Why I Love the NHS
I tend to avoid political debate, but here is one subject that concerns me. At the moment there seems to be a lot of negativity going around in regards to the British National Health Service (NHS). A lot of this seems to be stemming from the current attempts to offer, what I would see as, more humane health care in the United States; a system that could be there for everyone. The NHS is being held up by critics of health care reform as an example of a bad health care system. I think that this is not only unfair, but it is also wrong; personally I love the NHS.
It may seem strange to some people that I love the NHS; after all I'm not even British. I come from the Republic of Ireland, that is true, but I trained as a nurse in England, and I worked in the NHS after finishing my training. I was proud to belong to the National Health Service, and I still feel proud about this. After qualifying it would have been easy to step into a higher paying private job straight away, but I wanted to put something back. It was the very least that I could do for a system that trained me.
I believe that providing free health care for all is just basic human decency. It should never be about the ability to pay. Many things in life come with a price, but health should not be one of these things. The greatest asset a country has is its citizens and it is in the country's interest to take care of them. Basic human compassion should be afforded to everyone and not just those with the necessary money to pay for it; this is why I love the NHS.
There are many people out there who criticise the NHS; it is not always a perfect system. What people don't realise is that it is better than most, and when you arrive in an accident and emergency department in the UK there will be nobody checking your wallet to see if you can afford to pay for the treatment. The NHS is one place where you can expect to be treated as a person of worth and dignity no matter how much you have in the bank; this is why I love the NHS.
The greatest asset in the NHS are the staff; many of these people remain in public health provision because they believe that the system is a great for the country. They work above and beyond their job requirements, and they have no interest in how much the patient they are caring for is worth financially. Caring should never come with a price-tag and in the NHS it doesn't; that is why I love the NHS.
I personally think that the National Health Service is something that Britain should be proud about. The people of Britain should stand up and defend this system that is being used as an example of failure by those in the United States. The NHS has given the British people a lot, and it should be used as a role model for the world and not as a source of ridicule; more people need to tell the world how they love the NHS.
I am thankful for the NHS for training me to become a nurse; this training was given to me for free. I am grateful for the NHS for offering people health care without consideration of their ability to pay. The NHS is one of Britain's greatest achievements; I'm Irish, but I can see that. If my two year old son, or anyone I love, got sick tomorrow I would want them to be in an NHS hospital.
Published by Garro
I was born in Ireland, spent my twenties in England, and now live in Thailand. I work as a freelance writer, but I'm also a qualified nurse. I have one book published and another one due for release next year. View profile
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6 Comments
Post a CommentI agree with you and Cassandra. Growing up in the UK, I always took the NHS for granted and never had to worry about how I was going to afford preventative, or emergency treatment. I don't know why the NHS is painted in such a bad light. The facts speak for themselves: it is a fair system that offers free health care for all. So yes, unless you have actually received NHS care or worked for the NHS, you cannot fully appreciate it.
Sophie
Nice article. I like how you don't get too heated about a topic than can cause a lot of emotional response. In response to Snidely's comment below, it is false to say "Americans don't want [national healthcare]." Americans can't decide on anything, especially healthcare, so to clump them into a single group for or against health care reform is a fallacy. I know plenty of educated people that would like to see health care reform in America, but just as many that don't.
Thank you Cassandra, people who have had the NHS all their lives can be a bit spoilt. It is only when you see how bad private health care can be that you get to appreciate it. I honestly don't understand why some people would begrudge paying a bit extra in tax for a health service that can serve everyone.
Paul, absolutely agree with you. The care I always got under the NHS was much better than anything I got in the US as the cost was nothing. Thousands and thousands of dollars in the US, yet you still get substandard care. Americans are being lied to by the drug companies and insurance companies who are painting the NHS with a bad brush, as they know they will lose their HUGE profits if something like the NHS is ever allowed to exist in the US. Americans are a bit dumb though if they think their present system is better than the NHS - it's not. Then again, I'm also glad I'm in Thailand as the health care here is 10 times better than the US too :-)
You are correct Snidely, it is up to you what you Americans what you do with your health service. I just wish you wouldn't keep using the NHS as an example of bad health care, because it isn't. I have been to the states, and I like it, but if sick and given the choice I would choose to be treated in the NHS.
Glad you like it. Americans do not want it at all, except for a small but media controlling minority. Poll after poll in the US clearly states this, and majority rules here. And your characterization of American health care is wrong. NO ONE, BY LAW, may be refused medical treatment due to lack of ability to pay. We taxpayers ALREADY pay for their health care. It is the rhetoric from the American Progressive that has confused you as to the facts. You like NHS. That's wonderful. Americans do not want it. That is our right as much as your right to love NHS, right? No one is trying to end NHS, in England, at least no American... And glad to meet ya Paul. I admire your conviction.