Interesting to watch the healthcare debate in the US from this side of the pond.
All I can say is that the portrayals of the NHS by some on the US right have nothing to do with reality whatsoever.
My mother broke her hand in a fall here two days ago. An ambulance picked her up within 10 minutes, she was taken to hospital, treated, given pain killers, X rays and a great deal of sympathy and was dispatched home in a cast within two hours.
The next day she was in more pain, went to the doctors without an appointment, waited 10 minutes and was prescribed more painkillers. All for free.
The NHS is, in general, wonderful. And here’s the thing – it provides basic care but, if you’d like a little more, then you can always pay for it. My dad will be seen for his chronically bad knee within 4 weeks. If he wants seeing tomorrow, he can just pay or use his health insurance, exactly as you would in the US. There seems to be this idea that it’s socialised medicine or nothing over here. Not so. I use the NHS for the majority of my care but when I want non essential stuff – cosmetic dentistry, physiotherapy, I pay for it. When my son had meningitis he was into hospital, on a lumbar puncture and antibiotics within 20 minutes of the doctor noticing his temperature. We stayed for 2 and a half weeks in a hospital private room complete with TV, telephone and spectacular view. Our son was on three times daily doses of antibiotics, in addition to having all his food and nappy changes paid for. It cost us nothing. Not one penny – even the coffee was free.
That was a great level of care and, more than that, a great level of humanity. All I had to worry about was his health, not paying the bills.
I’d advise any American to leap at the chance to put healthcare like this into their country.