- A new report by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) dismisses the idea that a European-style insurance model would improve NHS performance, branding it a “pointless distraction”.
- The IPPR attributes the NHS's challenges to “chronic underinvestment” rather than its tax-funded model, urging policymakers to focus on increased investment in infrastructure and primary care.
- Analysis of 22 countries found no evidence that social health insurance systems outperform tax-funded models, which were also shown to be cheaper for patients and have lower administrative costs.
- Despite dismissing alternative models, the report highlighted the NHS's “sobering” performance, ranking it second-worst for deaths from conditions where timely care should prevent fatalities.
- Health Secretary Wes Streeting supported the report's findings, affirming that the NHS's tax-funded model is the fairest way to provide care and that ongoing investment and modernisation are rebuilding the service.
IN FULL
European-style insurance model will not fix NHS problems, new report says
