THE NHS IS SEVENTY
The National Health Service was born on the 5/7/1948.
The NHS is Seventy,
It has survived this long;
Despite the Government's attempt,
To run it ‘for a song’.
To those believing that reforms,
Can't be put in reverse;
The NHS appears to have,
An everlasting curse.
All Governments have screwed it for,
A slice of extra cash; (1)
A policy that's been described,
As one of burn and slash.
It's the cash cow of all cash cows,
To be robbed every year; (2)
As this free service for the plebs,
Will always be too dear.
The private health firms hover now,
Like vultures on the prey;
Abetted by the Government,
And others in their pay.
Perhaps it's time to swallow now,
The present bitter pill; (3)
That there are folks who can't afford,
The cost of being ill.
(1) 23/4/1951. Health Minister, Aneurin Bevan,
resigned when his own Labour Government
reduced the NHS budget to fund re-armament.
(2) Following the Labour Government’s defeat, the Tories
introduced prescription charges at one shilling in 1952
when 60 shillings (£3) was the average weekly wage.
(3) In 2007, 800,000 people could not afford the charges.
© Richard Layton
1 comment:
Not to make a comparison between poems, but this must be one of Richard Layton's best.
Perhaps I am prejudiced to the name "Layton", since it is also worn by a famous Canadian poet, Irving Layton, who wrote in prose one of my favourite quotes:
"The house that Jack built, they own."
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