‘The National Health Service need more than thanks from me; they need a proper pay rise’

• I HAVE recently had occasion to use the NHS emergency services, having tripped over a paving stone on April 28 and fallen flat on my face, knocking out two front teeth.

As luck would have it, I was right outside South Hampstead Cricket Club, Milverton Road (which is nowhere near South Hampstead) and so, initially, I was escorted inside the club where someone produced an ice pack to reduce swelling and bruising and someone else rang 111, the emergency NHS telephone number; 111 advised I should go to hospital to get thoroughly checked out for possible head injury or broken bones.

Although I was reluctant at first, a friend took me to A&E at the Royal Free Hospital where I was admitted and seen almost immediately. Everything was checked, including blood tests and scan of my head and face.

Understandably I had to wait quite a while for the results; which turned out to be negative. So after a small cut above my lip had been “glued” the doctor discharged me with the advice to ring 111 in the morning to ask for the nearest emergency dentist to fix my teeth.

The next day an emergency dentist was found in Willesden Green, an appointment made for the same afternoon (despite it being a bank holiday weekend), and arrangements are now in hand to make two false teeth.

From start to finish, from 111 to nurses, doctors, security staff at the Royal Free and also the staff at the cricket club, everyone has been amazing, efficient, professional, friendly and caring. A very big thank you from me to all.

But the National Health Service need more than thanks from me; they need a proper pay rise, rather than a pay cut; at least 50 per cent more to cover the 30 per cent they have lost in real terms and the huge rise in the cost of living.

It is a disgrace that they should be paid so little while Members of Parliament give themselves a handsome pay rise.

Equally important, our local NHS leaders must ban private companies from making decisions about our health care under the Health and Social Care Bill.

Such decisions must be made according to clinical and community needs not private profit. Roll back privatisation and keep the NHS public.

KATHARINE BLIGH, NW6