We all love the NHS. We all rely on it. We all have amazing and positive stories to tell. But we all know its flaws. We tend not to talk about them too much because we’re grateful for the amazing concept that lies behind the service. The whole system is a phenomenal slice of socialism. It says we can turn up at a doctor’s surgery or hospital and get treated for free, regardless of who we are or how much money we have. Although there are other ways of organising universal healthcare provision – we can see some of them in parts of continental Europe, for instance – there is something incredibly comforting and efficient about the British state service. But it is time to get real. If the NHS is prepared for the forthcoming coronavirus epidemic, I’m a trapeze artist at Billy Smart’s Circus. The government will tell you that we are battle ready, but surveys of people who actually work in the service will tell you categorically we are not. It’s not just a
Phil Woodford co-hosts Colourful Radio's weekly news review show from London. He previously stood on two occasions as a Labour Parliamentary candidate.