The NHS
Is nowhere near as bad as some may make out. It's not going to be 100% perfect, but the number of problems is such a vanishingly small percentage of the people who have use of it. You might hear somebody having complaints with the NHS, this isn't indicative of the entire service.
A couple of years ago, I saw my GP who then referred me to a neurologist who I saw 2 days later. He said he would send me for an MRI. I got a letter three days later (on a Saturday) with an appointment for the following Thursday.

Mrs SLVA ruptured her achilles tendon last month, saw a GP, referred for an ultrasound who then arranged for an appointment with orthopaedics. He recommended having corrective surgery, an operation that she'll be having soon.

Also it's free as opposed to prohibitively expensive. I hate to think how much the above would cost with the American medical insurance paradigm. Bear in mind that cover doesn't pay for everything and there is often an excess to pay out of your pocket.

The downside of the NHS isn't the service itself, it's just poorly managed by successive governments over the last 60 odd years. Shame the Tories are hell-bent on killing it off as it's this country's biggest and most valuable asset.

So there. And anybody who disagrees is a paedophile.
( sandettie light vessel automatic New Twitter - @bollocksreally, Mon 7 Oct 2013, 11:50, 20 replies)

Also, if it weren't for the NHS
You'd have loads of chemistry teachers becoming methamphetamine kingpins and leaving untold death and destruction in their wake.
(Eukanuba, Mon 7 Oct 2013, 12:48, closed)

With the exception of 4 year-delayed orthodontic work, and having two grandparents killed off by hospital-introduced superbugs,
my experiences of the NHS have been on the whole positive.
( drimble he'd been white, he'd been black, Mon 7 Oct 2013, 13:01, closed)

It's not particularly realistic for most people to expect to see a neurologist in 2 days. 7 or 8 weeks would be about the norm for a routine referral.
I'm assuming the GP had suspected a TIA/CVA and referred you to a rapid assessment clinic. Emergency care provision is generally perfectly good. Routine care is fine too, you just have to wait a bit longer than if you went private and some procedures that are considered non-essential or cosmetic are not funded.
(AWESOMEB0T meddling prick, Mon 7 Oct 2013, 13:16, closed)

Glad you've had a good experience
Recently I have witnessed:
1. Friend tearing crutiate ligaments, missed by NHS, now having reconstructive surgury privately
2. Friend breaking scapula after motorbike accident, ambulance accepted his word 5 minutes after accident that he didn't think he needed to go to hospital, doctor missing injury at GP surgury, insisted on x-ray weeks later at A+E, permanent damage due to inaction
3. Sister-in-law risked losing leg after plaster cast put on too tight
I agree this is not indicative of the entire service, but insufficient funding is creating a poor service and perfect excuse for Tories to sell off profitable parts and close the rest
( A Rory Borealis here under duress, Mon 7 Oct 2013, 13:16, closed)

The NHS would run a lot smoother if the general public would STOP HURTING THEMSELVES.

( monster munch person, man, woman... camera... TV?, Mon 7 Oct 2013, 13:18, closed)

I couldn't agree more (without sounding like I'm kissing arse)
Not that I have much sympathy for my friends and family:
1. Damaged knee surfing
2. Crashed into a traffic island
3. Broke leg snowboarding
( A Rory Borealis here under duress, Mon 7 Oct 2013, 13:24, closed)

I'm not really a proponent of euthenasia,
but this is helping to change my mind.
( monster munch person, man, woman... camera... TV?, Mon 7 Oct 2013, 13:36, closed)

Do it quick
and I won't have to invite them to my wedding
( A Rory Borealis here under duress, Mon 7 Oct 2013, 14:41, closed)

As a non-clinical staff member,
I could probably bore then to death with some spreadsheets of performance data, but it wouldn't be particularly quick.
( monster munch person, man, woman... camera... TV?, Mon 7 Oct 2013, 15:42, closed)

Hmm
Well #2 sounds like his own fault, not the NHS. and with #3 they tell you that if your leg starts to ache then come back immediately to have it sorted.
( sandettie light vessel automatic New Twitter - @bollocksreally, Mon 7 Oct 2013, 15:28, closed)

You're not always at your best after an accident
I once knocked myself out and broke my collar bone in Tesco (please, don't hesitate to take the piss). It was only after the pain in my head subsided after several hours that I realised that my shoulder hurt too.

(edit) issue with #2 is more with the injury being missed at GP surgery
( A Rory Borealis here under duress, Mon 7 Oct 2013, 15:40, closed)

Thank you sir.
As a patient on and off for the last 3 years and an employee for roughly the same time, I agree that while its not perfect its a damn sight better than the US system. And I would be without doubt in serious financial trouble right now for treatment I've received.
(Panzerfaust, Mon 7 Oct 2013, 15:59, closed)

Ah, the NHS. They were nice to me too once, though once it was sussed that I was in fact forrin (when conciousness returned and I started ranting in German about the horrible pain), they insisted on insurance documentation.

Aparrently, British health care costs more than the German type, and they didn't want to do the fancy but not really necessary stuff in case it broke my wallet. Nice people Had private health insurance though. I think my bones are faintly glowing unto this very day because of all the x-rays that got me
(GermanGuy invaded on, Tue 8 Oct 2013, 7:14, closed)

If it wasn't for the NHS...
...my wife would be dead. Have a click. Hey, what the hell. Have two.

I live in Jeremy Hunt's constituency. I will be campaigning hard for the NHA candidate during the next election.
( Amish Information Systems hates misplaced, commas, Tue 8 Oct 2013, 13:48, closed)

Three servings of the famous " come back in three weeks" line from my doctor is the reason why my wife IS dead. It's a fickle world.

(boarders You won't catch me with my trousers, Tue 8 Oct 2013, 20:26, closed)

Alan Milburn
If you want to talk about the Tories destroying the NHS, you might like to give Milburn credit for developing the plan, in the interests of fairness.
( The Disappointed Caravanner of the year, Tue 8 Oct 2013, 21:08, closed)