Acts of compassion, words of kindness; professionalism, skill, love, care, and dedication; millions of miracles meet millions in need; this is our NHS.

72 years ago, against a wave of opposition, Labour’s Nye Bevan launched our NHS. The greatest expression of socialism transformed a nation recovering from economic devastation. It belonged to the people, built by the people, and served by the people for the people. No questions asked, no judgements made, all with need were welcome and all received every intervention possible.

A universal benefit no matter what you had put in. The principle levelled those with everything with those with none, as Bevan said, “the dustman and the duke” were equals.

It challenged structural inequality, and it started to win the battles against the consequences of this. The revolutions of science and research, meant that tears of despair turn to hope, that mortality is challenged and people can fulfil their lives again.

Treatments, science, pharmaceuticals, medicine and surgery have all advanced to relieve us of our afflictions. They have raised our belief that once what was impossible can now be realised.

72 years on our NHS battles the assaults, violations and exploitation by those who want to profiteer, governments who have tried to crush the nations jewel and business who have sought their opportunity. Traitors of humanity all as they deny people access, charge for services and amputate swathes of our NHS to be spun on the global market to be controlled by darker forces.

As the trauma of the last few months have shown, the resolve of the people of our country is unshaken, it is our NHS. Woe to those who dare to take advantage and make their millions on the back of the sick.

The NHS is no social experiment, it is prototype that works, that delivers, that is famed world-over because it resolves to take on the injustice of health and the social and economic inequality which deepen this through healing broken bodies, broken minds and broken spirits. The NHS is the cure of a sick nation.

Imagine housing available to all who have need, social care ready to dignify everyone who requires additional help, a criminal justice system which put the spotlight on the causes of injustice and intervenes early to prevent harm, education available to all to make our economy productive again and the jobs provided to build a sustainable future for generations. These dreams are no greater than that of  Nye Bevan, we carry them in our hearts and minds.

The radical roots of our NHS is the inspiration that is seeded in many of us who aspire to transform our society at this juncture of economic and social crisis; there is no barrier too high, and no need which is greater. Ready to serve, let the transformative power and determination of our time shape our nation again and serve the needs of our age.

Happy Birthday NHS, you didn’t just give birth to the greatest service ever formed, you provided the vision on which we must rebuild our society.