National Healthcare Service popularly known as NHS are publicly funded systems
in the countries of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland. Following systems of health
services were formed in 1948 and known in different names in different states of U.K
• England
- National Health Service - NHS
• Northern Ireland - Health and Social Care in Northern Ireland (HSCNI)
• Scotland
- NHS Scotland
• Wales
- NHS Wales
Despite their separate funding and administration, there is no discrimination when a resident of one country of the United Kingdom requires treatment in another, although a patient
will often be returned to their home area when they are fit to be moved.
Foreign nationals always receive treatment free at the time of use for emergencies.
Foreign nationals may be subjected to an interview to establish their nationality and residence
status, which must be resolved before non-emergency treatment can commence. Patients who do
not qualify for free treatment are asked to pay in advance, or to sign a written undertaking to pay.
Citizens of European Economic Area nations, as well as those from countries
with which the UK has a reciprocal arrangements, are also entitled to free treatment by using the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) which is available free of cost from website https://www.ehic.org.uk/Internet/startApplication.do
Every health service system in U.K being funded by general taxation. NHS budget roughly
equates to a contribution of £2,000 for every man, woman and child in the UK
Following was the planned expenditure for NHS for 2012/2013
• £108.9 billion for National Health Service (England)
• £3.9bn for Health and Social Care in Northern Ireland
• £9.38bn for NHS Scotland
• £5.3bn for NHS Wales
About 60% of the NHS budget is used to pay staff. A further 20% pays for drugs and other
supplies, with the remaining 20% split between buildings, equipment and training costs on the
one hand and medical equipment, catering and cleaning on the other.
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