I did think to add some caveats about the NHS, my sister works there so I'm aware of all the issues there. However, I would rather choose that system, over the one here, which is extremely expensive, and doesn't even look after you if you lose your insurance for whatever reason.
I think overall, I would say the UK has a lot of challenges, and if I was still living there, I would actually feel ok to pay more taxes to support those services, because I'd be using them.
As opposed to here, where I pay almost the same rate of taxes, and feel like I get nothing in return!
The underfunding is the cause of the inefficiencies that you have probably seen. It literally does not have enough staff, buildings, beds, mri machines etc to operate and is constantly fire-fighting.
Yes, it's a big employer, and? It provides health care to 70 million people, of course it is. Why do you think competition would improve things? the US spends more than 2x as much per capita.
I notice there are now more potholes, more "please don't abuse our staff" signs, more strikes, more working-to-rule, more dirt, more delays, more homeless.
I think the article is correct if you consider it an average of the last 10 years or so.