'This is my proposal: every hospital in this country will be nationalised. I will build more hospitals, better hospitals, where there is need rather than money'.
Theatre can be many things and this production, soon to visit your local cinema as part of NT Live, proves its power to inspire and move. There is incredible power in creativity and story-telling. My main reflections, beyond the incredible story-telling and stagecraft, are:
- Public health has been integral part of the NHS since its inception and remains an important factor in our collective and individual health. It must never be consigned behind the scenes and our public health leaders must be free to speak up - and sometimes agitate - for the health of our communities.
- We rightly celebrate the NHS and recognise the important role it plays. It is easy however to overlook this. Whether working in it for long periods or underselling the small contributions that individuals or teams make to its overall success. And don't get me started on the vilification of hard-working people and teams who don't deliver front-line public services but who are resolutely committed and hard-working. Thank you for reminding me of what I can be proud of in my career.
- Finally, I saw this production on the day the UK General Election was called. It is a reminder, at the start of a long six-week campaign, what good, courageous and principled politicians and politics can achieve.
