Economics class: NHS waiting lists will grow for 2 more years, health service admits

This article picked by a teacher with suggested questions is part of the Financial Times free schools access programme. Details/registration here.

Specification:

• Demand and supply, merit goods, price mechanism

Click to read the article below and then answer the questions:

NHS waiting lists will grow for 2 more years, health service admits

• Explain why healthcare is a merit good

• Use a demand and supply diagram to illustrate how substantial NHS waiting lists arise when most of its services are free at the point of use

• Identify the factors that will cause waiting lists to grow for another two years in England

• ‘NHS waiting lists will continue to grow … despite a tax rise designed to plough an additional £30bn into the service.’  Evaluate whether queues for treatment will be significantly reduced using monies from the health and social care levy

Gavin Clarke, Emmanuel College