This week the NHS celebrates its 74th birthday.

Back in 1948, founder and Labour Minister of Health Nye Bevan said: “Despite our financial and economic anxieties, we are still able to do the most civilised thing in the world – put the welfare of the sick in front of every other consideration.”

The pandemic was a telling reminder of how our beloved NHS must be a Government priority. Because, unfortunately, Tory austerity meant it was under-resourced when Covid hit.

The NHS only kept its head above water thanks to those heroes we clapped every Thursday.

And there’s no recovery plan but a huge backlog of patients needing treatment for a range of conditions including cancer. Covid fears led some patients to present late for their diagnosis, only adding to the crisis.

Not helping is the chronic GP shortage.  Fewer GPs are dealing with increased demands including Long Covid but also mental health issues.

And there is a crisis in emergency care with reports locally of older and vulnerable people requiring hospital care facing lengthy delays for an ambulance.

One reason is delayed handover. With insufficient hospital beds, patients must endure an agonising wait in the back of an ambulance outside A&E or on a trolley before being admitted. 

Why is there a shortage of beds? Because there is often no care package in place allowing an elderly person to be discharged when well enough.

More investment in our broken care system, with the emphasis on preventing admissions in the first place, would help free the logjam.

A social care plan has been promised by this Government but where is it?

One cheery story amid the gloom is the opening of a community diagnostic centre, incorporating a CT scanner, at Victoria Infirmary Northwich. People no longer need traipse over to Leighton Hospital at Crewe for tests.

Praise must go to outgoing chief executive James Sumner but also our campaigning Labour team including local councillors.

Making a noise also helped secure extended opening hours at the minor injuries unit, now open seven days per week with a weekend x-ray service.

Access to free, decent health and social care, at point of need, is a mark of a civilised society because without our health we have nothing. That’s why an incoming Labour Government would make the NHS and a national care service one of its top priorities.