In his final message before the general election, the Secretary of State for Health has thanked all NHS staff “for pulling out all the stops and achieving remarkable results despite the huge pressures of an ageing population.”
Hunt reviewed recent achievements, saying that last year over one million more operations were carried out than five years ago and over six million more people were seen in outpatient appointments. Dementia care has also been transformed, with over 430,000 NHS staff having undertaken dementia training. Difficult problems have also been faced, including poor care in the wake of the Francis Inquiry.
“I want the NHS to be the safest and most transparent healthcare system in the world where people admire us not just for being the first system offering universal coverage but also for having the highest quality, most patient-centred care anywhere in the world,” says Hunt.
“Perhaps the best expression of true NHS values has been your magnificent response to the Ebola epidemic. Over 1,600 of you volunteered to go to West Africa and over 150 of you travelled there. Here in England you have worked tirelessly to ensure that you were ready to care for and treat patients who might have Ebola; from the Royal Free, the surge centres in Newcastle, Sheffield and Liverpool, ambulance trusts, GP surgeries and all parts of our system. This has been a united effort of which you can be very proud.
“Our hospitals and surgeries are very busy and we have had a tough winter so I want to conclude by thanking you for making the whole country prouder than ever of what our NHS is achieving.”
