Briefing / Healthcare in the Netherlands – an overview and comparison with the United Kingdom

Healthcare systems around the world are facing similar challenges in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic. Even before 2020, waiting times for elective care were increasing across the globe and have been exacerbated by postponed treatments during the pandemic. The World Health Organisation predicts that there will be a shortfall of 15 million health workers by 2030. A recent report by Deloitte highlighted that concerns about health equity are shared across the globe. In the context of these common global challenges, it is essential that health systems collaborate internationally, learning from one another and sharing best practices.

In June 2022, the HFMA, in partnership with LOGEX, supported a short study tour to the Netherlands to enable experience and learning to be shared between the Dutch and British systems, with a particular focus on financial flows and control mechanisms. This briefing sets out the main areas of learning and comparison identified, augmented with information from external sources where helpful.