Happy 70th Birthday NHS - Best Of British Bar NONE

[Tom Hark, Preston Park]

On this auspicious birthday, time to give maximum praise where it's due. I'm sure every single one of us has huge reason to give massive thanks to this fantastic organisation.

We'll all have our own reasons to give thanks but just thought I'd share my own family's most recent experience; my niece was hospitalised for six weeks before giving birth to twin baby boys. The six weeks was to allow them to go the full (I think) 29 weeks to allow them to be born prematurely. They're now aged 4 and full of mischief. And have both been diagnosed with childhood leukemia. Goes without saying that my niece and her partner and all of our family are frantic with worry. But the one worry they don't have is the financial aspect of this huge level of care.

The NHS is a truly priceless asset.

[Beanstalk]

IVF baby over here.

Without the NHS, I wouldn't have been born.

[Simster]

Despite the bad press, it also remains incredibly efficient. For example those people who can afford healthcare in the US pay $9,000 a year for the privilege, about 2.5 times more than it costs us to run the NHS, which also happens to cover you for pretty much everything and won't have you scurrying to read the small print every time you have a seriously expensive condition. Private healthcare is not efficient, it's not compassionate and it's not egalitarian. The NHS absolutely is.

God Bless the NHS - one of Britain's biggest triumphs.

[BBassic]

Free heart surgery at the age of 17 thanks to the NHS. Not only did they save my life that time they also played a part in me being born at all after giving my dad pioneering brain surgery not long before I was conceived. Helped my mum get rid of her breast cancer last year.

An incredible institution.

[jakarta]

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Despite the bad press, it also remains incredibly efficient. For example those people who can afford healthcare in the US pay $9,000 a year of the privilege, about 2.5 times more than it costs us to run the NHS. Private healthcare is not efficient, it's not compassionate and it's not egalitarian. The NHS absolutely is.

God Bless the NHS - one of Britain's biggest triumphs.

Can't agree that private healthcare is not efficient or compassionate.

My Wife would not have had the treatment for her Cancer if she had used the NHS and seeing as it was Aggressive stage 3 there is a good chance she would be dead by now.

If looking after my Wife makes me an evil Tory, so be it.

[The Gem]

Something this country should be really proud of. Without doubt the envy of every country in the world.

Employer ---------------------------------------------------Employees
United States Department of Defence .................3.2 million
People's Liberation Army .............................. ...2.3 million
Walmart .............................. .............................. .....2.3 million
McDonald's .............................. ...........................1.9 million (Includes Franchises)
National Health Service .............................. ...........2.1 million
China National Petroleum Corporation .................1.5 million
State Grid Corporation of China .........................1.5 million
Indian Railways .............................. ...................1.4 million
Indian Armed Forces .............................. ...........1.3 million
Hon Hai Precision Industry (Foxconn) .................1.2 million

[GT49er]

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On this auspicious birthday, time to give maximum praise where it's due. I'm sure every single one of us has huge reason to give massive thanks to this fantastic organisation.

We'll all have our own reasons to give thanks but just thought I'd share my own family's most recent experience; my niece was hospitalised for six weeks before giving birth to twin baby boys. The six weeks was to allow them to go the full (I think) 29 weeks to allow them to be born prematurely. They're now aged 4 and full of mischief. And have both been diagnosed with childhood leukemia. Goes without saying that my niece and her partner and all of our family are frantic with worry. But the one worry they don't have is the financial aspect of this huge level of care.

The NHS is a truly priceless asset.

Best wishes for all the luck in the world for the two little lads and their parents. Viva the NHS! Me - a rare cancer with a very low survival rate; that was 31 years ago and I'm still here!

[Beanstalk]

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Can't agree that private healthcare is not efficient or compassionate.

My Wife would not have had the treatment for her Cancer if she had used the NHS and seeing as it was Aggressive stage 3 there is a good chance she would be dead by now.

If looking after my Wife makes me an evil Tory, so be it.

Looking after your wife doesn't make you an evil Tory. Private healthcare is a choice that is only available to those who can afford it. It is your right and prerogative to decide how to spend your money and according to your post, you spent it wisely and made an active choice in doing so. It's a great thing that your wife was able to get the treatment she needed.

If you hadn't had the money to go private, and we lived in an alternative timeline where the NHS didn't exist, your choices would've been to run up an inconceivable amount of debt or not be able to have your wife receive treatment.

The NHS doesn't pick and choose who it helps based on their bank balance, whether you need to use it or not (and regardless of your political persuasion), you should be proud of its egalitarian nature, and live comfortably in the knowledge that as long as it is still standing, it will be there, whoever you are, if you ever need it.

[wellquickwoody]

Whilst the NHS was groundbreaking in its day, and is still a laudible concept, it is perhaps a tiring beast.

Over here you get pretty much the same operational model, if you need emergency treatment you will receive it immediately without charge. You will also get ongoing treatment if needed without charge, but may have to join the queue, sounds a bit like the NHS? If you earn good money and do not take private health care insurance then you pay extra tax. Maybe the NHS should be evolved to meet modern needs and expectations?

[Tom Hark, Preston Park]

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Whilst the NHS was groundbreaking in its day, and is still a laudible concept, it is perhaps a tiring beast.

Over here you get pretty much the same operational model, if you need emergency treatment you will receive it immediately without charge. You will also get ongoing treatment if needed without charge, but may have to join the queue, sounds a bit like the NHS? If you earn good money and do not take private health care insurance then you pay extra tax. Maybe the NHS should be evolved to meet modern needs and expectations?

Not sure how it works in Oz, but I've got friends in the US who live in perpetual fear of losing their jobs. Not on account of the job itself, but on account of the healthcare package that comes with the job. That's no way to have to live your life.