United Kingdom

The United Kingdom’s healthcare system is the oldest and largest single-payer healthcare system in the world, with each of the four destinations having its own systemfunded through general taxation. The government provides all British citizens free or low-cost care under the NHS, also known as the National Health System. This leaves a small private sector for routine operations, which caters to people that do not want to wait in line for elective procedures or are not citizens or residents of the Islands. As a developed nation, the U.K.’s quality and accreditation in its healthcare centers is a baseline expectation for patients, in both the public and the private sectors. The U.K. remains a popular tourist spot and a strong option for health travel. The United Kingdom ranks closely behind Spain as a top health travel destination in both Europe and the world. The bulk of its lofty status is thanks to non-health related reasons, racking up points in the Economic, Country, and Culture categories, thanks in part to its historical ties to the MTI’s American audience. The U.K. could threaten for the No. 1 overall spot with health travel-specific improvements to its small network of private hospitals, though this does seem an unlikely route for the sector to pursue with public sentiment over healthcare waits at such a current high.

*Based on the 2020 – 2021 Global MTI (Medical Tourism Index) Report published by the Medical Tourism Association.*