Journal article information
- Journal of publication: EuroHealth
- Nuffield Trust contributor: Anita Charlesworth
- Volume: 19
- Issue: 2
- Page range: 36-39
Abstract
Health spending in the United Kingdom increased rapidly over the last decade but growth has now come to a halt as fiscal consolidation leads to tighter controls on public health spending. Longer term, the UK – in common with other European countries – faces a fiscal sustainability challenge. Health spending now accounts for more than one-sixth of total government spending. The pressure to increase spending on health is expected to outpace projections for government revenues. The pressures reflect demographic change – an increasing and ageing population – but other factors, such as the prevalence and management of chronic disease, relative pay and prices, new technology and productivity are more significant drivers of health spending. The success of countries in mitigating these pressures will be an important determinant of whether health systems can be fiscally sustainable without increasing tax or finding new sources of funding for health care