NHS at 65: Health Service hailed as ‘wonderful institution’ by David Cameron

5 Jul 2013 12:46

THE Prime Minister, whose son Ivan received treatment for cerebral palsy and epilepsy before dying aged six, paid tribute to the NHS today as it celebrated its 65th anniversary.

DAVID Cameron hailed the NHS as a "wonderful institution" today as he celebrated the 65th anniversary of the health service.

While the Prime Minister conceded that there are "pressures and problems", he insisted that "there is a lot to celebrate" about the NHS.

On a visit to Evelina Children's Hospital in central London, where his son Ivan received much of his treatment, Mr Cameron said: "We made the decision as a Government that the NHS is special so we wouldn't cut the money going into the NHS, that we would increase it, and we have.

"Yes, of course there are pressures and problems but there is a lot to celebrate - mixed-sex wards that bugged the NHS for years are almost abolished, rates of infections in our hospitals are at an all-time low, record numbers of patients being treated, and the NHS is doing things in terms of new treatments that were unheard-of and undreamt-of years ago.

"So yes, let's shine a light on the problem areas and, yes, let's always be on the side of the patient ,but there is a lot to celebrate about this wonderful institution, as I know from my own family history. My son was treated right here in this fabulous hospital for much of his life."

Ivan Cameron, who suffered from cerebral palsy and epilepsy, died in 2009 when he was six years old.

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NHS at 65: Health Service hailed as 'wonderful institution' by David Cameron