Donald Trump's attack on NHS slapped down by Theresa May and health chief Simon Stevens

The US President sparked fury after branding the health service 'broke and not working'
NHS row: Donald Trump has sparked fury after criticising the heath service
AP
Hatty Collier5 February 2018
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NHS England boss Simon Stevens has said Donald Trump has “got the wrong end of the stick” after the US President lashed out at the health service.

Mr Trump trashed the NHS on Monday and said “thousands of people were marching in the UK” because the health service was “going broke and not working”.

Downing Street appeared to slap down his comments and said that Theresa May was “proud” of the NHS and its funding was at a “record high”.

NHS England chief executive Mr Stevens later said Mr Trump had "got the wrong end of the stick" and invited the president to visit its "brilliant" staff and services during his planned trip to the UK this year.

Mr Stevens said Britain delivers healthcare for all at half the cost of the US system, telling the Commons Public Accounts Committee: "Unfortunately and respectfully I think we'd suggest that tweet got the wrong end of the stick and that in fact people in this country don't want to ditch our NHS, notwithstanding everything that we've been talking about today, they want to keep it and strengthen it.

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May arrives at Downing Street in London on Monday
REUTERS

"So our invitation in the NHS should the president be visiting later this year will be to spend time with brilliant doctors, hospitals, technology experts, scientists, hear about the cataract services, the hip replacements, the modern scanners, the world-first liver, heart and lung transplant, the genomic revolution, all under way here in the NHS and go away understanding that healthcare for everybody delivered at half the cost of the US healthcare system is something that people in this country are deeply and rightly committed to."

Professor Helen Stokes-Lampard, chairwoman of the Royal College of GPs, said: "President Trump is lucky in that he can afford the best health care available.

"But there are millions of patients who can't and I for one am proud to work within a health system that doesn't simply cast the poor and vulnerable aside."

Health and Social Care Secretary Jeremy Hunt also hit back by attacking the US system which leaves millions without adequate health cover.

Mr Trump made his remarks as he targeted Democrats pushing for a British-style universal health system in the US.

Mr Hunt responded with a tweet of his own, saying no-one protesting about the state of the NHS wanted a US-style system.

"NHS may have challenges but I'm proud to be from the country that invented universal coverage - where all get care no matter the size of their bank balance," he said.

Number 10 backed Mr Hunt in the dispute, saying: "Of course he speaks for the Government on these matters."

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Mrs May's official spokesman said: "The Prime Minister is proud of having an NHS that is free at the point of delivery.

"NHS funding is at a record high and was prioritised in the budget with an extra £2.8 billion.

"In the recent Commonwealth Fund international survey, the NHS was rated the best in the world for a second time."

The US president's comments were also condemned by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and the organisers of the pro-NHS demonstration highlighted by Mr Trump.

The president's comments came shortly after former Ukip leader Nigel Farage appeared on one of Mr Trump's favourite US TV news shows to talk about the NHS.

Mr Farage's appearance on Fox And Friends appeared to prompt Mr Trump's Twitter comment.

In a follow-up message, the president thanked the show for "exposing the truth".

Mr Trump's social media messages came after a crowd of thousands chanting "Save the NHS" descended on Downing Street on Saturday to demand more funding for the health service.

The demonstration, called NHS In Crisis: Fix It Now, was organised by the People's Assembly and Health Campaigns Together.

Responding to Mr Trump's comments the groups said they were campaigning against moves towards an "expensive, inefficient and unjust" US-style system.

In a message to the president the groups said: "This is what our demonstration was about on Saturday February 3 and tens of thousands of British people want to show their love for the principles of universal and comprehensive care free at the point of use, paid for through general taxation.

"We don't agree with your divisive and incorrect rhetoric. No thanks."

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said Mr Trump was "wrong" and people were marching because "we love our NHS and hate what the Tories are doing to it".

The public row is the latest controversy in Mr Trump's relationship with the UK ahead of his visit later this year which is expected to be marked by mass protests.

He had previously caused consternation in Whitehall when he announced on Twitter he would not be attending the opening of the new US embassy in London, saying it was a "bad deal" and he did not like the location of the new building.

It led to speculation he was unhappy after being rebuked by Mrs May for retweeting videos posted by the far-right Britain First group.

However, following talks with Mrs May in Davos, Mr Trump reaffirmed his commitment to the "special relationship" with Britain.

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