Staff in the NHS want to provide the best possible care for patients. They want people to be seen quickly and to receive the treatment they deserve.
But more than a decade of underfunding by this Conservative government means that is no longer possible.
A health service that was once the envy of the world is now struggling to survive.
There are more than 7 million people on the waiting list in England. In some parts of the country it is impossible to see an NHS dentist or book an appointment with your local doctor.
The number waiting more than a year for treatment is at a record high, over 400,000. But the collapse of the NHS has been most acutely felt by those working on the front line.
Ambulance workers are stretched to breaking point because of staff shortages and delays to response times. Figures reveal crews in England could not respond to almost a quarter of 999 calls last month, as so many were stuck outside A&Es waiting to hand over patients.
It is no surprise that NHS workers are demoralised or that so many are leaving the profession for better paid and less stressful jobs elsewhere.
The health service is built on the professionalism and care of those who work for it. It would be nothing without their dedication and expertise. Yet this Government treats the workforce with contempt.
If ministers genuinely cared about the NHS, they would not be offering ambulance workers a paltry 4% pay rise at a time when the RPI measure of inflation is 12.6%. In protest at this derisory offer, ambulance workers and call-handlers are considering joining nurses by taking strike action.
They are not making this move out of greed. It is a cry for help by workers who are suffering stress and burnout because they cannot provide the service that patients need and deserve.
We are paying the price for 12 years of Tory neglect and underfunding of the NHS. This is the consequence of Conservative rule: a health service on its knees, lives at risk and a workforce forced to use food banks to survive.
A shared goal
England and Wales both have a point to prove when they meet for their World Cup clash.
The Three Lions will want to come out roaring after being tamed by the Americans. And the Dragons will want to show they still have fire in their bellies after their drubbing by Iran.
Fans will be praying the Battle of Britain lives up to its billing and that there will be no yawns or mishaps this time. After Bleak Friday, everyone is hoping for a Terrific Tuesday.
Jungle queen
Regardless of who is crowned the winner of I’m a Celebrity tonight, Jill Scott can leave with her head held high.
There are other animals in the jungle, including the weasel Matt Hancock, but there’s only one genuine Lioness.
