by John Pat

Created on: October 23, 2007

Just because Michael Moore is a Democrat does not make him wrong, despite the rabid foaming mouths of his detractors. The facts outlined in Sicko should make Americans cringe and hang their heads in shame: to so loudly proclaim righteous Christian credentials, yet ration the availability of medical treatment for the least fortunate in society is barbaric and uncharitable.

In Britain, the National Health Service is less than perfect. But, as a secular nation inclusive of all, the Brits manage to find the funds to treat those less fortunate - the old, the poor, the long term chronically sick... and even illegal immigrants.

In America, people can be bankrupted by the crippling costs of health care. Why? Because, as Moore points out, the whole system is a business that is solely interested in benefiting corporations and greedy individuals - at the expense of the nation.

For those who say that a social based system - like that of the British - would mean a dearth of innovation, longer waiting times for all, poorer levels of treatment, more disease among Americans etc, it is worth noting the following facts:

Many medical innovations, be it drug developments or technological creations, originate outside the US. In fact the UK is "...ranked as the best performer in the G8 leading economies per unit of R&D spend." (Source: http://www.dti.gov.uk/about/ministerial-team/page394 12.html)

So what?

Britain has just 1% of the world's population yet "5% of its science, 9% of its scientific papers and 12% of its citations. It is also ranked second in the world in areas such as biological, clinical and pre-clinical research." (Ibid)

Clearly, the Bits are anything but socialist. Alongside the state funded (actually taxpayer funded) National Health Service there is a thriving multi-billion dollar Private Health Care system. This is available to those who choose to pay a premium - either in insurance or directly to the medical professional/institution of their choice. The capitalist system thrives: if you have the money, you can pay to see a specialist. Right now. Your MRI scan or other tests need not wait. You can have a private room in a luxury hospit-hotel. Nurses will pander to your every whim. Treatment will be as good as in the best US hospital. Or maybe even better...

Doctors in the UK have yet to suffer the idiocies of the US legal system - the "it must be somebody's fault so I want to sue" syndrome. Sadly, this outlook is starting to insinuate itself into the UK, but doctors there

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