Healthcare in Scotland

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Healthcare in Scotland is mainly provided by Scotland's public health service, NHS Scotland, that provides healthcare to all UK permanent residents that is free at the point of need and paid for from general taxation. Since 'Health' is a matter that is devolved, considerable differences are now developing between the public healthcare systems in the different countries of the United Kingdom.[1] Though the public system dominates healthcare provision, private health care and a wide variety of alternative and complementary treatments are available for those willing to pay.

Accessing NHS Scotland comes initially through a primary care trust. This means registering with a local doctor, known as a general practitioner (GP), and dentist. Access to secondary care - provision in hospitals or clinics - is usually by referral from a GP. Both primary and secondary care trusts operate under 14 health board regions which together makes up NHS Scotland.

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[edit] Public Healthcare

The National Health Service (NHS) in Scotland was created in 1948 at the same time as the NHS was created for England and Wales. It remains a separate body from the other public health systems in the UK although this is often not realised by patients when "cross-border" or emergency care is involved due to the level of co-operation and co-ordination. In 2006, the NHS in Scotland had around 158,000 staff including more than 47,500 nurses, midwives and health visitors and over 3,800 consultants. In addition, there are also more than 12,000 doctors, family practitioners and allied health professionals, including dentists, opticians and community pharmacists, who operate as independent contractors providing a range of services within the NHS in return for fees and allowances.[2]

Healthcare policy and funding is the responsibility of the Scottish Government's Health and Wellbeing Directorate. The current Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing is Nicola Sturgeon and the Director-General (DG) Health and Chief Executive, NHS Scotland is Dr Kevin Woods.[3]

[edit] References

  1. ^ NHS now four different systems BBC January 2, 2008
  2. ^ About the NHS in Scotland NHS Scotland
  3. ^ Strategic Board of the Scottish Government. Scottish Government. Retrieved on 2008-01-01.

[edit] External links

[edit] See also

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Healthcare in Europe
Sovereign
states

Albania · Andorra · Armenia1 · Austria · Azerbaijan2 · Belarus · Belgium · Bosnia and Herzegovina · Bulgaria · Croatia · Cyprus1 · Czech Republic · Denmark4 · Estonia · Finland · France4, 5, 6 · Georgia2 · Germany · Greece · Hungary · Iceland · Republic of Ireland · Italy · Kazakhstan3 · Latvia · Liechtenstein · Lithuania · Luxembourg · Republic of Macedonia · Malta · Moldova · Monaco · Montenegro · Netherlands · Norway · Poland · Portugal · Romania · Russia3 · San Marino · Serbia · Slovakia · Slovenia · Spain6 · Sweden · Switzerland · Turkey3 · Ukraine · United Kingdom (England • Northern Ireland • Scotland • Wales)
Dependencies,
autonomies,
other territories

Abkhazia 2 · Adjara1 · Akrotiri and Dhekelia · Åland · Azores · Crimea · Faroe Islands · Gagauzia · Gibraltar · Greenland7 · Guernsey · Jan Mayen · Jersey · Kosovo · Isle of Man · Madeira8 · Nagorno-Karabakh1 · Nakhchivan1 · Northern Cyprus1 · Republika Srpska · South Ossetia 2 · Svalbard · Transnistria
Italics indicates an unrecognised or partially recognised country. 1 Entirely in Southwest Asia.  2 Partially or entirely in Asia, depending on the border definitions.  3 / 4 / 5 / 6 Has part of its territory in Asia / North America / South America / Africa.  7 / 8 Entirely on the North American Plate / African Plate.