International Health 1

Question 1

Two main achievements of NHS healthcare so far?

Answer 1

longevity

• life expectancy increased
• people living healthier lives
• life expectancy difference by geographical location due to health inequalities but average health life expectancy is 63 (living with
• progress in child mortality rates

access to health services

Question 2

Challenges to medicine

Answer 2

Evidence - can we trust research?

Unhealthy behaviour - different smoking prevalence in different ethnic groups, drink/smoke/eat bad 4x more likely to die in next 10 yrs/prematurely, childhood obesity, NHS losing money

Burden of disease - CHD, mental illness

Ageing population - increased LE, older people need more resources, many living with NCDs or disabilities
Sickest 3% account for 45% of costs

Shortage of Human Resources for Health - not enough doctors, junior contract dispute many left NHS, US more supply than demand to attract doctors from UK

Organisation of NHS - weak primary care

Quality, safety and effectiveness - spending wasted on ineffective treatment, no evidence, poor trained health professionals