Healthcare Illness Spain Essay

Health care is the prevention, treatment, and management of illness and the preservation of mental and physical well being through the services offered by the medical, nursing, and allied health professions. According to the World Health Organization, health care embraces all the goods and services designed to promote health, including “preventive, curative and palliative interventions, whether directed to individuals or to populations”.(WHO, 2000). Health care policy shapes health care systems and helps determine accessibility, accountability and affordability. Knowledge of health care systems includes and understands the organization and environment in which nursing and health care is provided. Healthcare in Spain in general has three main characteristics: ( Ferrandiz, 2003)First the Spanish health sector is mainly public both in terms of financing and delivery, about 80% is funded and provided by public institutions. Second, public insurance coverage of the general population is over 99.5% where only few groups of independent professionals and immigrants under special conditions are not covered by law. Third, is how the healthcare system financed? In Spain it is financed through general taxation. The National Health Service started in the 1940’s wherein it is originally funded by social security, over the years they needed additional funding and this came from the general taxation. And now it is clear that 98% of the funding in Spanish healthcare comes from general taxation. The healthcare and health policy in UK is somewhat different from Spain. The comparison between the two countries is enumerated below. In the conclusion the writer will analyze the significance of having a good healthcare system and policy. Healthcare Illness Spain Essay

Healthcare in Spain

In healthcare Spain is said to be much better as compared with UK. Spain has a public health system which provides free or low cost health care for those contributing to the Spanish social security system and their families. The system also caters for retirees and includes those from other EU countries. The country has an excellent system of private medicine and this exists comfortably alongside the State system with both operated so as to complement each other. The Spanish health care system is rated ninth in the World by the World Health Organisation – far above that of the UK’s.

In Spain there are two types of hospitals operating, one private and one operated by the state. The private hospital offers immediate treatment with patients being accommodated in single rooms. The state hospital offers the same convenience. Both hospitals pool resources to the benefit of private and state patient alike. Because of the comprehensive policies in Spain the health services for patient such as CT scan or laboratories are 40-70% cheaper than in UK. To equality among its citizens Spain has passed a law called law of quality and health cohesion. It means that by law the citizens have the right to enjoy the same health services including pharmaceuticals with the same conditions regarding social participation, accessibility, time, information, security and quality independently of where they live. And according to the ministry of health, this is their first great law of healthcare since the 21^stcentury.Healthcare Illness Spain Essay

In Spain there is a pharmaceutical policy that is now being introduced in UK. This has been existed in Spain for many years; it is one of approaching the local pharmacist for minor ills. Pharmacists have an excellent reputation for accurate diagnosis and effective treatment and are able to issue all but controlled drugs. In no time at all they’ll have you feeling better. In Spain there are several ways to contact a doctor or have an appointment if you are sick. You can just text the word “Urgencias” to the telephone number 5013 and you will be informed of the waiting time before your appointment. This is very convenient especially for the elders. Another way to consult the doctor is thru the web. Healthcare system and policies in Spain is very much effective as compared to UK’s healthcare system. In many ways it puts the UK health service to shame and refreshingly, there are never lengthy debates on television about it or do you hear of people complaining.

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Regarding their pharmaceutical policy, there are no prescription charges for drugs in Spain – patients pay the full price and then claim back a significant percentage. However, those from the UK are somewhat surprised when they learn that most prescriptions cost far less than the UK prescription charge and surprised again when they learn at just how much can be reclaimed.

One advantage of UK healthcare system is when a foreigner got sick. Although there is no right to state medicine in Spain for a foreigner, (unless on holiday and carrying the EU health card) it is often the case that those from the UK have enough contributions on their cards to permit state medicine up until the age of

their retirement, when everything, including the cost of medications becomes absolutely free. Healthcare Illness Spain Essay

The standard of medicine is very high in Spain, but it depends very much on location. Rural areas in Spain are being served only by a clinic- transferring patients out to hospitals as required. Good medicine will still be available but not as instantly. However, most inland locations favoured by foreigners are not too far from a good hospital and healthcare in Spain is something about which you need have no concern. Conditions such as rheumatism, arthritis and those affecting people in the middle to late age, are not the problem in Spain as compared to UK and colder Northern European countries. Climate definitely does seem to have a positive effect on health and well being in many cases. Of interest is the fact that depression is nowhere near as common in Spain as is the case in the UK. No doubt this is also concerned with the climate and bright sunshine.

Conclusion

A good and effective healthcare system and policy is important in every nation. Proper studies and approaches should be done to be able to lessen the burden of the sick people. The convenience of the patient and equality of treatment is important no matter you are in a private or state hospital. As shown above Spain healthcare system and policy are very much effective as compared to UK. The only advantage that UK has is on the policy about treating foreigners. In Spain people get sick – people get well is their focus.  Healthcare Illness Spain Essay

Reference:

Spanish Health Care Service- Healthcare in Spain http://www.spanishpropertyco.com/Healthcare%20in%20Spain.html

World Heath Organization Report. (2000). Chapter 1: Why do health systems matter?. WHO. Retrieved on 2008-03-08.

Ferrandiz, J.M. (2003) The Spanish Health System : Reforms, Problems and Solutions, http://www.cnehealth.org/pubs/2003_05_15_ferrandiz.pdf

Healthcare Illness Spain Essay