Why we still need the NHS

A few days ago I was rushed to hospital  by ambulance with a suspected pulmonary embolism. I was in intense pain, the GP I saw first was brilliant, and the paramedics were superb. They were calm but concerned, they took me seriously, they asked me what pain I was in and what I relief I wanted. They apologised for taking 45 minutes to reach me - they said things were very stretched. They drove me carefully but quickly, one of them held my hand as we went over speed bumps because it hurt so much.

When I got to hospital it all changed; I was left trying not to cry in pain in a cold corridor for two hours, the nurses barely noticed when I fainted on the floor, I was left in the corridor again without a bra on after my chest xray, utterly embarrassed, no-one asked me how I was feeling, if I needed more painkillers, if anyone was with me (they weren't). The nurses seemed immunised, barely connecting, I hardly saw a single doctor. Finally someone took me into a room, handed me a prescription, and told me it was most likely pneumonia or pleurisy but there were no beds so I'd have to give the wheelchair back and go home. That was that.

I'm not going to start on how failed I felt by everyone in that hospital because I think its fairly obvious. Its also obvious that most of those failures came from lack of resources, time and actual human compassion. I left scared, confused, alone and off my tits on morphine. Fortunately a really kind colleague picked me up in her car and drove me home via the pharmacy. Fortunately I have a doctor friend who is going to come over in a few days and check that the pneumonia isn't getting worse.

However despite all those failings, thanks very much Andrew Lansley I blame you, yes actually YOU PERSONALLY for my misery right now, there was still a health service, albeit stretched to breaking point, to go to that got me to hospital and at least checked that I wasn't immediately at death's door. That gave me an xray and blood tests and provided me with an ambulance to get there and gave me antibiotics without me having to worry about paying for them.

Because if there wasn't an NHS I would probably not have gone for fear of not being able to pay. I have a job that pays me enough to afford to eat and heat my house and pay for prescriptions but there are plenty of people who are not in that position. There are people who out of fear of not being able to pay extra for treatment that they might need, or who couldn't afford insurance, might just not go if we didn't have a free national health service.

I believe this government has empire nostalgia; they think what will make Britain great again will be a return to our position as a world superpower. What they have forgotten is that what actually makes Britain great is our compassion as a nation - we take care of our society's most vulnerable and marginalised through our welfare system, we stand up for what is right abroad, we welcome asylum seekers who face persecution in their home countries. Despite a vocal daily mail contingent, most immigrants reported finding British people polite and welcoming after moving here. We aren't perfect but I believe what makes Britain great is our tolerance, compassion and inclusion. Why can't we just be a Sweden - content not to be a superpower, content just to make sure our population has shared wealth, a good health service, looks after its disabled and struggling members, a good minumum wage, a good quality of life, tolerance, inclusion and compassion for others?

The current government is doing its best to stamp that out. We mustn't let them.