National health service systems, Biology

Assignment Help:

National Health Service Systems

Systems established under the national health service have three main features. First, their primary funding comes from general revenues. Second, they provide medical coverage to the country’s entire population. Third, their services are delivered through a network of public providers. In many low and middle income countries such system exists alongside that of other risk pooling arrangements. Thus, they are not the sole source of coverage for the entire population. The features of national health services give them the potential to be equitable and efficient. Their wider coverage means that risks are also pooled broadly, without the dangers of risk selection inherent in other fragmented systems. Their efficiency potential arises from the fact that they are integrated under government control and have less potential for the high transaction costs that arise from multiple players. But when power and responsibility is decentralised with local authorities, coordination problems can ensue. Whether public provision is more efficient, equitable, and sustainable than private provision is a question not of ownership but of the underlying delivery structures and incentives facing the providers and consumers. Thus, although national health service systems have the theoretical benefit of providing health care to the entire population free of charge (except for any applicable user fees), the reality could be different. For instance, reliance on general government budgets is vulnerable to the vicissitudes of annual budget discussions and changes in political priorities.

In most low-income developing countries, public health spending as a share of the budget is low. Further, health services in many low and middle income countries are primarily used by middle and high income households in urban areas because of access problems for the rural poor. Also, the poor tend to use less expensive local primary care facilities due to the costs involved in accessing the public facilities. For exactly the opposite reasons, the rich tend to disproportionately use more of the expensive hospital services of the public sector. Public provision of health services also face problems of corruption and inefficiencies caused by budgets that do not generate the appropriate incentives and accountability. To exploit the potential strengths of national health service systems it is, therefore, important for developing countries to improve the capacity to raise revenue, the quality of governance and institutions, and the ability to maintain the universal coverage and reach of the system. It is also important to take specific measures to target spending to the poor, such as by increasing the budgetary allocation for primary care. But the system must not neglect the needs of the middle and high-income populations (as they are capable of influencing the political support). They can also opt for privately financed system at the expense of supporting the public system.

 


Related Discussions:- National health service systems

Myocardial hypertrophy and remodeling, The long term adaptive mechanisms in...

The long term adaptive mechanisms involve myocardial hypertrophy and remodeling which occurs slowly over weeks to months. The capacity of these adaptive mechanisms meant to sust

Define proline, Define Proline It is a prominent amino acid found in fi...

Define Proline It is a prominent amino acid found in fish and may contribute to sweetness. The sugars ribose, glucose and glucose-6-phosphate are flavour contributors, as is 5-

Antimicrobial prophylaxis - controversial, Antimicrobial Prophylaxis - Cont...

Antimicrobial Prophylaxis - Controversial The need for prophylaxis in breast surgery, herniorraphy and other "clean" surgical procedures has been controversial. Medical Letter

Role of a nurse in legal psychiatry, ROLE OF A NURSE IN LEGAL PSYCHIATRY: ...

ROLE OF A NURSE IN LEGAL PSYCHIATRY: 1)   Standard Care : The nurse must function at laid down standards and keep up with the standard of  care by  knowing the policies  & pro

Explain about oligomeric enzymes, Oligomeric enzymes Oligomeric protein...

Oligomeric enzymes Oligomeric proteins consist of two or more polypeptide chains, which are usually linked to each other by non-covalent interactions and never by peptide bonds

What are the other substances resorbed by nephron tubules, Where does most ...

Where does most of the water resorbed after glomerular filtration go? What are the other substances resorbed by the nephron tubules? Only 0.5 to 1% of the glomerular filtrate i

What is echocardiography, Q. What is Echocardiography? Echocardiography...

Q. What is Echocardiography? Echocardiography in paediatric cardiology forms a different category from that of adult echo with acquired heart disease. Some of views which pro

Explain the symbiotic relationships and their types, Explain the Symbiotic ...

Explain the Symbiotic Relationships and their types? Symbiosis : refers to a special type of association in which two species live together in a closely held relationship. In

What events occur during platelet plug formation, What is the role of plate...

What is the role of platelet plug formation in hemostasis? What events occur during platelet plug formation? Describe the circumstances that may induce inappropriate platelet plug

What might explain the pattern, A zoologist is investigating a population o...

A zoologist is investigating a population of squirrels whose coat color is controlled by a single gene whose two alleles (B1 & B2) are codominant. B1B1 individuals are black, B1B2

Write Your Message!

Captcha
Free Assignment Quote

Assured A++ Grade

Get guaranteed satisfaction & time on delivery in every assignment order you paid with us! We ensure premium quality solution document along with free turntin report!

All rights reserved! Copyrights ©2019-2020 ExpertsMind IT Educational Pvt Ltd