UK countries divided over health care

There are "striking and troubling differences" in health care between the four countries of the UK, a report says today.

The Nuffield Trust examined health services in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The Trust – an independent charity that carries out research into health services – found Scotland had the highest rate of spending on the NHS, as well as the highest rates of hospital doctors, GPs and nurses per person.

But Scotland also had the highest levels of poor health.

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The NHS in England spent less, had fewer health staff per head of population, but made better use of its resources with higher activity levels.

The report highlighted some of the differences in health policy between the four countries, with Scotland having brought in free personal care while prescription charges have been abolished in Wales.

It also said health services across the UK saw "massive increases in funding" in the years following devolution in 1999 but this "feast" in funding was now likely to be followed by a period of "famine".

The Trust said that Scotland "appears to perform less well than anywhere else on almost every measure examined".

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The report stated: "In 2006, Scotland had the highest levels of poor health, the highest rates of expenditure, the highest rates of hospital doctors, GPs and nurses, and yet the lowest rates of inpatient admissions and crude productivity for hospital doctors and nurses."

It added that Wales and Northern Ireland showed a "similar pattern. Their health services had high rates of spending and hospital staff but lower levels of productivity and performance.