Thursday 5 July 2018

Happy 70th Birthday NHS

To celebrate the NHS turning 70, I thought I would write a letter of thanks to them!

Dear NHS

Up until 11 years ago, I don't think I have ever appreciated what you actually do.

I took for granted the births of my daughters, the A&E trips with them for childhood accidents and even the operation my daughter had to correct her lazy eye. I took for granted the support of the midwives when I go at home, the doctors appointments for them when they had a medical issue and even the nurse that visits their school.

That was until, 11 years ago when I went for my first scan to be told that there may be something wrong with my baby and that he may have a genetic disorder.

The NHS provided extra scans and midwife appointments to make sure my baby was fit and well during pregnancy, a team of proffessionals during my birth and doctors doing tests after he was born.

11 years on and we still don't have a name for his condition but the support of the NHS continues. We have visited a lot of hospitals, had many, many conversations with doctors and been to many clinics.

It hasn't all been plain sailing and rosey. We have been failed by NHS staff a few times, been let down and have had to fight for a lot of things but part of me thinks that the reason for these failings is that the NHS is just so strained. Clinics are overloaded, staff are worked too hard and there's just not enough money for the NHS.


Putting those negatives aside, the positives are that we as a family have been supported through our journey with our sons Undiagnosed condition.

When we think of the NHS, we think of hospitals, doctors and nurses but that's just a handful of what the NHS is. If it wasn't for the speech and Language therapists, occupational health therapists, educational pyscologists etc, I'm not sure where we would be. These are the people that I think don't get recognised.

So, a big thank you to our NHS, because without you our son would not be able to live the life he leads.

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