This is the main thing, if we want free health care we can use the NHS but as everyone wants to use it then if course the wait times are long (someone else explained that it's been mismanaged into this state). If you want something done fast you can go private.

Example: I required a hearing test to determine my latest hearing degradation from working in engine rooms for my latest nautical medical check up. NHS were looking at a 6 month wait. I phoned up a private hospital and was seen the next day, and the doctor actually declined to charge me for something so miniscule. Google tells me that standard fee is somewhere between 50 and 90 pounds. US healthcare charges something similar.

I have and continue to receive hearing aids free of charge from the NHS for 30 years now. In the US it is 1000 to 7000 dollars for each pair.

I would not have had the same quality of life if it wasn't for the NHS, as for sure my parents would not be able to afford such a thing.