Peter Cox’s Blog

Had a lot of contact with the NHS (Britain’s National Health Service) this week.  For American readers, the NHS is NOT what you quaintly and dismissively term “socialized medicine”.  It is, in fact, the jewel in the British crown of state, a huge leap forwards towards a more human society and world.  Research shows that, in the US, that 1.9–2.2 million Americans experience the effects of medical bankruptcy every year (and tellingly, three quarters had insurance cover at the onset of illness).  This statistic alone ought to shame any civilized country.

Is the NHS perfect?  No, it is not.  I phoned NHS Direct (a recently-introduced phone service) early this morning and received, instead of “Direct” answers to my questions, a well-scripted arse-covering exercise – seemingly written by lawyers, not medics.  Earlier in the week, the staff at St Mary’s Hospital Paddington, could not have been more different – skilled, cheerful, committed and generally superb in every way, from surgeon to staff nurse.  Thank you, NHS, I’m deeply grateful.