: 6
· GPs per 1,000 population: 0.76
Wales
· 2002-03 spend per head: £1,186
· 2002-03 hospital beds per 1,000 population: 5
· GPs per 1,000 population: 0.61
Northern Ireland
· 2002-03 spend per head: £1,214
· 2002-03 hospital beds per 1,000 population: 4.9
· GPs per 1,000 population: 0.63
By coincidence, this report was issued by the WHO points out this week; expenditure per head is not a determinant of a healthy health system. Despite the devolved, discriminatory funding system, our BHS is not doing the job it is being paid very highly to do in any part of the UK.
Via Slugger.
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