Sqad - I have been on this site for over 5 years now and have not seen any posts from you praising the NHS. There could be some I have missed of course, but the overall impression is one of negativity. Were you being sarcastic?
I cannot understand your difficulty with the paper as it clearly shows that the NHS offers not just cost-effective care but also quality of care.
I spoke to a doctor friend recently back from working in the US. Every time she treated a patient with an antibiotic , or tried to order an investigation she had to run the gauntlet of the insurance companies who were very prescriptive in allowing her to do tests. I think your view of the US health system is somewhat rose-tinted.
Here is a link to the RSM paper - scroll down to Table 5 - it shows effectiveness in reducing mortality..
http://image.guardian...JRSMpaperPritWall.pdf
As I said before some hard evidence for your views would strengthen them.
Venator - I do appreciate the fact that your wife works hard, and is under pressure, but so are consultants GPs and administrators who in no way have it cushy.