The NHS is 70 years old today, something we should all be very proud of. I’ve been fortunate to only have a few dealings with the NHS over the years and, apart from one over-enthusiastic nurse and an errant needle, I’ve been very pleased with the level of service and care received. My father was diagnosed with polycystic kidneys in the early 90’s and was hospitalised at one point when he was in considerable pain and passing blood in his urine. The staff, from the paramedics that delivered him to A & E to the consultants that identified the problem, were incredible, especially considering the filthy jokes my dad insisted on telling anyone who got too close to his bed – a side effect of the pain relief, that’s a lack of inhibitions, not the need to tell filthy jokes. My dad continued to have problems with his kidneys and eventually had dialysis and finally a transplant that continues to function perfectly to this day. More recently, my dad, again, was rushed to the hospital. This time it was because an idiot in his 30’s tried to impress his girlfriend by completing a sudden U-turn on a blind corner. My dad promptly drove his motorbike into the side of the car. Luckily my dad only suffered severe bruising, cuts and grazes, and the loss of his prized motorcycling jacket which the paramedics had to cut off of him and the motorcycle he wore it on. Once again the treatment he received was world-class and free. Let’s hold that thought for a minute, free. Our Health Service is free at the point of use. Yes, we pay for our care, and the care of others, through National Insurance contributions, but when we are treated there is no charge. The staff that deal with us are underpaid and overworked and yet they, on the whole, deliver an incredible service. There is nowhere else in the world where this happens. We all have stories like mine. There’s not one family in the UK that hasn’t been touched by the NHS. We should all feel proud of this incredible organisation and, along with birthday greetings, give the NHS as much support as we possibly can. After all, there are people out there, I’m looking at you the Tory Party, Richard Branson, Big Business etc. that want to dismantle it for financial gain. With all this very much in mind, Gruff Rhys has recorded, No Profit In Pain, a love letter to the NHS that calls on us all to fight to preserve it. Listen to the track, hug a nurse, hassle your MP, but above all SAVE OUR NHS.https://youtu.be/P_NWu6S1pYc