Physicians and Nurses

The Sickbed Which Is Socialized British Medicine

Doctors, nurses, patients -- indeed everyone involved in Britain's socialized system of medicine --say the 49-year-old plan has become so bad that words like "deteriorating," "unraveling" and "no slack at all" are being used to describe it. An aging population, more expensive technology and government funding cutbacks have all helped drive the system to the breaking point.

  • Although the National Health Service now costs British taxpayers more than $73 billion a year, doctors and advocacy groups are demanding that more money be spent.

  • But British politicians in both major parties are neither inclined to raise taxes to pay for the increases before May's general election, nor to adopt a U.S.-style system where publicly financed care is provided only to the poor and elderly.

  • Britain's National Health Service dates from 1948 and was founded on the promise of free health care to everyone.

  • Now those who can in any way afford it are shunning its choked emergency rooms, clogged corridors and overworked personnel in favor of private, patient-paid doctors.

Four months ago, there were over one million people waiting for beds in in-patient treatment facilities. Two-hundred-and-thirty-nine thousand of them had been waiting for between six months to one year.

Britain spends 7.1 percent of gross national product on health care, compared to 13.6 percent in the United States.

Source: Sarah Lyall, "For British Health System, Bleak Prognosis," New York Times, January 30, 1997.


Problem Doctors In Military

The U.S. military's health care system attracts doctors who couldn't legally practice in the private sector, according to an investigation by the Dayton, Ohio, Daily News. The newspaper alleges the military employs or has employed physicians who failed multiple state medical board exams, had their licenses revoked or suspended, lost their malpractice insurance or were convicted of crimes.

  • The year-long investigation found that military doctors are not required to have malpractice insurance, do not have to be licensed in every state where they practice, and are virtually immune from being sued by their patients.

  • Reporters say they found at least 200 doctors practiced in the military with records of incompetence or malpractice from both in and out of the military.

  • They also found 77 doctors either failed their state licensing exam or had no evidence in their files that they took it.

  • One doctor reportedly failed a medical licensing exam 30 times.

John Mazzuchi, deputy assistant secretary of defense for clinical services, said that differences between civilian and military health care systems don't decrease the quality of care in the services and that military hospitals rate highly compared to others.

Sources: Associated Press, "Military Draws Problem Doctors, Newspaper Says," Dallas Morning News, October 5, 1997.

Waiting List For Free Health Care In Britain

U.S. lawmakers and bureaucrats who seek a revolutionary overhaul of the country's health care system may want to take a look at the mess Britain has made of its system.

The National Health Service there provides care for free to citizens, so it is strapped for cash.

  • This year, the NHS will cost $71.2 billion -- 14 percent of the government's budget.

  • In a nation of 58.5 million people, 1.2 million were waiting to be treated as of the end of September -- an increase of 17,000 in just two months.

  • Rather than increase funding, the government of Prime Minister Tony Blair has formed a Waiting List Action Team charged with reducing waiting times, and plans to eliminate competition among providers.

  • The goal of the Action Team is to reduce waiting time to no more than 18 months for non-life-threatening ailments.

Critics point out such a "reform" would require a year and one-half to have a hip replaced or treat gallstones. They charge that NHS policy is to deny lifesaving treatments -- such as kidney dialysis -- to older citizens.

Observers note that on this side of the Atlantic rationing and denial of care has already started under Medicare, Medicaid and veterans' health programs.

Source: Editorial, "The British (Health) Disease," Investor's Business Daily, December 23, 1997.

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