60 years of the NHS

July 7th, 2009

Last weekend saw the anniversary of an institution we are all still fiercely proud of – the national health service.

Free access to health care for everyone has been a fixture of our lives now for 60 years.

Its difficult to imagine what it must have been like for people, particularly women and children, before the NHS arrived on the scene in 1948.

At the time, Nye Bevan implemented such a bold and radical policy that it attracted strong opposition from critics who insisted it was unworkable.

But the NHS proved so successful that it spawned a generation of people who would vote for his party for the rest of their lives.

In my opinion, it was a move that connected with the people in a way that has never been matched by a government since.

Of course, it isn’t just politicians like me who take great pride in our NHS.

I was able to take part in celebrations over the weekend with a number of people, including pensioners who rely on their regular visits to their health centres, and campaigners who fought tooth and nail to prevent cuts to our A & E services.

Those mooted cuts to budgets, along with the daily diet of superbugs and pay disputes we read in our newspapers, prove that even after 60 years we still have our challenges it when it comes to providing a perfect model for healthcare.

But I believe this NHS is worth fighting for and I will be doing my utmost to ensure the people of Greenock and Inverclyde have the best chance possible of staying healthy.

ENDS