It’s a rare occasion that sees politicians put aside their feuds and rivalries to gather together at Westminster Abbey. These moments are limited to weddings, coronations, funerals – and the National Health Service’s birthday. This week the Prime Minister, the opposition leader and a sprinkling of royals joined together to mark the NHS’s 75th anniversary, singing hymns and giving thanks for a system that, according to the latest report, delivers some of the worst outcomes for patients in Europe.
‘We all get that the model is broken and has to change. It’s just that no one is willing to say it out loud’
The George Cross, presented to the NHS by Queen Elizabeth last year, was brought to the High Altar at the start of the service. Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer gave readings, while Amanda Pritchard briefly traded her title of NHS England’s chief executive for honorary vicar as she delivered an address.
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