The World Health Organisation has reported that the National Health Service is the 18th best health system out of those available in 191 countries world-wide in 1997.
After measuring health care systems by five performance indicators (overall level of health, health inequalities, responsiveness, fairness of financial contribution between rich and poor, and distribution of finance), the WHO rated France as having the best health care system. The United States of America, which spends a higher proportion of gross domestic product on health than any other country, was ranked 37.
The main failing of the NHS was found to be its lack of responsiveness to patients' needs.
"World health report 2000 - Health systems: improving performance." WHO Geneva, Switzerland, ISBN 92 4 156198 x, price SwFr15. Also available on the internet at www.who.int/whr/.