When I was diagnosed with kidney cancer, in 2021, the NHS saved my life. I felt this Rolls-Royce machine kick into gear, as I was treated by a world-class surgeon equipped with a robot and looked after by a group of incredibly caring nurses. I saw the best of the NHS.
But I also saw how today’s NHS is letting patients down. After I was discharged from hospital, I was pretty much left to my own devices, despite not being able to get myself into bed. I had to wait for months longer than the recommended time for scans to check my cancer hadn’t returned, because of the ballooning backlog.
The most frustrating moment came when I went to hospital to get the results of my follow-up tests. On arrival, I was told the results hadn’t been processed in time, and that I should arrange another time to come back. I was lucky enough to have a boss who didn’t mind if I needed to take time off work. But for someone on a zero-hours contract, the cost of the NHS not sending test results via text, or even a message to say the results weren’t ready, could be two days’ wages.
These are the inefficiencies and inconveniences that I can’t see from........