The Collapse of Britain’s National Health Service

Foundation for Economic Education ^ | Sunday, August 10, 2025 | Jake Scott

[E. Pluribus Unum]

From “envy of the world” to a sinking ship.

It’s a poorly-kept secret that Britain’s National Health Service (NHS) has faced crisis after crisis. But the latest scandal over 3 million “unseen patients” may be its worst yet. In fact, this omnicrisis is worsened by the fact that barely anyone is speaking about it.

Throughout the 2000s, headlines warned of an overwhelmed and underfunded healthcare system that was systemically failing, from facing “another winter of crisis” and bed shortages to a 2005 scandal forecasting that half of all NHS trusts would face hiring freezes due to a “cash crisis.”

These problems spilled over into the 2010s in the wake of the financial crash, worsened by the newly-elected Conservative–Liberal Democrat coalition government’s goal of cutting public services across the board. The austerity period saw a continued rise in NHS funding, along with warnings in 2015, and again in 2019, that the NHS was on the “brink of collapse.”

The Covid pandemic highlighted the perilous condition of Britain’s healthcare system. Some critics highlighted the apparent lack of funding, while others claimed that the crisis revealed the strength of the NHS in being able to respond under pressure.

Regardless of whether Covid revealed the contradictions or the strength underpinning the NHS, it has left a legacy of exploding waiting lists and what feels like a health service unfit for purpose.

The British Social Attitudes’ survey from 2024 revealed just 21% of respondents were satisfied with the state of the NHS, while 59% were dissatisfied. Perhaps more importantly, the majority want more funding for the NHS (69% say too little is spent) and think that the NHS is spending inefficiently (51%).

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TOPICS: Health/Medicine
KEYWORDS: socializedmedicine

[ClearCase_guy]

“Omnicrisis”

It’s the 21st century. I wanted a flying car. Instead, I get the omnicrisis.

[AZJeep]

Thanks to Obama, this is also coming to the neighborhood by you!
It is already there, just people did not fully noticed.

[EnderWiggin1970]

It takes a (socialist) village to create an omnicrisis.

[EQAndyBuzz]

“ It is already there, just people did not fully noticed.”

Still other options. Just have to know where to look.

[rlmorel]

"...3 million “unseen patients”..."

This is a Feature, not a Bug.

[Repeat Offender]

None dare call it “rationing.”

[rlmorel]

Yep. Heck, we are on our way here. I cannot see a primary care MD for nearly six months now.

[Angelino97]

NHS was never the best health care in the world, but it wasn't that bad for working class Brits. Not until it became swamped with millions of unproductive migrants.

I've spoken to Canadians, Irish, and Israelis who said they like the quality of their free health care.

But I assume it's worse in Canada and Ireland now, due to migrants swamping the system.

[scrabblehack]

I thought they were proud of the fact that they had denied care to Charlie Gard (and prevented anyone else from doing so).

[phil00071]

For decades, the mainstream media in the US have glamorized the European socialized health systems, ignoring persistent problems with waiting lists, lack of screenings, lack of accountability, and inadequate technology. These systems do not work because they try to fund heath care only through the tax system, resulting in a persistent lack of resources. The American system is better because we have employer-based health options that contribute significant resources to the system.

[Savage Beast]

Did they really think they could enroll the entire Third World and it wouldn’t collapse?

[minnesota_bound]

Google: liverpool care pathway scandal, dailymail

Many articles. The NHS changed the name but the killing still goes on.
The hospitals here in the USA were paid to deny care for people who had the covid flu.
Money talks with some!

Hospitals bribed to put patients on pathway to death
Daily Mail
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2223286/Hospitals-bribed-patients-pathway-death-Cash-incentive-NHS-trusts-meet-targets-Liverpool-Care-Pathway.html
Oct 25, 2012 — Hospitals are paid millions to hit targets for the number of patients who die on the Liverpool Care Pathway, the Mail can reveal.

They have been murdering 120,000 people a year. You are put on a death list unknown to you. This due to your age and medical history.

If you call for help they will not show up, if someone else calls and you are picked up then you could wait in the ambulance at the hospital or on a gurney in the hall. If you have relatives come with you and are put in a room, what the staff will not tell them is the patient will not get any medical care or water.
_____________________

How long does it take to die once you are in the liverpool care pathway
It usually involves the withdrawal of nutrition and fluids and increases the amount of sedative and pain relief administered to the patient. If the Care Pathway is initiated and progressed appropriately death usually occurs within 29 hours

[Mr. Blond]

90% of child birth defects in the NHS are Pakistanis, 1/3 of Pakis are in cousin-marriages.

Scandinavian social services only lasted so long because Scandinavians thought it was their duty to use the system sparingly.