NHS supporters hold US Embassy demo

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More than 50 people gathered in Grosvenor Square, waving banners saying "Go for it America - Our National Health Service is a blessing for all".

Veteran peace campaigner Bruce Kent organised the demonstration as debate rages in the US about President Barack Obama's attempts to reform the country's healthcare system.

Mr Kent, who credits the NHS with saving his life in 2001 with an operation to remove prostate cancer, said: "The NHS is not perfect but it is being really badly abused in the USA and on utterly unreasonable grounds."

Mr Kent said he wanted to counter the claims by those in America who oppose a government-run health insurance system that the British NHS is proof that such a plan cannot work effectively.

"The people who are abusing the NHS are the ones who benefit from the present system." he said.

"I am a very grateful recipient of the NHS. I had an operation the cost of which would probably have put me out on the streets if I'd had to pay for it.

"It is an amazing thing to be able to go and get free treatment and not to have to worry about the cost. We're so used to it we don't appreciate it enough."