The National Health Service, free at the point of delivery, opened its doors 75 years ago today. It has survived 33 health secretaries, countless reorganisations and a pandemic to remain one of Britain’s most beloved institutions. There is more than one way to run a healthcare system, from private insurance to public provision, but this one is ours, and we should be rightly proud of it.
Yet Britons also agree that the NHS needs saving. Overall satisfaction levels have fallen to 29 per cent, the lowest level recorded since 1983, according to a survey by British Social Attitudes. This is hardly surprising when you consider that waiting lists hit 7.4 million at the end of April. Patients are also waiting longer to be seen at accident and emergency, fighting tooth and nail to see their GP, even fundraising to go private.
