Monday, July 05, 2021

The NHS - Many Happy Returns and Sound Support

The National Health Service was established 73 years ago today by the post-war Labour Government,  just a few days before my 12th birthday.  I was then very early to benefit by this fine arrangement.  For shortly afterwards I was taken into an NHS Hospital in Sunderland for treatment for tonsils and adenoids.  Although today the NHS needs more Government backing and support, we would be in a bad way without it in seeking to tackle Covid. In fact my only stay in hospital since 1947 was again under the NHS when I had a stroke as an MP when  in the Commons. The Deputy Speaker helped to rush me across to St. Thomas's. I was then taken into much the same area where Boris Johnson was recently dealt with for Covid. We could do with signs that it has also given him a committed to the NHS, especially as far as its wages and current finances are concerned.

2 comments:

Rosie Smith said...

You're right Harry, the Tories campaigned in the general election on increasing resources for the NHS. Boris needs to act now and fulfil these promises, firstly by giving NHS workers a decent pay rise. Bankers get million pound bonuses - NHS workers are the ones who deserve more money for all their hard work over the last year.

My experience of the NHS is when When I broke my leg three years ago. Google informed me that in the USA my care would cost $50,000 plus surgeons fees. As it was it didn't cost me a penny on the NHS and due to the efficiency of having a national health provider buying services and resources in bulk, it probably cost the NHS about £10,000. We must fight to protect for better investment in the NHS and better pay for those who tirelessly work in it.

Harry Barnes said...

Yes Rosie. And we should seek to have private health service provisions transended via an expanded NHS.