If you'd like to discuss public healthcare, including the NHS, there is a thread for that here. You have posted in it before, I know, but not very recently. I would suggest that, if you choose to re-enter the discussion, you do not rely on anecdotal (personal story) evidence, as it has no way to be verified and may or may not express the bigger picture.

Until then, and if not, rest assured that I do not simply express ignorant personal opinions in any discussion I am in. I get involved in a discussion only when I have researched the topic to a point far beyond any sort of personal experience. Just because somebody disagrees with you does not mean that they have been "brainwashed" or that they believe some type of "propaganda" -- the possibility well exists that they know more than you do about the situation.

And by the way -- organizations like the WHO, which uses how socialized a healthcare system is in its evaluations -- rate socialized healthcare systems higher than private. That's a simple concept.

So please, don't blindly follow a few bad reviews of the NHS. Do you really think the population would tolerate a horrible system if an equally free system existed across the border in France (which is considered to have the best healthcare in the world)? A few NHS horror stories may have turned up, but I believe Heather was wrong when she stated that there was at least one American-health-care horror story to match every NHS horror story, there are probably in fact around 10 American horror stories for every British horror story, even after taking population differences into account.

I've noticed the recurring trend of you belittleing the NHS. And so far most people have simply accepted your opinions as fact, though it's time to draw your attention to the real facts - not the right-winged propoganda - but the facts from someone who has actually experienced the NHS. Or at the very least NHS Scotland.

Back in 2000, the World Health Organization compiled a very famous list that detailed the quality of healthcare from what I believe to be the majority of the world's countries. Although this list is almost 10 years outdated, statistics do not normally leap about in enormous bounds, especially if the kind of services in a country remain unchanged. The list can be found here and as you can see the United States is ranked 19 places behind the UK. A difference that is unlikely to have been completely closed in on in 10 years.

But since I know that you will not take those statistics into account before once again slandering every Universal Healthcare system in the world. Let me tell you a bit about my family's experience with the NHS.

All of these conditions were treated fairly quickly aside from one knee replacement that was deemed to be unessential. Eventually this operation was carried out but only after a waiting period of two months, and only after my grandmother requested that the operation took place to 'balance it out'.

My father's father:

2x Heart Attacks:- Dealt with by the NHS in a very short time. One of these heart-attacks forced my grandfather into an early retirement at around 40, although this was to do with the type of work he did.

2x Hip-replacements:- A relatively short waiting time of a couple of weeks.

A triple heart-bypass:- His most recent surgery (about three weeks ago), remember to bare in mind that my grandfather is in his early 70's now. He was given this surgery without the need for a waiting list and was only in hospital for about a week.

A pacemaker:- This surgery has yet to take place however it was originally scheduled to happen quite close to the bypass surgery but has been delayed as it has been deemed to dangerous to be done so close to the other surgery.

My father's mother:

Suffering from Alzheimers and living in a private care-home. The NHS pay the majority of her costs. The reason we went private with this decision is because there is no appropiate care-home for her condition in the local area that deals with such strong cases of Alzheimers.

My mother's father:

2x Strokes:- The first stroke forced him into retirement as it was brought on by his work as a labourer. The second stroke was about a year ago and the quick and effective work done by the NHS prevented any permament damage from being done despite the fact that he is in 80s. During his stay at hospital following the second stroke he stayed in a seperate building from the main hospital in a stroke-specific care building next door to the hospital. His total stay was about 2 or 3 weeks.

My mother's mother:

2x Knee replacement:- She was literally given the first operation just a week or so after the doctor recommended it and the second operation was given only when she specifically requested it.

My twin sisters:

My younger twin sister's were both born with an incredibly rare condition known as microphtalmia. They were diagnosed at a very young age and recieve specialist care every few months at a hospital only 30 miles away. They are 2 of only less than one thousand children who suffer from the condition in the UK.

My dental experiences:

In some areas of the UK it is definetly difficult for a person to find an NHS dentist. However these areas are normally overpopulated or underpopulated. And the majority of people I know have access to a dentist.

The dentist I go to is literally a two minute walk away. There are at least three other dental practices within a five mile radius. All of them have large notices exclaiming their eligibillity for new patients.

The quality of my dental care is also rather fantastic. I had braces for 3 years and am now using an 'invisible brace' to prevent my teeth from reverting to their original position. Two of my sisters also have braces. After the correct procedures of removing certain teeth and waiting for baby teeth to fall out we literally all had our braces in less than a month. To my knowledge that isn't a crap deal at all.