Having been seriously ill since the end of April and having spent much of my time since then in hospital*, it’s a little strange to observe the “debate” over healthcare going on in the United States at the moment, even stranger to read of the many lies, untruths and distortions spread about the NHS by the Republican Party (which recieves rather a lot of money from the private healthcare industry; gross corruption on a scale to make the greediest of our suddenly demonised MP’s look saintly) is a fact of life in American politics) and their allies – all of which goes to prove that Orwell’s wonderful little rant on political language hasn’t really dated much.
One thing I know for certain; an American version of myself* would never have recieved the level of care that I got (and needed!) over the past few months. The NHS is not perfect, no healthcare system is and no healthcare system can be, but it does its job rather well, all told.
*First at the Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor, then (after about a week outside hospital) at the RSH in Shrewsbury, and then twice at the QE in Birmingham. My experience at the RSH was perhaps less than wonderful, but I’ve nothing but good things to say of the QE, and Bangor wasn’t bad either.
**Of course, an American version of myself (if such a thing were possible) would most likely have never been born in the first place or would be dead already.
