I would say that Peter has hit the nail on the head for the general point of view here in the UK. I would certainly agree with that.

The NHS is always being discussed, you often get into conversations about it. It is easy to pick holes in the NHS, most people do, but when people really need it the story almost always changes to a positive one.

I have heard several stories about people from the UK needing treatment abroad and being amazed by having to pay for treatment, and surprised the emergency services were not on hand within 5 minutes. I think that's when it hits home that in it's goal the NHS is far and away a more advanced and fair method of apply healthcare to the population than many other systems around the world.

I think it is a sad reflection that our system is being held up as an example of how not to do things, a society who can afford it should apply equal access to health care to all that need it. As a country who has Christian values at it's heart I would have thought the US would have wanted to help all it citizens equally. I'm an atheist myself but have always thought the story of the good Samaritan could be told a little more often.

Cheers

Cris.