All treatment free at the point of delivery is a very British symbol and British an Institution, but not an establishment elitist relic of a previous age! What? Whom? The NHS of course. Normally we shy away from sporting failure, but crucially it is part of our identity, our social DNA where we can celebrate 'being a good sport ' and it's the taking part that counts' in terms of our people's NHS! But it is not lacking in a cutting edge, it is our togetherness made manifest, it is our advantage when we stick together! We may be suspicious about class conflict over our shared history, but the fact that the 'old boy network continues to exist, and the Trade unions continue to confront when plunged into national crises! Just like in the Blitz spirit we unite to face a terrifying opponent and evil adversary we find British common robust endeavour because we are in adversity! We seldom riot, we seldom overthrow hallowed institutions but we sure as hell will give anybody who attacks us or our friends a bloody good beating! Nowhere else does class conflict unite such a reasonably affable nation still largely divided by wealth! Even when Brexit is horrifying many, we still find a way to rework it into a 'Labour Brexit' rather than just a Tory led Brexit! "Let's see it through" and "Let's make it work"! is the language of this sceptred Isle!
The NHS is defined as a service to all not a self-service, a free zone without privilege and hierarchy. But is this redistribution? No! This is a patriotic duty and a heroic sense of backing British originality and pride! The post-war may have been forged in the furnaces of War but it emerged as a survivor and rebuilder of Peace! But we built an NHS in memoriam of those who didn't make it, and to those who did, who put our parents in their care as we must put our parents' generation in our care etc. It is our shared inheritance to our children and grandchildren that we must never abandon!
Furthermore, the NHS has heralded a welfarist 'rid Britain of Dickensian poverty such as the 'Poor House' and the 'Victorian asylum'! Perhaps we even ditched Industrialization and got closure on Trade Union demoralization by moving-on? Wait, we haven't yet, have we? We have clung -on to an ancient argument of 'Is it legal and moral to strike, or is it legal and moral not to strike?' Or are there new 21st century ways of healing industrial action? Don't vote for 'go slow' when you can do the opposite! What? Selective coordination, fuller shifts, take action on Saturday's and Sunday's by not withdrawing your labour but by making action work by direct action through reverse psychology? Don't man the picket lines, when you can work to demonstrate on days off free of charge!? Free at the point of delivery to best represent their case to the public whilst limiting but emphasising public disruption in contrast.
Pay rises are designed to reward or punish. But punished by a confluence of Covid, fuel poverty and wage devaluation, must seem vindictive? But isn't strike action about public punishment? Show goodwill and public spiritedness by understanding the responsibilities of government and not just vice versa!
Just as we should defend as a patriotic duty our homeland, we have to defend, not by guns and bullets on the battlefield like in Ukraine defending its health and survival, we have an imperative to coordinate our health economy! We have moved away from the nationalised industry of health in 1947 to evolve as an institution for all and with our redeeming feature of 'Brexit Promises' made to augment the NHS and Government manifesto to enact it! No one will dare to question those Brexiteers who voted Brexit purely on NHS issues! It would be political suicide! Or it will demoralise and alienate, and could lead to a backlash of extending nationalisation widely? Or Brexit led by nurses, Doctors, surgeons etc? But isn't it a civic duty to defend against political marauders and adventurers taking advantage of divided loyalties? NHS authority should never polarise the chain of command that makes the NHS unique and legitimate! The NHS is indeed run for all by an acceptable level of efficiency and social responsibility; let's not damage it!