and 10% in the OECD); the UK has 1·6 doctors per 1000 population compared with France’s 2·8 and Germany’s 3·3. To reach the European average of 8% of GDP would cost an extra £12 billion—which if spent on the NHS could yield vast benefits in the timeliness and quality of the service. Despite the financial constraints the service still aims to be comprehensive, universal, and free at the point of use. Patient payments still make up only 3·6% of NHS finances despite frequent increases in prescription charges; 96·5% of NHS finance comes from general taxation and this represents about 14% of the UK tax revenue.