The differences between the NHS policies of the different parts of The NHS are a good example of different approaches politically generally. As a doctor, although an academic these days rather than in practice, I have worked in England, Wales and Scotland.

The infection issues affecting hospitals in Wales and Scotland were England's issue eight years ago. The mortality rates of acute hospitals in Wales would put eight of them in the top ten worst list of England if you included them. One in ten consultant posts in Scotland remain unfilled.

And yet.. The differences are minimal in reality. Senior clinical posts attract the best regardless of where they come from. In other words, doctors don't look for the best jobs within a ten mile radius of home, they move home. The referendum and the time leading up to it made it difficult to recruit to posts. The situation in Wales of insisting on people assimilating to Welshness just means life expectancy in Wales drops. Simple as that. If the best don't wish to work there, you either lower your standards (Wales / NI) or fail to appoint, (Scotland.)

England doesn't have the best anything, and some cutting edge excellence is found in other UK areas, but a few political decisions make for a few fundamental differences.

(Out of interest, most people in healthcare cannot understand why English politicians don't promise free prescriptions. The vast majority are free to patients anyway, (children, pensioners, hospital patients) that the cost of administering the commercial aspects costs about the same as they rake in!)