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The UK protects people from catastrophic healthcare costs but patients still face long hospital waits while access to primary care appointments has worsened
WHO/Europe and the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies release new Health System Overview for the United Kingdom
Copenhagen & Brussels, 28 January 2025 — The WHO Regional Office for Europe (WHO/Europe) and the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies today unveiled the latest series of the Health Systems in Action Insights for 15 non-EU countries, including the UK. It’s a comprehensive overview of how the UK’s health system is structured, how it is performing, and where there are opportunities for improvement.
The other non-EU countries included in the study are Armenia, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Israel, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.
The new reports offer data and insights on a wide range of issues, from how the health system is financed to trends in countries’ health workforce; from access to health insurance and benefits packages to life expectancy and incidence of noncommunicable diseases.
Drawing on lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, they highlight best practices and emerging innovations to accelerate progress towards stronger and more resilient health systems.
“In the wake of unprecedented political and financial challenges to health budgets, including in the UK, leaders in government and healthcare want to know what works and why,” says Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe. “Though it’s difficult to generalize about health in 15 different countries, nearly all have shown improvements in life expectancy and reductions in maternal and infant mortality. Some persistent challenges can be observed across most countries, including an ageing health workforce. I commend the UK for having strong universal health coverage which ensures people don’t face catastrophic spending on healthcare costs. I am also encouraged by the UK government’s consultative efforts to improve the health system, bring down hospital waiting times and make the NHS fit for the future.”
“The Insights,” Dr Kluge added, “also allow policy makers to identify those other countries that have tackled the kinds of challenges they face, so that they can learn from them, for example, how to improve cancer screening, or how to increase rates of childhood immunization.”
Each country-specific report dissects the key building blocks of its health system—including governance, financing, workforce, service delivery, and digital tools. By linking clear data with straightforward analysis, the new Insights equip decision-makers, health professionals, and other stakeholders with essential knowledge for shaping policy, improving practice, and preparing for future challenges.
“The appeal of these Insights lies in their practicality and relevance,” emphasizes Dr Ewout van Ginneken, Director of the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies. “Each one contains fresh evidence, compelling lessons, and thoughtful recommendations—the building blocks to design, plan, and evaluate the future of health systems.”
Key findings for the United Kingdom:
COVID-19 pushed public spending on health up to 11% of GDP in 2022. However, a prolonged period of government funding restraint has limited investment in long-term priorities such as infrastructure, workforce and technology.
The United Kingdom reports some of the lowest rates of out-of-pocket (OOP) and catastrophic health spending in Europe.
Access to planned hospital care is impeded by long waits, which grew steadily before the pandemic and then rapidly as services returned to normality. Access to primary care appointments has also worsened.
Noncommunicable diseases (cancer, ischaemic heart disease and dementia) are the leading causes of death. Tobacco use has fallen but is still a main risk factor and vaping is a growing problem. England has set an aim to be ‘smokefree’ by 2030.
Background
The Health Systems in Action Insights series is part of a broader effort by WHO/Europe and the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies to foster knowledge exchange, build partnerships, and inform policy decisions across the Region. With their accessible format and rigorous analysis, these publications serve as trusted references for policy-makers, professionals, academics, and journalists alike.
For more information and to download the full reports, visit:
European Observatory: Health Systems in Action Insights
Media Contacts
Bhanu Bhatnagar: bbhatnagar@who.int
WHO Regional Office for Europe: eupress@who.int
About WHO/Europe
The World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Europe works with 53 Member States to protect and promote the health of nearly 1 billion people in the WHO European Region.
About the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies
The European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies is a partnership that supports and promotes evidence-based health policymaking. It engages experts from academia, national and regional governments, international organizations, and more to analyze health system reforms and policymaking.
ENDS