I am a patient at 79!  But very fit - aside from a few medical wrinkles - mostly drug induced.  I have been an orthopaedic and trauma specialist.  I dislike the pompous word 'consultant'.  Specialist v generalist.

I liked dealing with patients, and I was trained well in medicine at St Mary's.  I considered being a GP seriously but like to use my hands.

General Practice in the 60s and 70s and in GB was the best in the world.  Standards have fallen drastically, to generalise, both in GP and hospitals.  Every other day I hear stories which can only be described as resulting from neglect.  Basic things like no occult blood test and rectal examination when anaemia is confirmed.

I note that doctors are demoralised and fearful of speaking out.  Both are 'infectious'.  All this has been planned - mostly surreptitiously. 

I stood as an Independent Candidate in the Newton Abbot (Devon) constituency.  This is from the Election annexe - https://dhalpin.infoaction.org.uk/election-2019  from John Furse's LRB article - the Dismantling of the NHS

Conservative Party’s Economic Reconstruction Group In his report to the Conservative Party’s Economic Reconstruction Group in 1977, Nicholas Ridley wrote that:

"...denationalisation should not be attempted by frontal attack but by preparation for return to the private sector by stealth. We should first pass legislation to destroy the public sector monopolies. We might also need to take power to sell assets. Secondly, we should fragment the industries as far as possible and set up the units as separate profit centres."

Please read re NHS under Manifesto     and Core Issues.

Our calling and OUR NHS - its largely up to us doctors to bring it back up.

David Halpin FRCS