the nhs has failed as the uk has one of the lowest life expectancy in western Europe and is one of the richest countries

[ljwales]

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_life_expectancy

Apparently the life expectancy for women is going down rapidly towards the male life expectancy. We have one of the most expensive health care systems in Europe but yet one of the worst levels of health. Aibu to think things really could be better?

There was a report that came out quite recently which identified the richest and poorest areas in northern Europe and almost all (all but one IIRC) were in the UK.

The NHS is hardly a "black hole for money" given that it spends significantly LESS than european healthcare systems that achieve similar outcomes. (I live in France BTS, where healthcare is excellent - but we pay a LOT of money for it; I pay 8% of my salary for 70% coverage of my healthcare costs and a further €250 a month split between me and my employer for top-up insurance).

Sadly the NHS can't force people to stop smoking/drinking excessively/eating unhealthily etc. It can only promote healthy lifestyles and then pick up the pieces in people who choose to ignore that advice. How about the general population taking a bit of responsibility for their own health, rather than whingeing about how awful the NHS apparently is? It is at breaking point at least partly because a not insignificant number of people simply do whatever they feel like to their bodies and then expect to be fixed when it comes back to bite them in the arse later. And that's not even considering the other socioeconomic factors mentioned by other posters.

Your OP is ridiculous and insulting to hardworking NHS staff who have to deal with entitled attitudes like yours every day.

It irritates me no end when people only seem to see two different types of healthcare - the NHS or the US system. It's so closed minded it's not even funny. Personally I think the NHS is a fantastic ideal, but totally unsustainable in this day and age. It's like a never ending black hole for money.

This exactly, it does seem like you can never complain about the NHS and the only other option is the us system. The current NHS can't continue for much longer, the sooner its changed to be sustainable the better.

OP

What is your OP about?
Lifestyle?
Life expectancy?
Or NHS funding?

Yes, it requires changes but not by politicians who are just chasing the next vote and NOT in any way to comply with 'market forces'. Fairly distributed, high quality health care will never be compatible with turning a profit.

I think it's fair to say that the UK system is more of a 'national sickness system' than 'health system' - what it often overlooked is that it also now takes on functions that used to be absorbed by tighter communities, more self-reliance and resilience, social work, priest and confessional, best friend and next door neighbour. And no, it cannot continue like this.

I am not sure about health promotion - just like everybody knows that smoking is no good for them, most people know about healthy eating and exercise. Implementing that advice is quite a different thing IMO and IME.