Expenditure on healthcare in the UK: A review of the issues

This review examines the performance of the UK healthcare system. After pre senting data on the level and distribution of resources, three topics are e xamined. The first is the lessons from international comparisons of evidenc e on expenditure, equity and healthcare outcomes. The second is the lessons from the recent internal market reforms. The third is the lessons from an analysis of the role for private finance in UK healthcare. The review concl udes that economists and policymakers need to focus more attention on the r elationship between healthcare inputs expenditure - and health outcomes, an d, within this, on the incentives facing suppliers and demanders of healthc are.