Nice to see them with egg on their faces, although they haven’t really backed down on their bizarre claims beyond how the NHS might have helped Hawking – a bit.

I guess the truth on the NHS is: if Britons didn’t like it, or weren’t happy with it, they’d have voted/agitated/made a big hoopla to have it dumped years ago.

They haven’t. While they do admit it’s not perfect, but most of them – even old people – like it.

That is also my experience here of universal health care in Australia: not perfect, but pretty damn good.

I live in a town of 15,000 people, the medical centre is 5 minutes walk from my home, if Ime ill or need to see a doctor I ring up the medical centre and unless I am seriously ill I get to see a doctor within a couple of days.

The medical centre serves the whole town, it has around a dozen or 15 doctors, nurses and consulting rooms, the town has a Community Hospital equipped with an operating theatre for minor operations, X Ray Department, Physiotherapy, minor injuries department, maternity, consulting rooms for visiting specialists and consultants, three wards which have beautiful day lounges for people to feel at home, the standard of care is 100% – patients get excellent meals and are offered tea and coffee throughout the day.

A few miles to the South is our District General Hospital, a huge place which is home to A&E ( Emergency Rooms ) about 25 wards, all the latest up to date equippment, imaging department, whole body scanners, special care baby department, specialities include Neurology, Cardiac care and surgery, Spinal injuries, artificial limb centre and Reneology.

Our District General Hospital ( like most in the UK ) also provides cancer treatment and care, kemotherapy, Radiology, general surgery and many other specialities.

The facillities are fantastic for non-patients having a huge restaurant, a chapel and a prayer room for non-Christians, there are shops that sell newspapers, sweets and drinks, for patients the day lounges are wonderful, there is a library, an outside play area for the childrens wards, a tranquil garden for terminaly ill people and their family.

As a British person I wouldent swap our NHS for the American system of healthcare, and I definately speak for the majority.

Yes it is true that there have been instances of people dying whilst waiting for treatment, but in perspective that is not common, it is unusual and definately not the norm, if your seriously ill you get treatment pretty quickly.

The other thing to note about the NHS is that waiting lists are getting shorter, the lists have been improving for almost ten years, and waiting times are getting shorter and shorter too, though our system is not perfect it has steadily improved over the last ten years and is continuing to improve.

The UK Health Service = care based on need NOT CARE BASED ON WHAT YOU CAN AFFORD