The 25^th June 2024 is another one of those days which I will not forget in a hurry. It was the day set aside for the second bit of major surgery to remove the remainder of my colon. Some of you may remember back in October last year I had part of my colon removed following a bowel cancer diagnosis. This second operation should dramatically reduce the chances of cancer returning so in my mind it’s well worth it. I’m told it will take around 2 to 3 months to recover, then it will be a case of regular scans just to make sure all is ok.

It’s a times like this that make you so glad we have our NHS. Once again, I have a lot to thank all those great people at Walsall Manor Hospital for the care and professionalism they have shown in looking after me. From those in pre-op, the theatre team led by my surgeon Mr Tayyab through to ICU and Ward 20. I can’t thank them enough. Now I am back home I am under the care of the District Nurses who work so hard covering the needs of patients in the community.

Looking back at my previous experience with the Manor Hospital where I shared my thoughts around systems not talking to one another. It’s not the people who are at fault. They all work extremely hard, it’s the shortcomings within the systems that are causing the delays and duplication.

Six months on and although there are signs of some changes (probably achieved by quick fixes) though other issues were beginning to show through. People numbers, which were tight first-time round, seemed even more stretched. There is no doubt that public sector cutbacks by the previous government have taken their toll.

There is nowhere where this is more evident is the one which impacts us the most, our NHS. But it’s not just about throwing money at the problem. The top-down approach of the previous government may have made some sense from an accountancy point of view, but it does mean that you lose the people connectivity at the coalface where it matters. Let’s hope the new government recognises this and acts to build back the infrastructure that has been decimated over the past ten years or so.