#bless the NHS

There are some people who don't understand the NHS.  There are people who don't understand how universal health care, free at the point of delivery works.  It works like this: we all go to work, we earn money, we pay some of it through tax and National Insurance to the Government.  The Government doles it back out to regional health authorities who provide hospitals and health care.  It works. It's not perfect but it works.

Some people might feel that they pay disproportionately for this service.  They're wrong. Some of the people who talk most tosh about the UK National Health Service are residents of the USA, some are Republican presidential candidates.  Others who talk tosh are members of the UK government who should know better (including Messrs Cameron and Hunt).

NHS baby, Stik

here's a link with street art from the Hackney Gazette
Stik, who has painted his distinctive stick-figure characters across the globe from New York to Tokyo, spent years living on the streets before he found fame, where he came under attack from thugs on more than one occasion.

He wanted to do something to “give back” to the NHS hospital which he credits with saving his life on more than one occasion.

Over 500 people queued at the hospital in Homerton Row throughout the day to acquire a limited print and those disappointed at not getting a print were cheered up by the artist himself who gave each a personally signed poster of the mural painting.

Shaun Caton, art curator said: “This is an act of tremendous generosity from Stik. Gestures like this go to show that art is not elitist and can significantly enhance and improve the environment of a hospital courtyard, providing a landmark which is both fun and poignant.”

The money will go towards the neurological rehabilitation unit’s art room, to help rehabilitate patients with brain injuries, along with arts workshops for people with dementia at the elderly care unit.

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University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust provides services to some 1.9 million people living in Southampton and south Hampshire, plus specialist services such as neurosciences, cardiac services and children's intensive care to more than 3.7 million people in central southern England and the Channel Islands.

The Trust is also a major centre for teaching and research in association with the University of Southampton and partners including the Medical Research Council and Wellcome Trust.

UHS gained foundation trust status on 1 October 2011.

Every year 10,550 staff:

• treat around 140,000 inpatients and day patients, including about 50,000 emergency admissions;
• see over 500,000 people at outpatient appointments; and
• deal with around 110,000 cases in its emergency department

Providing these services costs more than £1.6 million a day.

#SaveTheNHS  #BlessTheNHS