A slightly painful reminder of why the NHS matters I ended up in A&E at the Whittington for much more of my Thursday night than I planned after dislocating my thumb playing football. There was a long wait, an X-ray and eventually someone popping it back into place. Having time to sit there and think, once I was past my initial frustration of waiting, was a reminder of why, despite the challenges it faces, we should still feel incredibly proud of the NHS. You walk in because something has gone wrong and people are there to help you. Doctors, nurses and staff working through the night and dealing with people with far more patience than I fear I have! We hear a lot about what is wrong with the NHS. That means we risk forgetting how extraordinary the basic idea still is and how incredible the people who keep it going are. When you need medical help, it is there for you, regardless of what you earn. That is something pretty amazing and worth protecting, improving and being proud of. A massive thank you to everyone at the Whittington who looked after me last night. P.S. I’ll spare you the photo. Nobody needs that.