NHS 65 years of excellence D Prentis statement

I reproduce below the statement from our General Secretary Dave Prentis on the NHS.

'Our National Health Service celebrates its 63rd birthday this week. It is one of our greatest achievements that has saved the lives and stopped the suffering of countless millions, regardless of their ability to pay.

We celebrate, too, this week the men and women who worked tirelessly from the very start to make the NHS what it is today.

But our NHS faces its greatest challenge yet. This coalition government’s Health and Social Care Bill still poses the serious threat of privatisation and a return to the bad old days of queue-jumping by those who can afford to pay.

So, in celebrating 63 years of a great success story, remember we have to do everything in our power to defend it from attack. '