What the NHS can and cannot learn from the Singaporean health care system F

SOCIAL MARKET FOUNDATION FOREWORD – THE NHS SALVATION ROAD TO SINGAPORE The NHS is in serious decline, struggling to recover from the devastating impact of the pandemic, Brexit and over a decade of austerity. [...] Infant mortality is half that of the UK; life expectancy is 83 (in the UK it is 81); cancer survival rates, while lower than those in the US, are similar to those in western Europe.2 Commentators often praise the efficiency of the Singaporean healthcare model, describe part of their system, and argue that other countries should follow suit. [...] "Singapore's government had the power to tackle the problem [overconsumption of healthcare] head on," Harford argues, "by using the forced savings and catastrophe insurance to make sure costs were manageable but keeping the power of patient choice at the heart of the system.”12 The Singaporean system of healthcare financing is complex, and is best illustrated with an example. [...] The UK government recently granted data adequacy to Guernsey.31 10 WHAT THE NHS CAN AND CANNOT LEARN FROM THE SINGAPOREAN HEALTH CARE SYSTEM SINGAPOREAN-STYLE POLYCLINICS IN AREAS OF ENGLAND WITH POOR ACCESS TO GP SERVICES There is significant variation in the number of patients per NHS GP across England (Figure 3). [...] The cost of an acute visit with no chronic conditions is less than half the English average.41 The Singaporean Ministry of Health recognises the efficiency of the polyclinic model and is rapidly increasing the number of polyclinics.