No to waste Scandinavians show how it’s done, says Hunt

The Chancellor has asked the NHS “to join all public services in tackling waste and inefficiency”. He said: “We want Scandinavian quality alongside Singaporean efficiency: better outcomes for citizens; better value for taxpayers.”

As Britain’s longest serving health secretary, Jeremy Hunt greatly admired Scandinavian healthcare.

Research by Oxford University published in the BMJ yesterday found that women in the UK were three times more likely to die after becoming pregnant than those in Norway and Denmark.

Mr Hunt has previously said that 1,000 baby deaths per year could be prevented if the UK had Swedish levels of safety in maternity wards.

UK survival rates for some cancers is also 20 years behind that of Norway. Survival is closely linked to early diagnosis and Norway, Denmark and Sweden have around twice the diagnostic capacity of the UK.

Patricia Hewitt, left, was health secretary under Sir Tony Blair from 2005 to 2007, during which time the head of the NHS resigned. She has been called in by Jeremy Hunt, the Chancellor, to advise on NHS efficiency