The United Kingdom is injecting at least £12 billion (about $30 billion) into its National Health Service (NHS) over the next 6 years in order to bring spending up to the European average. The UK spends 6.7% of its gross domestic product (GDP) on health care, while France spends 9.9% and Germany 10.4%; Canada spends 9.3% (CMAJ 1999;160:1730-4). The new money will boost UK spending to 8% of GDP. FIGURE
![Figure](https://www.cmaj.ca/content/cmaj/162/4/553.2/F1.medium.gif)
Figure.
The unprecedented commitment means an annual increase in health spending of about 5% during each of the next 6 years. The announcement by Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair came on the heels of a January flu crisis that saw massive hospital overcrowding and treatment delays. Blair also promised to speed up NHS reforms and announced that middle-ranking nurses would receive a £1000 pay increase immediately. Meanwhile, NHS Direct, a patient-physician telephone consultation service, will be extended across the country by October, and more intensive-care beds will be opened.