Det offentlige britiske sundhedsvæsen, NHS, har i lang tid været plaget af rationering af pleje, store underskud, og hygiejneproblemer på hospitalerne. Nu vil den venstreorienterede Labour-regering give frit valg en chance og har indført en voucher-ordning.
Under the “voucher” scheme, patients will not be given money directly, but will decide themselves how to spend sums normally administered by the NHS.
Disclosing the plans in an interview with The Sunday Telegraph, Alan Johnson, the Health Secretary, described the concept as “a big and important idea” that could give patients far more control. It is understood to have the backing of Gordon Brown.
The individual budgets, worth thousands of pounds, will be given to tens of thousands of patients with the most acute conditions, such as multiple sclerosis and motor neurone disease and the most severe cases of other conditions, including asthma and diabetes.
Udspillet møder ros fra Adam Smith Institute, en britisk frimarkedstænketank.
