Allow a true competitive market and you will see the NHS improve. All this choice wanted by the gov is being restricted by the PCTs insisting that GPs only refer to named hospitals. If you want improvement give the control of referals to the GPs and allow the money to follow the patient.

TJ, Brent,

What's this 'free health care' rubbish.

I've worked 44 years, paying Tax and NI all this time.
My use of the 'free health service' has so far been marginal.
What I've noticed is a deterioration of services over the past 5 years in particular.

As for Dental Services on the NHS - when, where?

cap, Lincoln, UK

Organisations like the BMA make Aurthur Scargills Miners Union look positively meek and they are bleeding the NHS DRY! Record pay rises for Docs / Consultants while life saving drugs are denied. Some people are doing extremely well fm the NHS but not patients, unfortunately. Where's the money gone?

Graham, St. Albans, uk

It hurts to think that we have some fantastic doctors and nurses in this country.Why then do we always lag behind other countries. In poorer countries they don't have the waiting for operations like we do.When they get the diagnosis of the problem it gets the attention required Get the act together

Keith, Witney , U.K

I presume the private sector managers who are brought in to tackle poor performance in the NHS will not be the same private sector managers who have been such a success at Northern Rock, BAA, British Airways, Bradford&Bingley

JHB, Cambridge,

The only way private companies could make the health business more efficient and effective would be for them to freely operate in a market. It is only competition and the need for each business to make a profit that makes private businesses work.

R Mason, London, UK

Free health care was never, "Free". It was paid for, by the people and for the people. We paid for it, without choice. The theory being that, if we needed it, we got it. It was an Insurance policy! Now, we pay for it and we get precious little in return. In insurance, this would be illegal.

Marcel Arnall, Paris, France

It is NOT free healthcare. It is free at the point of delivery.

To use an analogy that suits the times, it's like a pre-pay phone that you have to top up every time you get your pay-cheque.

So stop calling it free. We pay for it already. And we're not getting value for money.

Matthew T. Brown, Glasgow, United Kingdom

I've been working int he NHS for 24 years and with the push for Foundation status (thank you John Reid - duh, one size does not fit all) what I would say is that we now have management-led services. Unsurprisingly there is enormous waste. Let the clinicians run and manage services; that would help

Dr Ian Burgess, Bristol,

I have worked in the NHS for 18 years, without doubt the NHS is being privatised regardless of these plans. This is just a natural path from the 'foundation' status that all trusts have to achieve.
Im afraid the NHS will not exist in ten years time other than as a regulating body

jason, norwich, England

NHS as a concept works; there are many examples e.g. Germany. The UK NHS is badly implemented and run by the consultants. Private health by definition is more expensive; now profit has to be made as well. Run the NHS like Germany and its fine. I have used both and UK is miles behind.

Jack Sprat, Bristol, UK

Shake it up with new ideas and approaches. I currently have sciatica. My GP sent me to be 'assessed' in a brand new facility , this took 6 weeks. The assessment then 'diagnosed' my sciatica and sent me to physiotherapy, wait another 4 weeks. Previously my GP sent me straight to physio. Improvement?

Paul Owen, Birmingham, UK

Private care is fine if we can pay our individual health insurance, but what happens if we can't during a recession and unemployment? Do we want a society where many people can't access basic healthcare? The NHS provides a safety net, private care doesn't. Can we 'afford' a society without the NHS?

UA, Bedford,

Free at the point of use. This did mean there had to be a producer monopoly (i.e. the BMA plus Unison and the nursing unions) nor a monopoly provider - HM Treasury. It also did not mean treatments such as IVF, cosmetic surgery, or curing foreigners. Let's reform it within the spirit of 1948.

Dave, Slough,

"I warn you not to be ordinary, I warn you not to be young, I warn you not to fall ill, and I warn you not to grow old." such irony that what neil kinnock said should now be applied to a labour government.

Philip Barnes, Preston, england

Does anybody actually believe Gordon Brown will actually do anything about identifiable trusts with poor records,the only independent part of Healthcare Commission is being phased out,Business as usual, - money wasting,patient bullying,bypassed services and huge non medical salaries will be paid.

mary foord brown, suffolk coastal,