What we pay and what we get
Healthcare compared: what we pay and what we get
Health spending as a share of GDP
US 16% - almost twice the percentage of GDP.
UK 8.4%
Public spending on healthcare (% of total spending on healthcare)
US 45%
UK 82% - majority through National Healthcare System
Health spending per head
US $7,290 - more than twice as much spent per person.
UK $2,992
Practising physicians (per 1,000 people)
US 2.4
UK 2.5 - more doctors per person in U.K., but pretty close.
Nurses (per 1,000 people)
US 10.6 - more nurses per person in U.S.A., but pretty close.
UK 10.0
Acute care hospital beds (per 1,000 people)
US 2.7 - more acute care beds, but very close.
UK 2.6
Life expectancy:
US 78
UK 80 - higher in the U.K.
Infant mortality (per 1,000 live births)
US 6.7
UK 4.8 - lower (is better) in the U.K.
Source: WHO/OECD Health Data 2009
