This hasn’t been the easiest of years, but dealing with a serious illness in the family is only what thousands of other people must face.
I certainly don’t expect special access for politicians and their families, but at least we are in a position to act on our experiences to try to bring about improvements for everyone.
As it happens, my mum’s GP acted swiftly back in April when something was clearly amiss and she’s well into her treatment. In her case, the NHS has worked pretty well.
But I know things can be better. Surgeons only operate on one day a week, radiotherapy sticks rigidly to a five-day week, so theatres and treatment rooms are lying empty when the capacity is there to treat far more patients than we do now and for long waiting lists to be slashed.
The underlying problem is the NHS stubbornly refuses to drag its working practices into the 21st century to meet modern demands and is still organised on the same basis as it was in the 1960s.
By contrast, because dentists are not reliant on the NHS for funding, they are routinely investing in new technology while other health services lag years behind.
Of course, there are issues with access to NHS dentistry but, like private physiotherapy, there is far more flexibility and availability.
As junior doctors take the disgusting decision to strike, there must be a better way forward than a state-run monopoly which resists reform and is open to blackmail.
