Dying for a doctor
Britain's National Health Service was once the envy of the world. But years of insufficient funding have made it one of the worst in Europe.
Britain spends less money on health care and has half as many hospital beds or doctors than any other European country. Patients are quite literally dying for medical care. "If you can pay, you live - if not, you die," comments patient Dorothy Grittifhs wryly. She was denied a lifesaving drug because it was too expensive. But had she lived in a different area, her local health authority might have given it to her. "The inequality between rich and poor patients grows. This is completely unacceptable for a National Health System," comments Dr Sullivan. Gordon Brown, Chancellor of the Exchequer, believes the problems stem from lack of funding under the previous Conservative government. But his large cash injections have yet to result in any palpable difference, leading for calls for the service to be privatised
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