In this week’s Friday Politics column, Lib Dem councillor puts forward his case for NHS healthcare to remain free…
Having spent nearly five years campaigning for the Queen Elizabeth Hospital rebuild due to Government delays, I’ve been reminded in the last month about how amazing our NHS is.
I’ve also been reminded why we should all be thinking carefully about how we vote in the next general election, to ensure its ongoing survival after 76 years.
Rob Colwell at a recent event showcasing designs for the new QEH
I’ve had family require treatment over the years and have always been so grateful for the NHS.
I’ve been lucky to enjoy good health, but last month I was hospitalised at our QEH for three days and have had ongoing support the last month from the hospital and my doctor surgery.
I’m fighting fit now, but witnessed firsthand the kindness, dedication and commitment of doctors, nurses, porters, cleaners and receptionist. Our NHS is something special and to be cherished, the envy of the world.
Rob Colwell has paid tribute to the many nationalities who work at the QEH
We have seen politicians across all parties’ express concern about the NHS being in crisis. Many demand for it to be properly funded, others call for it to be modernised, and some suggest it should be replaced with a health insurance scheme.
I am firmly of the view it must be saved in its current format and funded properly, as a vital cornerstone of the UK’s social and moral contract.
The Liberal MP William Beveridge was a progressive and social reformer. He is usually considered the ‘father of the welfare state’ and produced a report in 1942 ‘Social Insurance and Allied Services’ which served as the basis for the NHS creation in 1948.
The NHS has provided free, universal healthcare to all, regardless of income or status. It represents fairness, compassion, and equality, principles that define a just society.
It is also one of the UK’s most trusted and cherished institutions. It plays a crucial role in emergency care, public health, disease prevention, and long-term treatment of chronic illnesses.
From childbirth to end-of-life care, the NHS supports people at every stage of life. It was essential for managing the national health crisis during the Covid pandemic.
Our NHS today is much changed and simply could not function without medical professionals from around the world.
I met many nationalities during my stay and these migrants make our NHS. I want to thank them all and make sure they know how welcome they are here in West Norfolk and around the country.
A poster on the lift at the QEH showed nearly 70 nationalities. The hospital is proud of its equality, diversity and inclusivity.
There are concerns Reform UK will move to a partial insurance-based system similar to France, forcing people to pay towards their care.
Without the NHS, millions would be left vulnerable, unable to afford private medical care. Health outcomes would worsen, especially among the most disadvantaged.
Letting the NHS collapse under funding cuts, staff shortages, and creeping privatisation would undermine public wellbeing and national unity.
Modernisation and investment are needed, not abandonment. That includes NHS dentistry with Norfolk a dental desert and recent MPs incapable of resolving the crisis, children going unchecked and people pulling out their own teeth.
Saving the NHS means protecting not just a healthcare system, but a fundamental part of Britain’s identity and future. It is not just about health – it is about the kind of country we choose to be.
Liberal Democrats will always campaign to save our NHS – we believe that everyone deserves high-quality healthcare, but we can’t fix the NHS unless we fix the crisis in social care too.
We all look to 2032 and the rebuild of our QEH – let’s hope it will still be free to use by the time it opens.