Auden in SCBU an hour after being born.

I've used the NHS a lot in my life, and I haven't had a bad illness or needed sustained care for anything. And never have I used it more than in the last 9 months as a mother.

I love statistics and tracking metrics and have always believed that it is the way to measure a baseline, identify problems and know if you are making improvements. But I don't actually have any evidence for that 🤔 And how does it make people feel when they are being recorded, checked up on, told that their jobs are not safe and that, despite all their efforts and care, they will have to try harder next year?

Stress in the right dose helps us to push ourselves, stay focused, achieve good things. When teams are underfunded, overworked and demoralised - that is so far beyond motivating pressure.

Despite having incredible care from so many different types of medical professionals, as a patient I feel stupid, hurried, in the way, like something might get missed. And I won't stop calling 111 or going to the GP if I think something is wrong. The last person who bragged to me about not going to a Dr for 7 years died of a heart attack 5 weeks later. I miss him.

The NHS has been let down. We've been let down. I don't believe the NHS is a "victim of its own success", I think there has been a systematic removal of funds so that when it fails, people can say "the NHS doesn't work, let's take away funding". I don't want there to have to be a need for private doulas. Dream world scenario is that we have continuity of care, time to listen, more and better cared for staff...and so on.

I love the NHS and those that sail in her. Sincerely, thank you.

#nhs70 #nhs #nhs70thanniversary #nhs2018 #nhslife #privatehealthcare #continuityofcare #happybirthdaynhs #medwayhospital #medwaymidwives #thankyounhs #newborn #pregnant