This decentralisation hindered patient mobility between regions because of complicated bureaucratic procedures and resulted in many cases of abuse and corruption due to an underdeveloped system of control (European Commission, 2010). The National Health Fund (NFZ) was created in 2003 through the merger of the Sickness Funds. Hungary, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, Norway and the United Kingdom tend to share similar characteristics (OECD, 2010a).