I am a great believer in the NHS but I also realise the need for Private medical care.

Waiting lists for some operations are incredibly long and are very frustrating for those waiting. People with private health insurance or people who are willing to pay can "jump" the queues for operations cause they are paying. Is there anything wrong with this?

If everyone only used the NHS and there was no private health care then I feel the waiting lists could only get longer than they already are. There would be a shortage of doctors able to carry out these operations as the pay with the NHS would not keep the doctors when other countries without an NHS can pay substantially more. At present these doctors pay are being supplemented by carrying out private work which enables them also to supply their services to the NHS.

Last winter there was a massive bed shortage crisis with the flu epidemic. Private hospital beds were used by the NHS, although I feel the government should have footed the cost of using these beds as the money ended up being taken out of an already cash strapped NHS. If these beds had not been there then the crisis would have been much worse.

In my opinion there is room in society for both the NHS and Private medical care. People have the choice to use what they desire and choice is important to us all. People who knock the private health care should not just look on it as only available to the rich and being used by the rich at the expense of everyone else, but realise it is an alternative which by its existence can actually support the NHS.