By Vivienne Russell | 29 June 2012
There are considerable variations in health spending, staffing and outcomes across the four nations of the UK, auditors said today.
Life expectancy varies significantly – from 75.9 in Scotland to 78.6 in England for men, and from 80.4 in Scotland to 82.6 in England for women, according to the National Audit Office study.
It also found that health spending had more than doubled in cash terms over the past decade in all four nations. However, spending per person varies. In England, for example, a higher proportion of total public spending is devoted to health, but England spends the least on health per person.
There are also been significant differences in staffing ratios. Scotland has the most GPs per person, 80 per 100,000 people compared with 70 in England and 65 in Wales and Northern Ireland. Scotland also has the most medical hospital, nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff per person.
Information on the relative efficiency and quality of the health services provided was harder to ascertain. Waiting times have fallen in all four nations, although there are important differences in how long patients wait for common procedures. In 2009/10, waiting times tended to be lower in England and Scotland than in Northern Ireland and Wales.
NAO head Amyas Morse said: ‘We publish this report at a time when the NHS across the UK is under increasing pressure to use resources more efficiently. Funding is tighter while the demand for healthcare continues to grow as a result of an ageing population and advances in drugs and technology.
‘We consider that there would be value in the health departments in the four nations carrying out further work to investigate the variations in performance and identify how they can learn from each other to achieve better value for money for taxpayers and better care for patients.’
