The Hospital-Primary Care Interface

Abstract

Hospitals are the most expensive part of any health care system and primary care is the cheapest. Figure 9.1 shows the proportions of money in the British National Health Service (NHS) that are spent on its various parts. The hospital services account for twothirds of the total annual expenditure, which now is around £6000 million ($20000 million); primary care services account for 6%, drugs for 8% and dental services for 4%; administration, social services, research, laboratory services and vaccines account for 16% (DHSS, 1977).