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Critics of President Obama's US healthcare reform plans have described the British system as "evil" and "Orwellian". Fearing a similar kind of "socialised medicine" in their own country, Conservative Republicans have made claims about the poor quality and efficiency of NHS care. The debate has triggered a growing backlash in Britain with politicians, senior doctors and even the scientist Stephen Hawking rushing to defend our most beloved institution.

But have the critics got a point? Tory MEP Daniel Hannan may have been rebuked by his party's leader for rubbishing the NHS on US television, but we spend less on health than America does, we have to ration it and our waiting lists are much longer. So what's your experience of the NHS? And with an ageing population and increasing demands on healthcare, could we learn something from other countries?

Graham Stewart takes your calls, texts and emails.