one experience with the NHS

So I've been sick recently, and decided that I did not care to be so for the remaining 3 weeks of the semester. I went to the local walk-in clinic to get some answers, and hopefully some really good drugs.
After getting really lost, I ended up waiting for my nurse for about half an hour. He was nice, though a bit harried. He took my information really quickly, and sent me back to the waiting room. After waiting for another half hour or so, the doctor called me in. He asked a lot of questions, and did a basic examination. I thought that, given the amount of time and the number of patients he had, he was very thorough and did not try to rush me out. He ended up giving me a prescription, which could be filled at any chemist's.
Getting my medicine was really easy. There is a Boots (which is like a Walgreens) on most every street, and I walked to the nearest one and showed my prescription. The guy said I didn't need the exact number on the prescription, and I could have more or less depending on how much I wanted to spend and how bad I thought my pain was. Getting my drugs was really easy, and I get the feeling that if you know what you need, you talk to the chemist and they will give it to you. Obviously the good stuff (Vicodin and whatnot) is much more controlled, but for really basic things, it's really straightforward. It's a nice change from "you get three months of pills every three months. It's only been 2 months 3 weeks, so no pills for you".
Overall, I had to pay for the Tube ride there and back, and my pills. No copays, no insurance cards, no anxiety that I'll have to forgo groceries. I liked dealing with the NHS, for sure.