The UK is the only nation in the world that has a fully integrated free national health service. However last year the UK government embarked on plans to allow private companies to gain a foothold into the NHS.

This has caused great consternation among the general population at large but also GPs, hospital staff such as doctors and nurses in particular.

While this battle between government and the medical profession is on-going it seems a similar battle is beginning in Japan.

Seemingly that country has a universal insurance scheme in place which is as cherished by the Japanese as the NHS is by the British.

But the Japanese Prime Minister has let it be known he is contemplating changes to the country’s health insurance system in order to try and kick start the flagging economy.

Called ‘Third Arrow’ the aim is to try and promote demand for innovative drugs and medical devices.

Effectively, the idea is to deregulate the insurance system. But in doing so, any changes to the health insurance scheme will affect the poorest in Japan. As such doctors are resisting anything that adversely affects those worst off in Japanese society.