Fight for NHS

We must be thankful that philanthropists and cancer charities are able to invest at a time when the Government appears incapable of funding the bare necessities.

We are appalled by the Government’s denial that there is a crisis in our NHS and by the way it is scapegoating dedicated health professionals.

Dr Sarah Wollaston, Conservative chair of the House of Commons health select committee, recently wrote that the “political response to a health and care system in severe distress has been dismal. The public has repeatedly made clear the value it places on our NHS and that it wants to see it properly funded. Political instincts, however, have tended to focus on division and to duck the problem through arguments about data”.

The Government repeatedly trumpets the additional £10bn investment in the NHS, but the real terms increase is only £4.5bn and will result in reduced spending per person.

The most remembered statistic of the EU referendum campaign was the £350m a week for the NHS – a cynically deployed and rapidly disavowed non-fact for which no one can be held to account.

The public has a right to expect accurate figures on total health spending, and it matters that we correctly insist on a true figure of £4.5bn.

Aneurin Bevan said that no society can legitimately call itself civilised if a sick person is denied medical aid because of lack of means, and the NHS will last as long as there are folk left with faith to fight for it.

The Government is fiddling whilst the NHS burns. Now is the time to fight for a properly funded health and social care system for all.

Anne & Philip Wicks, Richmond