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50 years on: fellowship and fulfilment

On the 14th of September 1969 I had the great good fortune to join the NHS National Administrative Training Scheme, and so began 50 years of fellowship and fulfilment which continue to this day. I joined the NHS as a preparation for my intended career as a Labour MP. I did not approve of professional politicians and wanted to learn about something useful before looking for a seat. Very soon, I fell out of love with politics and fell in

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pa-kjops September 9, 2019

The NHS in 2019

My favoured mind set is well founded optimism. I prefer to be optimistic. However, I need reasons to be optimistic. In 2019 the evidence for optimism is hard to find. Certainly, there are some reasons for optimism; The pace of research and development is rapid and new treatments are being made available. It is reasonable to expect that many of the “untreatable illnesses” will be treatable either in terms of delaying the progress of disease or providing a cure. AIDs,

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pa-kjops August 6, 2019

NHS70

Thoughts for the 70th birthday of the NHS. First, some brief reflections on where the NHS is today – in its 70th year. Second, to think back to the extraordinary story of how the NHS was established and the people who made it possible in the face of sustained political and professional opposition. My NHS Story Before I come to the first of those points just a quick reminder of my involvement with the NHS. I was 7 weeks old

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pa-kjops July 13, 2018

Other People's Shoes

50 years on: fellowship and fulfilment

The NHS in 2019

NHS70

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