Tuesday, 13 March 2012

A bitter pill that the NHS must swallow to avoid collapse? Can I get a second opinion, please?


"Caring for the ageing population and covering the annual £600m of new drug treatments mean NHS costs are rising at an unaffordable rate and underline why we need to rethink how the system works"
- Andrew Lansley, Secretary of State for Health, Tuesday 13 March 2012

Part of the case for change that has been repeatedly used to support the proposed Health and Social Care Bill is the escalating cost of medicines. Now, leaving aside whether or not the proposed Bill does anything to address this, let's take a look at whether the actual data supports such a claim. After all, it's important that the justifications given for the Health and Social Care Bill stand up to scrutiny, otherwise we'd be left wondering why exactly is it being brought in?

The two graphs below are based on data from the last ten years - by looking across the decade, the claim that has been made, and asserted as a fact, is that 'The cost of medicines is growing by over £600m per year'.

Well, first and foremost, it isn't. And secondly, using the full decade of data looks like a pretty dubious and spurious choice to me.

Here's the data supplied by the Department of Health. As you can see, the last time the cost of medicine grew by over £600m was back in 2004/05. For the five years since then, it has not once risen by £600m.


We can also look at the annual percentage increase as well as the annual actual increase in the cost of medicine, just to double check that there isn't any out of control escalation.

Yes, the percentage increase has crept up slightly over the last three years, but it is still well below the annual percentage increase that was witnessed in the first four years of the 21st century.


So why do I think the Government is using the full decade of data? It's because the oldest data makes their claim look the least dodgy (although even that doesn't make it dodge-free). Using the most recent five years of data, rather than the full ten years, the annual increase in the cost of medicine plummets from £580m to £390m.

Not such a bitter pill after all? And is the annual increase in cost of medicine really justification for the Health and Social Care Bill? To put it into context, the NHS budget for 2011/12 is around £106bn.

Chris

25 comments:

  1. And Ouya, which is about the size of a Rubik's cube. If you don’t have much skill in programming, but still think that creating and developing games is the most suitable for you, there are special courses that will give you training in graphic designing, game development, and computer animation. It fizzles as the lights go out, and she says it's been great talking to you.


    My web page ... http://www.review4u.co.kr/digital/52416

    ReplyDelete
  2. Believing that you are actually starving, it releases chemicals that actually make it harder to lose weight in an effort to
    conserve energy. Authorities inside the area will need to have an intensive understanding of laboratory and labeling techniques,
    infection security precautions, appropriate blood
    attract approaches to the elderly and for infants and
    even more. Expect to lose all that extra flabbiness as you melt off all your
    unwanted fat.

    Also visit my web site: Recommended Looking at

    ReplyDelete
  3. Once you have done this, set the burn speed to 4x and click Burn and wait for it to complete.
    However, every character in the game (even supporting players) should be
    presented in this same detail. t love the unself-conscious little boy or girl, the undaunted miniature explorer who moves with unbridled enthusiasm to experience life.


    Stop by my website :: hi5 com

    ReplyDelete
  4. "I don't want my kids dropping F-bombs and thinking it is OK to steal things and evade the police. If you are going to use a Mac, the best choice is going to be an i - Mac or Mac Pro built with all the optimum specifications you are going to need. The federal government even funded recent studies to find out whether playing video games is related to the development of carpal tunnel syndrome.

    Visit my weblog :: Http://www.getvids.de/Community/search/video/Frau+Fickt+Hund.html

    ReplyDelete
  5. The on line setup is essentially three effortless actions.
    I am one of those night owl gamers that plays in the evening, and don't like too much lighting around me. t recognize then check the USB port by connecting another device.

    My homepage; LogitechLogitech » refresh

    ReplyDelete
  6. If adult comedy is what entertains you then there are plenty of these
    as well. All you have to do is select the movie from the Camera Roll and adjust
    the slider. ' Game begins with a reasonable limit, but it gradually increases to excess as it becomes interesting and compelling to player.

    Visit my web blog; http://www.getvids.de

    ReplyDelete
  7. Part 2 of this series on marketing your small business using Facebook offers social media marketing tips and guidelines for how to attract fans to your Facebook page.

    The "Export to Facebook " plugin is simple to use and
    allows you to export a single image or an album. It allows you to
    see their picture and decide if you should add them to your friends.



    My web blog: simply click the following web site

    ReplyDelete
  8. For instance, when you visit a news site, your Facebook profile pic often
    shows up in the comment section on articles so you can comment with
    your Facebook account. An easier way to ensure someone is 'out of sight out of mind' on Facebook
    is to simply hide them. Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should.

    Also visit my web site - facebook fans kaufen

    ReplyDelete
  9. In most cases they are, but when it comes
    to updates, patches, etc to the mmorpgs. Then came the ultra-popular Arkham games,
    that place you, like never before, into Batman's shoes as he skulks around and knocks hoodlums heads together (literaly). People are now looking to be able to connect to things like their vehicles through their smart phones, and now Buick has announced the release of their new e - Assist Fuel Effeciency smartphone games.

    Look into my website: kostenlos spielen - www.spielespielen24.de

    ReplyDelete
  10. Similar to the cue ball that is shot in pools; this game involves coins and strikers that are essential to play carrom game.
    It should come as no surprise that i - Tunes is loaded full of pirate apps for i - Phone, i - Pod Touch,
    and i - Pad. The most unique thing about Ouya is that it
    is said to be "open" -- although what this means is up for interpretation.


    Here is my webpage ... feifeili.com

    ReplyDelete
  11. Webcams can do a lot of things, such as video conferencing, virtual advertising, workplace or home surveillance, event broadcast, and many other
    functions. Recently many players encounter G27 problem in Shift 2:
    Unleashed. As one of the most innovative and quality computer peripheral
    device makers in the world, Switzerland-based Logitech International.


    My page :: rideanything.com

    ReplyDelete
  12. This site is very easy to work with and doesn't shoot you around to different web sites before you find what your looking for. Click OK and you should be able to browse to the locations listed below. The virtual D-pad has been improved as well to make it easier to move around plus there are other tweaks for slabs and the Nether Reactor too.

    Check out my web site ... Bezoek website van plaatser

    ReplyDelete
  13. The re charging can be done via the yard-long USB cable that you can plug to the
    computer, or faster asking for, I put it in
    the USB power adapter from of my own devices (Android smartphone, Amazon kindle, etc) along with continue deploying it
    wirelessly. I haven't really owned the mouse long enough to test the battery life, but Logitech claims it can run for up to two years on a single pair of batteries, and several other reviews I've found online attest
    to that fact. Up to five profiles can be stored on the gameboard at once
    and macros can be created while actually gaming real time.


    Feel free to visit my web page - http://www.logitech-tastaturen.de/category/gaming-mause/

    ReplyDelete
  14. Use all tools to demonstrate your innovative thinking and to plan an impeccable happening.

    You can also change how many are displayed in this box.

    (Although, I also believe that there is something in them that might be and seek to reverse,
    too.

    Also visit my weblog: click the following internet site - www.gohmong.com

    ReplyDelete
  15. It is very likely you will see this in action on your mid-week visits, so one thing you can do is actually do a short mid-week trip to exploit this behaviour and even
    pre-bait your swim while fishing at the weekend deliberately to exploit the swim mid-week.

    More standard examples of quick dissolving pellets for
    PVA product use include hemp pellets and corn steep liquor (CSL) pellets.
    On the reel put on line of about 4lbs breaking strain and hooks
    of size 14 or 16 are suitable.

    My blog All About Fishing

    ReplyDelete
  16. So, buy followers on twitter from such reputed companies and
    see your business growing at fast pace. The problem with
    social media is that for salespeople it can be used
    as an excuse not to pick up the telephone and actually
    make a call. Another thing you'll want to avoid is relying on Twitter as your sole source of marketing.

    Feel free to visit my blog post - deleted twitter account website

    ReplyDelete
  17. She is likely a WARRIOR PERSONALITY I talk about in the KWML Mastery Course on
    women, dating, love, and friendship. Port forwarding lets you specify which ports the game needs
    to perform at it's best. It fizzles as the lights go out, and she says it's been great
    talking to you.

    Also visit my web blog ... http://www.qnotes.net/xe/?mid=smalltalk

    ReplyDelete
  18. Believing that you are actually starving, it releases
    chemicals that actually make it harder to lose weight in an effort
    to conserve energy. Withdrawal from levothyroxine can be done but it
    takes 6 weeks of withdrawal for the remaining thyroid tissue to be completely starved.
    When you're about to start on your weight loss plan, it's a good idea to
    think about your end goal and chunk it down into smaller goals.


    Here is my web site - http://www.cfh.org.tw/userinfo.php?uid=5271

    ReplyDelete
  19. As long as poets continue to write poetry new ones will be created to categorize the person's poems. Choosing to focus on sound as a restriction increases a poet's powers
    of observation in melodic structure and the inherit oral aspects of a poem.
    Norton is publishing all eight of her poetry books in one
    volume as The Collected Poems of Ai.

    Also visit my web page - http://www.gedichtzurgeburt.de/9-monate-hatte-ich/feed/

    ReplyDelete
  20. You can pick up basic equipment for very little or you can go
    for higher quality tackle and spend hundreds or thousands.
    Here is some helpful information so you can select a good charter boat and avoid a few of
    the pitfalls. Garmin Accuracy and Innovation Leads You to the Fish.


    Also visit my webpage :: somsertanejo.com.br/site/userinfo.php?uid=31829

    ReplyDelete
  21. When it comes to fishing, some goes for fishing as an entertainment activity
    and many depends upon fishing for their livelihood.
    Pay close attention to the mayflies, midges,
    and stoneflies in the area and try to match your flies to the
    size and type fish are biting on. Garmin Accuracy
    and Innovation Leads You to the Fish.

    My weblog; sources

    ReplyDelete
  22. Like any game, when we stay within the rules, we score, and when we play outside the rules there of course is a penalty.
    However, every character in the game (even supporting players) should be presented in this same detail.
    But what happens when a player runs out of race tokens.


    My homepage ... [主页] ()

    ReplyDelete
  23. Try simple games and check how your internet connection is and then
    move on play more games. However, every character
    in the game (even supporting players) should be presented in this same detail.
    In this addictive puzzle game, catch that damn fly and avoid those tricky obstacles.


    Here is my homepage ... click the following webpage

    ReplyDelete
  24. clients, Rachel, who got back together with her ex.

    Imagine never having to worry about what to wear to work, and even
    the infuriating traffic jams that never seem to end.
    In this addictive puzzle game, catch that
    damn fly and avoid those tricky obstacles.

    Stop by my website spielespielen24.de/tag/p..

    ReplyDelete
  25. Similar to the cue ball that is shot in pools; this game involves coins and strikers that are essential to play carrom game.
    Imagine never having to worry about what to wear to work, and even
    the infuriating traffic jams that never seem
    to end. Preparing to apply to the dozens of other game development
    companies for video game jobs will enable you to expand and diversify your list of possible employers, and your chances of
    getting hired will increase tremendously.

    my web blog dublin hotel ()

    ReplyDelete