Thirty-eight years ago my first son was born. He weighed just 2lbs 13 ozs. We spent seven weeks in the Special Care Unit at the Rosie maternity hospital in Cambridge. So when my dear friend, Lord Swraj Paul said to me that he wanted to make a major donation to some institution in my constituency, I did not hesitate – It had to be the Maternity Unit at Northwick Park!
So it was on the 75th anniversary of the NHS that we presented a check to the hospital for half a million pounds. The care in the maternity unit has improved so much in recent years, and its outcomes are now well above the national average; but few mums who attend for their pre-natal classes would say that they are walking into a beautiful modern building. Lord Paul’s donation means that the new building will reflect on the outside, the amazing quality of care mothers and babies will receive on the inside.
Every year the maternity unit delivers over 4,000 babies from Brent and Harrow which is one of the most diverse communities in the country. Mums come from so many different cultures, each with their own special traditions around the birth of a child, so it is wonderful that the unit is the first in the country to offer a 24/7 translation service for pregnant women whose first language is not English. Good communication is such a huge part of patient safety during childbirth and is something which the midwives and nurses are extremely proud of and nervous mums really value.
Lord Paul was in great form when he arrived at the hospital to present the cheque and enjoyed chatting to the midwives, many of whom had come from India, as he himself had more than 55 years ago. Sadly his journey to these shores had been to find a cure for his young daughter, Ambika, who tragically died of leukaemia at the age of 4. Because of her, Lord Paul stayed in the UK where he went on to found the Caparo Steel empire only retiring from its management some thirty years later to devote his time to philanthropy and his duties in the House of Lords, where he became Deputy Speaker. When I watched those nurses and Lord Paul himself talking about their lives I couldn’t help think that they were the perfect rebuttal to all those who talk negatively about all those people with talent and skill who want to come to our country from abroad and contribute to our health and wealth.
We all know that the NHS has been under huge strain over the past decade. There is a shortage of 40,000 nurses and 8,500 doctors. Because of the length of time it takes to train – 3 years for a nurse, and 7 years for a doctor -- the government should have expanded the training schemes for these vital public servants 8 years ago. When the Labour Party founded the NHS 75 years ago we talked of a service that would be free at the point of use, delivered in accordance with medical need and that was with you at every stage of your life “from cradle to grave”. Medicine has changed incredibly in those 75 years and life expectancy has gone from 66 to 80 for men, 71 to 83 for women. One thing that must never change though is those principles of a free public service on the basis of need.
