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Arch Ophthalmol. 1999;117:1407-1408.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

IN EACH PART of the United Kingdom—England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland—the National Health Service (NHS) provides comprehensive health care for all, free at the point of service and financed by general taxation. There have always been minor differences in the administrative arrangements in these different countries, but the principles and the regulation have been uniform. This year, however, some functions of government, notably health and education, have been devolved to separate elected assemblies; therefore, the possibility exists that a different emphasis in health policy could emerge in each country. About 11% of the population has private health insurance, sometimes provided by employers. It is estimated that about 20% of elective surgery is carried out in the private sector, and of this, one tenth is commissioned by the NHS, often in short-term contracts to reduce waiting lists. Recently, there has been much public interest in the success rate of medical . . . [Full Text of this Article]