It’s vital to keep NHS

Jul 5 2008 by Andrew Baldwin, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

WHEN Aneurin “Nye” Bevan launched the National Health Service on July 5, 1948, it was something that was much needed.

Millions of people had previously been excluded from decent healthcare, in particular women not at work, children, the elderly and the unemployed.

Many a mother had to make the stark choice between medicine or food for their child.

Bevan introduced a transformation, a seemingly simple, egalitarian system which would provide every man, woman and child with free medical, dental and nursing care.

For the first time anyone over 16 would have their own doctor and be able to reach maternity services, hospital and specialist services, dentists, opticians and free prescriptions.

Leaflets were distributed to every home in the country saying: “Everyone, man, woman, or child, can use it or any part of it.

“There are no charges, except for a few special items. There are no insurance qualifications. But it is not a charity.

“You are all paying for it, mainly as taxpayers, and it will relieve your money worries in time of illness.”

The intervening 60 years have brought about a host of medical, scientific and technical advances from the first transplant – a kidney transplant between 49-year-old twins at an Edinburgh hospital in 1960 – to a robotic arm helping surgeons at St Mary’s Hospital in London to correct irregular heartbeats.

But it has not all been plain sailing, in particular following Margaret Thatcher’s attempt to privatise the NHS after she turned over the utilities to the private sector.

Also, relentless reforms have taken their toll.

While many patients received good care, it was marred by long waiting lists, poor access to GPs and dentists and dilapidated old buildings.

The introduction of national targets led medics to question whether patient care would be compromised.

As the NHS celebrates its diamond anniversary those who want to dismantle it should be resisted.

It is vital that Britain retains a first-rate NHS, loyal to its founding principles but fit and able to meet the every-changing needs of our 21st century society.

In sickness and in health.