Health at a Glance 2021: OECD Indicators

Highlights for the United Kingdom

Health at a Glance provides the latest comparable data and trends on the performance of health systems in
OECD countries and key emerging economies. Alongside indicator-by-indicator analysis, this edition offers a
special chapter on the health impact of COVID-19.

Life expectancy fell by a year in the UK in 2020; COVID-19 vaccinations have

plateaued despite a strong start

As of November 1, more than All-cause mortality in 2020 and the

9.1 million COVID-19 infections and first six months of 2021 rose by
over 140 000 deaths from the virus 11.7% compared with the 2015-2019
had been recorded. average.

The pandemic caused health

Life expectancy fell by a full year
spending as a share of GDP to rise
during the pandemic, from 81.4 years
sharply, from 10.2% in 2019 to
in 2019 to 80.4 years in 2020
12.8% in 2020 (compared to an
(compared to an average reduction of
average 0.9 percentage point
0.6 years across OECD countries).
increase in the OECD area).

Two-thirds (67%) of the UK

The UK had the fifth-highest
population has been fully vaccinated
vaccination rate across 37 OECD
against COVID-19, compared to 62%
countries on July 1, but had fallen to
across the OECD on average (as of
17th-highest as of November 1.
November 1).

The pandemic resulted in a fall in The COVID-19 crisis has had a

hospital activity, with emergency significant and negative impact on
attendance declining by more than population mental health. The
20% in the United Kingdom prevalence of depression more than
(England) in 2020 compared to the doubled to 21% in early 2021,
previous year. compared with 2019.

Cumulative excess mortality compared to reported COVID-19 deaths per million population, January 2020 to end June 2021
Excess deaths per 1 million population COVID-19 deaths per 1 million population
4 500
4 000
3 500
3 000
2 500
2 000
1 500
1 000
500
0
- 500
 United Kingdom Highest performer
Health at a Glance 2021: How does the United Kingdom compare? OECD Lowest performer

Overall health status in the United Kingdom is close to the OECD average
81.4
Life expectancy (2019 or nearest year)
Years of life at birth 70
75.1 81.0 84.4
90
188
Avoidable mortality (2019 or nearest year)
Deaths per 100 000 population (age-standardised) 0 500
97 199 405
18.5
Population ageing (2019 or nearest year)
% of population 65 and older 0 30
7.4 17.3 28.4
Self-rated health (2019 or nearest year)
Population in poor health (% population 15+) 0 7.4
1.3 8.5 15.4

Overweight/obesity and alcohol consumption are higher than the OECD average
Smoking (2019 or nearest year)
0 30
Daily smokers (% population 15+) 4 16 17 28

Alcohol (2019 or nearest year)

0 15
Litres consumed per capita (population 15+) 1 9 10 13

Overweight/obese (2019 or nearest year)

Population with BMI>=25 (% population 15+) 0 100
27 56 64 75
Air pollution (2019 or nearest year)
Deaths due to ambient particulate matter pollution 0 100
21 29
(per 100 000 population) 5 73

Population coverage is high, with high satisfaction and strong financial protection
Population coverage, eligibility (2019 or nearest year)
Population eligible for core services (% population) 75
81 98 100
79
Financial protection (2019 or nearest year)
Expenditure covered by compulsory prepayment
0 100
(% total expenditure) 49 74 86
26
Population coverage, satisfaction (2019 or nearest year)
Population satisfied with availability of quality health care 25 93 100
71 75
(% population)

The United Kingdom performs well on many key indicators of care quality, though avoidable hospital admissions could
be further reduced
17.0
Safe primary care (2019 or nearest year)
0 40
Antibiotics prescribed (defined daily dose per 1 000 people) 8.3 15.6 32.4

Effective primary care (2019 or nearest year)

Avoidable COPD admissions 0 400
(per 100 000 people, age-sex standardised) 39 171 223 336

Effective preventive care (2019 or nearest year)

Mammography screening within the past two years 0 100
(% of women 50+) 31 62 75 95

United Kingdom, 6.6

Effective secondary care (2019 or nearest year)
30-day mortality following AMI 0 30
(per 100 000 people, age-sex standardised) 2 OECD, 6.6 28

Health and long-term care spending are above average, though hospital beds and the number of doctors and nurses
are slightly below the OECD average
10.2
Health spending (2019 or nearest year)
% of GDP 8.8
4.3 16.8

Long-term care spending (2019 or nearest year)

% of GDP 0 15
1.5 2.3 4.1
Hospital beds (2019 or nearest year)
Per 1 000 population 0 16
1.0 2.5 4.4 12.8
Doctors (2019 or nearest year)
Practicing physicians (per 1 000 population)
0 2.0 3.6 20
3.0 6.16
Nurses (2019 or nearest year)
Practicing nurses (per 1 000 population)
0 1.4 8.2 8.8 20
18.0

Source: Health at a Glance 2021: OECD Indicators. https://www.oecd.org/health/health-at-a-glance.htm.