To think we’re lucky to be in Britain?

Of people think healthcare is much better in Europeans countries they are deluding themselves. They face the exact same problem than the NHS but at an even greater rate of decadence. French healthcare used to be very accessible. It's now worse than the NHS.

Only if you can afford it!

Could do better. That's my thoughts OP. Social care is a complete mess, people are dying in corridors in hospitals - that shouldn't be happening, hours waiting for an ambulance, there is a huge issue accessing any help or support for kids with autism or MH issues including those who may be violent, schools are really struggling with the numbers of SEN kids that can't access any kind of specialist education.

Winters and grey and summers are wet and there is an ever increasing amount of litter. Housing costs are through the roof, the cost of food and electricity are just going up and up and council tax goes up every year.

I'm happy not to live under a dictatorship where women are second class citizens and there is no healthcare and frequent natural disasters - but it's a very low bar.

I feel very lucky to have been born in a peaceful, relatively wealthy country but, having lived abroad for a few years (moved back to sort out some family stuff) I can't wait to leave again.

Someone said in a recent, similar thread, that one reason she thought people were so pessimistic about the UK was that, while there were plenty of things which were "alright", there really wasn't much left that was brilliant or world beating, which I think is true. Even the more Pollyanna types have had to stop flogging the NHS as the eighth wonder of the world.

I live in Stockholm and I'd comfortably say that we beat you on all of those points other than London is more vibrant than Stockholm. Other UK cities though, not so much.

You paint a pretty picture, OP, but things really aren't as great as you're making out.

If they are for you, then you're lucky and probably in the minority and/or you don't really know what's going on for many people and in many places.

Things have been in decline for a long time and are almost certainly bound to continue that way - mostly because a) there's no money and b) there doesn't seem to be the knowledge or skills to do things well or right anymore.

I am pretty sure no nation has solved the challenge of how to priovide low cost health care to all it's citizens. There are simply too many people with complex needs.

I would love to know which country is better to live in than the UK. I don't know of any and I have lived in another 2 myself.

Part of the problem is a level of ungratefulness and entitlement from the population now. Combine that with stretched resources and everyone's unhappy.

We do not get free healthcare. It is free at the point of delivery.

I agree that the UK is a good place to live but not because of health and education. We pay or have paid for both due to our concerns about sub-optimal state provision.

She didn't say it was 'free', she said 'free at point of use', which means exactly that. Funded via taxation.

I agree with nearly everything you say. Whilst I'm fine with our climate and thankful we don't have many extreme weather events, it is too often very grey and is usually not warm enough! I've been wearing a big winter coat for five months now and will continue to do so for another couple of months. That's not great. Today is the first sunny day we've had in weeks and it's amazing the effect it has on my mood. I have so much more energy. I would like more warmth and sunshine.
The NHS have been absolutely brilliant every time we've needed them. Five star service and I can't fault them. Our schools have been fantastic too. I'm very thankful for high quality, free school and health care.
Our maternity and worker rights are also excellent.
What worries me is the very obvious decline in the country in recent years and increasing poverty. I'm also very concerned about the rise in racism and bigotry.
However, there are far worse places to live and I'm grateful.

This .... plus high living costs ; people committing suicide as can't get a mental health appt, I am fighting to get my son a ehcp I think the U.K. is shocking at the moment and only gonna get what raw

Well, they shouldn't, because health tourism isn't ok.

Nice you feel lucky. I feel luckier

People don’t have to use the NHS, you can go private.

Taxes fund the free services. If we stopped paying taxes what do you think would happen?

Certainly there are worse places to live!

Mist people take out more than they put in. It is free.

Yes I know which is why I said free at the point of use.

I think compared to other European countries, we are not so lucky. Certainly not with the NHS.

People don't get the help the need from NHS. They die before they are treated or in ambulances lined up in front of the hospital. I would like to know the number.

It's not free. We pay tax.

I'm not in Britain. And you couldn't pay me enough to.move there, once was enough.

It's not the worst place, sure, but nobody is going to the UK for the schools or the healthcare.

This is mumsnet so apparently the UK is the worst country in the world for everything
Irl though yes we are comparatively lucky compared to a lot of places
The NHS has many faults however it's free at the point of use ,my son was diagnosed with Diabetes two years ago and is insulin dependent he get all his medications for free, I'm on am American face book group for people with diabetes and loads of people can't really afford their insulin and using old out of date stuff.
Do for things like thst I'm very grateful to live in the UK.

Have you experienced NHS A&E in the past year? We have, several times (life-threatening each time). It was horrendous.

There's pros and cons to all countries, and a lot of 'grass is greener on the other side of the fence' mentality.

On balance yanbu