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Originally Posted by Angus
Well IMO it's about freedom of choice, and if those that can afford private healthcare want it, they shouldn't be castigated for it. I have lived and worked in America and can assure you the system works fine. No doubt they have their horror stories too, but they can probably be matched by the abundance of horror stories our NHS can offer. The system of health care insurance in the UK works brilliantly in the private sector, and I don't see why a national one could not be implemented which offers more choice and flexibility.
The NHS is not a "free" service, it is a compulsory component of the National Health Contributions and we all have to pay. I would prefer that there was some individual choice as to where that money went. There should always be health care available as a safety net for those who are completely unable to provide for themselves, but if people want to opt out they should be allowed to do so.
It seems to me that the worst care is reserved for terminally ill patients who are tacitly seen as a nuisance by the NHS and quickly referred onwards to hospices. This happened to my father years ago, and more recently to my brother. Hospices receive no government funding whatsoever and have to rely totally on fundraising and handouts, yet they are expected to do the job that the NHS should be doing, offering palliative and respite care, and dignified end of life care to people who have paid into the system for decades.
Such a subject is always bound to be emotive and I can only speak from my own personal experiences of the NHS, few of which have been satisfactory, never mind good, and my opinions on its lack of credibility as a reliable, adequate and consistent deliverer of good health care are based on those experiences.
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Well it would seem that neither one of us is going to convince the other.
If you've lived and used the american health system and have encountered no problems then I don't really have much to say, but for me the stories I've seen and heard just cause me to think how can a country with such massive power and resources be so heartless to those that need care the most?
About it being a very emotive issue, I have to agree with you. I haven't really had bad experiences with the NHS tbh. Everytime I've had a problem it's been sorted by them quick and easy so I can't really complain. I understand where you're coming from though.
I do think everyone should pay for the NHS though, regardless of whether they pay for privatised care or not. The NHS, from my personal experiences, is a perfectly good system. But thats just me I suppose.