Ireland has today been rated as having the second-least consumer-friendly healthcare system in the EU.
The 2006 Euro health Consumer Index found only Lithuania's health system was worse under such categories such as waiting times, patients' rights and outcomes.
France had the most consumer-friendly healthcare system, while Britain ranked 15th, according to the survey, published this afternoon by the Health Consumer Powerhouse (HCP).
The survey compared the healthcare systems in the 25 EU countries and Switzerland "from a consumer point of view", said HCP.
Using five categories, and a maximum possible score of 750 points, France was top with 576, followed by The Netherlands (572) and Germany (571). The United Kingdom scored 436 points, and Ireland scored 359 - 19 more than Lithuania.
A separate "value for money" top 10 index put Slovenia first and Austria 10th, with neither the United Kingdom nor Ireland figuring in the list.
"This suggests that good healthcare is not only a matter of money but also the right priorities and smart design," said HCP president Johan Hjertqvist. "From the consumer point of view, there is room for large improvements in every healthcare system."
The Stockholm-based organisation specialises in consumer information on healthcare systems, advising hospitals, insurance and pharmaceutical companies, patient groups and national and regional authorities.
In the annual survey it awards points for five healthcare categories: rights and information; waiting times for treatment; outcomes; generosity of the healthcare system; and pharmaceuticals.
Ireland managed only one point out of a possible three sub-categories, such as waiting time for a variety of treatments including cancer, cardiology and joints; and infant mortality per 1,000 births.
The report summarised the main features of the Irish system as follows: "With severe waiting list problems and less-than-fantastic outcomes quality, Ireland does not score very well. The Health Service Executive reform can hopefully start changing this."
The news comes as figures published today by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) showed health spending accounted for 7.1 per cent of GDP - 1.8 per cent below the average spent in developed countries.
The figures for 2004 showed that spending as a proportion of GDP fell by 0.2 per cent on the previous year. In per capita terms, however, Ireland ranked marginally above the OECD average.
The Labour Party's Liz McManus said the findings of both reports show the health service is suffering from under-investment. "Spending on health, as a proportion of GDP is actually on the way down ... despite massive increases in tax revenues and significant economic growth in recent years," Ms McManus said.
But the OECD report found that spending had increased real terms, by an average of 9.1 per cent per year between 1999 and 2004 - one of the fastest growth rates of all OECD countries.
"However, the strong growth in the Irish economy over the same period (the highest annual growth rate in per capita GDP in the OECD) has meant that the proportion of GDP devoted to health has increased only slightly (by one percentage point) over the period," the report said.
It noted that the health service has a high proportion of nurses but low a density of doctors.
The figures also showed acute care hospital beds at 2.9 per 1,000 population, was far below the OECD average of 4.1 beds per 1,000.
It also warned that while smoking rates had fallen the obesity rate among adults had risen from 10 per cent in 1998 to 13 per cent in 2002. This will have "substantial implications for future incidence of health problems and related spending," the report said.
Green Party health spokesperson John Gormley said the survey showed the Minister for Health Mary Harney's promise of a "world class health service" is an illusion. "She should realise at this stage that there is a basic incompatibility between her neo-liberal philosophy and the delivery of good public services," Mr Gormley said.