I’ve just finished writing a chapter of a book soon to be published called ‘Discovering Kenarchy’. My chapter focuses on Health Care and some of the challenges faced by working within this system.

When I was meditating this morning, I was thinking (I know, that probably makes me not very good at meditating!) about the NHS in this country. I just want to say that it is such an extraordinarily and amazing thing! We have a 65 year history of health care in this country that no matter how rich or poor you are, or where you come from, how old you are, whether you can find work or you can’t, you have access to care 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. I was talking to a good friend yesterday, who comes originally from another country and he was telling me that the care his family have recently received has blown him away.

There is a caring, generous, loving backbone to the NHS, found stamped through its many and varied, highly skilled staff who provide a brilliant service. From the moment of conception to the moment of death, we are beautifully and tenderly cared for. The integrated flow of people working together to make life more healthy and therefore more enjoyable is mind blowing.

I am not blind to the problems and I know all too well the pressures faced by working within health care, but if we put aside human errors, targets-gone-crazy, and dreadfully misleading headlines, we can sit and take stock at the wonder that is the NHS in these Islands. What a privilege it is to work in it.

As Nye Bevan said: ” The NHS will last as long as there are folk left with the faith to fight for it.” We must be resolute in our hearts that it remains freely given, that care remains central and that it is not sold off to private companies limited by shares. If that happens, the NHS will die.

It’s so easy to find fault, to moan, to complain and to focus on the negative (and there are, for sure, many things still to improve), and I am sorry for when things go wrong or substandard care occurs, but I am hugely grateful for the chance to provide and receive universal healthcare for all. When we focus on the positives of what we have, there are so many people and things to be grateful for. From clean water and sanitation, to vaccinations, medications and life saving operations, with GPs, midwives, nurses, therapists, administrators, managers, cleaners, diagnosticians, surgeons and physicians,  we are blessed beyond belief!

Today, I am grateful for the amazing NHS.