Is 70 years of the NHS really something to celebrate?

Seventy years ago, when the National Health Service was founded, the UK established the principle of universal access to healthcare. Rich or poor, young or old, you have the right to obtain treatment for your condition. It set a standard amongst the rest of the world, that healthcare is a vital part of a safety net that all wealthy countries should strive to provide. In 1948, this was a new and progressive ideology, far ahead of its time. It’s important to be proud of one’s history – but 1948 is long gone.

What exactly is the UK celebrating today? Universal access is no longer a unique feature of British healthcare. Almost every developed country has adopted this as a policy, providing full coverage for their citizens around the world.

With this crucial issue now equalised, healthcare outcomes should be the focus of the discussion. By this measure, the NHS wildly underperforms compared to its European counterparts, ranking in the bottom third of international comparisons for health system performance.