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Although both New Labour and the Tories are trying to privatise it, the NHS is still much better than any of the alternatives.

Our system does support those in need.

One of the best things about living in the UK is that EVERYONE is free of the worry of finding the cost of healthcare when it is needed. The NHS is far from perfect, but does the job, and as a nation we discuss the faults and seek to put them right. Private care is available for those who want it, but is subject to many provisos and largely fails to deal with the problems of the elderly, to the extent that I was advised by the Health Insurance Company my mother (aged 80 at the time) was paying into as they said they would not cover her likely needs!

Over 50 years after it was established the NHS retains 80-90% support in every opinion poll in the UK.

As a Brit, I have nothing but good things to say abut the british national health service. if it wasn't for the fast actions of the midwife and doctors when I was in labour - i needed an emergency c section - my son wouldn't be her today. he is a strong and healty 14 year old. Two of my sister in laws have survived breast cancer and my father in law is ungoing treatment for cancer at the moment and he has received the very best of care!

The British health care system may not be perfect, may not always get it right, but there is no substitute for every single person in this country knowing that, if they are ill and have a need, the NHS will provide them with care, relief and, more likely than not, a cure. In the UK every citizen can rely on this as a basic right, that has nothing to do with how much is in the bank. It is a wonderful provision.

My brother is currently undergoing treatment for cancer with the NHS, it has been fast and efficient and of course completely free at the point of use. I myself have been treated on several occasions for smal and more serious issues over the last 50 years without being asked to part with a single penny.

highly professional health care services in

total the Canadian system is excellent!

I have several complex health issues, including nerve damage from a back injury and S.L.E (Lupus) I have received continual support from the NHS since I first became ill at 19 (am now 35) I do not qualify for Health Insurance due to the conditons that I have. I cannot imagine what kind of a life I would be able to have without the NHS. I am an intelligent educated woman ( I have a PhD) and I contribute greatly to my local commnuity as fully as my health allows. Which, without the help of the NHS I would not be able to do. Caring for the sick is a vital part of any society and engenders an ethos of mutual respect and concern that is intrisic to any 'healthy' community. Putting a $ value on people's right to health is not compatible with any ideas of quality of life: personal, social or national.

I am a british citizen, aged 67. I am one of the huge majority of people here who really value our NHS, the fantastic staff that we have, the way that we do not have to worry about accessing health care at any point and the excellent standard of care that we receive. Also as a Christian, I think that it is extremely important that we all share the system here together and that poorer people are not disadvantaged in their access to health care. The NHS is one of our great achievements and nobody should under-estimate its value in our society.

The NHS is available to all, and offers care ranging from good to excellent. There are no millions untreated in this country because they can't afford insurance: you're ill, you receive treatment. My daughter has needed a great deal of care, which has been provided unstintingly; my 86-year-old mother, too, has just received a knee replacement - working very well indeed.

The NHS is flawed, but it's a long way ahead of the US system. I'm happy to pay the extra tax to help pay for the NHS, and I take great comfort from knowing it's there when I and my loved ones need it.

Is the NHS perfect? Not by any means. But it does provide excellent care for every citizen free at the point of delivery at a GDP cost to the country of less than half that of the US healthcare system. This is hight quality healthcare that is currently denied to more than 46 million US citizens. If I were American, I would be asking why do US elected representatives and officials continue to be so keen to deny such healthcare provision to so many US citizens? The answer cannot be for the good of their health, so what other reason could there be...?

I feel so fortunate that as a Canadian I have access to public medicare. Recently a family member had need of emergency medical services. Those services were prompt and efficient. Cost did not enter the picture. I understand that we too are under attack from private insurance companies that are trying to erode our public system and "Americanize" it. Canadians are overwhelmingly in favour of our public medicare system and we cherish it and do not want to lose it. The late Tommy Douglas is credited as the Father of Medicare and we voted him the greatest Canadian of all time!

During my life (I'm 63)I have experienced both the Canadian and British health care systems and both have provided everything I needed in the way of treatment. The demonization of these compassionate systems by unscrupulous individuals for their own selfish interests is utterly shameful.

I scratched my cornea last winter and was in one of the top eye clinics in North America seeing a specialist within 2 hours of going to the hospital. Treatment took place over two months...it didn't cost me a penny. My uncle is 86 and had a major heart attack last year...in hospital for 6 weeks, now he's home and fine. My son's braces came loose while we were on vacation and the hospital removed the wires which were painfully sticking him in the roof of his mouth. How many more examples do you need? Next week, we are going for our free physicals at our doctor's office, we'll probably get our free flu shots, our blood lab work will be free. Last week I went for my free yearly mammogram. If I lived in the States, how much would I have paid for all the services I have described? The health care is good and it is excellent.

I have lived in both Canada and the U.S.; and I still have family in the U.S. I know one woman who stayed in an abusive marriage because she needed his health insurance -- this is just wrong. I also think the criticisms of wait times in Canada are disingenous. I have had two elective surgeries on my feet (in Canada), and I waited a few weeks (no big deal) and I had my choice of dates. And I left the hospital without a huge bill. I also had a baby four years ago and I had to stay in hospital for five days due to some minor complications. In the U.S. I probably would have left early because the complications weren't life threatening, but they could have certainly become worse if I had not had those extra days of care, thus possibly endangering my baby's and my health, AND costing more down the road. I have never had to wait very long for anything. I can get an appointment with my doctor usually within a day. I also really like the fact that everyone can get quality care, no matter how much you can afford -- although if you live in a remote area there are access problems, but still, I'd rather have our system -- any day!

As a Registered Nurse who has worked in both Canada, Australia, and the UK, I can happily say that Canada's entirely public universal healthcare system is the best I have seen. The care, quality, and complete lack of charges and fees makes the system available to every Canadian. I am proud to say I was trained and worked in one of the best healthcare systems in the world. One that is truly universal, and firmly based on ensuring the quality of care for every Canadian.

Whilst the NHS has its flaws of course, when the chips are down and Britons need care they get very high calibre medical attention on the spot, no question. Voices of dissent are needed to keep the NHS in check, just as any government run enterprise should be watched closely by the taxpayers funding it. This is democracy. But having your basic needs - especially medical - cared for is essential to democracy too. How can the US call itself a democracy when the first question in the medical system is 'do you have health insurance?', rather than 'how can we help this person to be well'? If the NHS has flaws, the US system by comparison is completely broken and is fostering inequality.

Although the NHS has its faults, we in the UK know that if we are ill or have an accident we will not be refused treatment because we cannot pay or do not have the right insurance.Both my children have had hospital treatment, luckily not often, but when my son's appendix burst he had excellent treatment and follow-up care, without me ever having to worry about whether i could pay. To me this is something that every country should be aiming for.

My father in law left his family in Canada for 15 years