The British national health service - still something to be proud of?

In the uk we enjoy a national health service that provides healthcare for all irrespective of wealth or status. A cornerstone of British culture for decades which is the envy of many other parts of the world. This "free" healthcare is funded from the state through taxes that allows you to receive treatment without first providing any proof of payment. But is this still such a pillar of wonder or is starting to fade around the edges. Using public healthcare over the past year has seen it glowing as a marvel and grovelling as a disappointment. Yes we provide healthcare for all but the empathy and compassion seems to be lacking in a number of areas where you feel bad news would not be handled in the most delicate way and fail. The customer experience of the NHS varies wildly and it needs better support to ensure the right people are available in all aspects of the job not just the critical areas.