The UK has been ranked 24th out of 191 countries in an international health league compiled by the World Health Organization to look into the efficiency of health systems. Sandwiched between Chile and Costa Rica, the UK’s failure to appear higher in the table was mainly attributed to life expectancy. The leading European nations in the table are Mediterranean countries, which researchers claim indicates a “strong link” between climate, lifestyle and a nation’s health. High-spending countries that came below the UK included Germany, ranked at 41st, and the US in 72nd place. The study is published in the British Medical Journal.
(The Times 10/08/01; p.6)
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