• Home
  • Health & Wellness
  • Disclaimer
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • DMCA Notice
  • Home
  • Health & Wellness
  • Disclaimer
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • DMCA Notice
24/7 Health News
No Result
View All Result
Home Article

How preventive healthcare could save the NHS – lessons from Finland, Japan and Singapore

July 5, 2023
in Article
How preventive healthcare could save the NHS – lessons from Finland, Japan and Singapore

If it’s true that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, preventive healthcare might really save the embattled NHS – now celebrating its 75th anniversary.

By promoting healthy lifestyles, early disease detection and timely treatment, the NHS could reduce chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cancer. And reducing the number of people with these chronic conditions would lead to a significant decrease in healthcare spending – which has been steadily rising in real terms since the NHS was founded.

The decision to follow this path wouldn’t seem so difficult if it weren’t for the small problem of figuring out how to do it and to what extent.

Table of Contents

  • How?
  • How much?
  • Measure, measure, measure

How?

Starting with the how, there are a few countries to look to for “best practice”. Finland, Japan and Singapore, for example, have implemented preventive programmes that focus on promoting healthy lifestyles, early disease detection through national screening programmes and disease management while paying attention to health education and public health campaigns.

Finland, meanwhile, has one of the lowest rates of cardiovascular disease in Europe, which has been attributed to the country’s comprehensive preventive healthcare initiatives.

The number of smokers among Finnish adults has decreased significantly over the past few decades, thanks to government policies that discourage smoking. Under the Tobacco Act (2010) Finland aims to be tobacco and nicotine-free by 2030.

Finland was the first country to set such a goal in its national legislation.

No smoking sign
Finland has been very successful at stamping out smoking.
Chalermphon Srisang/Shutterstock

Singapore has been as successful as the Finns at getting the public to quit smoking. It also has one of the lowest death rates from cardiovascular diseases in the world.

And Japan has one of the highest life expectancies in the world and one of the lowest rates of people with metabolic syndrome (a group of risk factors for diabetes and heart disease) because of the country’s focus on healthy lifestyles.

The Health Japan 21 strategy, for instance, provides a nationwide framework to improve population health through interventions in workplaces, schools and local communities, focusing on diets, physical activity, smoking cessation and reducing alcohol consumption.

How much?

If the “how” sounds clear, the “how much” (to what extent and to what budget) is a little less clear. In the three countries mentioned, there have been very few studies on the economic impact of their preventive healthcare programmes.

In Finland, there is good evidence of the effectiveness of the Tobacco Act and cancer screening programmes on health, but the impact on healthcare expenditure is unclear.


To mark the 75th anniversary of the launch of the NHS, we’ve commissioned a series of articles addressing the biggest challenges the service now faces. We want to understand not only what needs to change, but the knock-on effects on other parts of this extraordinarily complex health system.


In Singapore, the government frequently holds question-and-answer sessions on the costs of preventive healthcare and the impact of these programmes. While the evidence is stronger on the first question, not much is known about the effect of preventive health interventions on overall population health.

In Japan, a 2018 study found that a check-up programme on diabetes prevented many people from starting dialysis treatment and reduced their healthcare use. According to this study, the healthcare spending of the participants in the programme was reduced by 20% between 2014 and 2015. But it is not known whether the study included the cost of targeted programmes when calculating the change in healthcare costs.

Measure, measure, measure

Maybe there’s something more the UK can learn from Japan, Finland and Singapore: if you’re going to invest in prevention, you need comprehensive measures of their effectiveness and efficiency.

So what should the UK measure? Assuming the goal of such a programme is to help people feel better while reducing NHS costs, the following would be useful things to track.

  • Key preventive measures (such as data on vaccinations, screenings and preventive treatments) and risk factors (such as lifestyle choices, family history of diseases and demographics).

  • Information about health education and relevant health indicators to identify areas for improvement.

  • Outcomes, effects (such as disease incidence, hospital admission rates and overall population health improvements), costs and resource use.

  • Trends and predictions to forecast future healthcare needs. Identify emerging health risks and plan preventive interventions.

And, most importantly, this information should be collected at the patient level to better measure the effects and to understand engagement with the programmes. Because an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure only if it’s true for each of us.

The Conversation

Francesca Lecci ne travaille pas, ne conseille pas, ne possède pas de parts, ne reçoit pas de fonds d’une organisation qui pourrait tirer profit de cet article, et n’a déclaré aucune autre affiliation que son organisme de recherche.

ShareTweetSharePin
Next Post
NHS at 75: problems abound but founding principles are unshaken

NHS at 75: problems abound but founding principles are unshaken

Most Read

What causes stuttering? A speech pathology researcher explains the science and the misconceptions around this speech disorder

What causes stuttering? A speech pathology researcher explains the science and the misconceptions around this speech disorder

December 15, 2022
morning back pain

Morning Again Ache Trigger Is Not the Mattress

October 11, 2021

Why Circadian Rhythms Matter for Your Health

July 30, 2024
lower back pain relief exercises

5 decrease again ache aid workouts

October 11, 2021

4 steps to building a healthier relationship with your phone

January 28, 2025
3 years after legalization, we have shockingly little information about how it changed cannabis use and health harms

3 years after legalization, we have shockingly little information about how it changed cannabis use and health harms

October 15, 2021
Nasal vaccines promise to stop the COVID-19 virus before it gets to the lungs – an immunologist explains how they work

Nasal vaccines promise to stop the COVID-19 virus before it gets to the lungs – an immunologist explains how they work

December 14, 2022
bleeding in gum

When The Bleeding in gum Is Severe ?

October 11, 2021
Good Night Sleep

6 Causes of Good Evening Sleep

October 11, 2021
Kick up your heels – ballroom dancing offers benefits to the aging brain and could help stave off dementia

Kick up your heels – ballroom dancing offers benefits to the aging brain and could help stave off dementia

January 3, 2023
Biden is getting prostate cancer treatment, but that’s not the best choice for all men − a cancer researcher describes how she helped her father decide

Biden is getting prostate cancer treatment, but that’s not the best choice for all men − a cancer researcher describes how she helped her father decide

May 20, 2025
Ten small changes you can make today to prevent weight gain

Ten small changes you can make today to prevent weight gain

October 12, 2021

COVID vaccines: how one can pace up rollout in poorer international locations

October 5, 2021

This Simple Hygiene Habit Could Cut Your Risk of Stroke, New Research Reveals

February 1, 2025

Multiple sclerosis: the link with earlier infection just got stronger – new study

October 12, 2021
Support and collaboration with health-care providers can help people make health decisions

Support and collaboration with health-care providers can help people make health decisions

December 16, 2021
Greece to make COVID vaccines mandatory for over-60s, but do vaccine mandates work?

Greece to make COVID vaccines mandatory for over-60s, but do vaccine mandates work?

December 1, 2021
Five ways to avoid pain and injury when starting a new exercise regime

Five ways to avoid pain and injury when starting a new exercise regime

December 30, 2022
woman covered with white blanket

Exploring the Impact of Sleep Patterns on Mental Health

August 4, 2024

Maximize Your Performance – Sync with Your Circadian Rhythms

August 9, 2024
Why are some people faster than others? 2 exercise scientists explain the secrets of running speed

Why are some people faster than others? 2 exercise scientists explain the secrets of running speed

April 29, 2024
Backlash to transgender health care isn’t new − but the faulty science used to justify it has changed to meet the times

Backlash to transgender health care isn’t new − but the faulty science used to justify it has changed to meet the times

January 30, 2024
News of war can impact your mental health — here’s how to cope

Binge-eating disorder is more common than many realise, yet it’s rarely discussed – here’s what you need to know

December 2, 2022
As viral infections skyrocket, masks are still a tried-and-true way to help keep yourself and others safe

As viral infections skyrocket, masks are still a tried-and-true way to help keep yourself and others safe

December 14, 2022
GPs don’t give useful weight-loss advice – new study

GPs don’t give useful weight-loss advice – new study

December 16, 2022
Nutrition advice is rife with misinformation − a medical education specialist explains how to tell valid health information from pseudoscience

Nutrition advice is rife with misinformation − a medical education specialist explains how to tell valid health information from pseudoscience

January 28, 2025
FDA limits access to COVID-19 vaccine to older adults and other high-risk groups – a public health expert explains the new rules

FDA limits access to COVID-19 vaccine to older adults and other high-risk groups – a public health expert explains the new rules

May 21, 2025
Four ways to avoid gaining weight over the festive period – but also why you shouldn’t fret about it too much

Four ways to avoid gaining weight over the festive period – but also why you shouldn’t fret about it too much

December 22, 2022
Nurses’ attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccination for their children are highly influenced by partisanship, a new study finds

Nurses’ attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccination for their children are highly influenced by partisanship, a new study finds

December 2, 2022
How hot is too hot for the human body? Our lab found heat + humidity gets dangerous faster than many people realize

How hot is too hot for the human body? Our lab found heat + humidity gets dangerous faster than many people realize

July 6, 2022
  • Home
  • Health & Wellness
  • Disclaimer

© 2020 DAILY HEALTH NEWS

  • Home
  • Health & Wellness
  • Disclaimer
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • DMCA Notice

© 2020 DAILY HEALTH NEWS