High Peak MP will always fight to defend the NHS

Many of us have stories of when the NHS was there for us.

The NHS has saved my life twice which is why I will always fight to defend it.

The Government has a responsibility to stand by NHS staff, giving them the vital equipment they need.

There have been bumps on the road but progress has been made and it was good to see health secretary Matt Hancock, back and recovered from his own bout of coronavirus, committing to increase testing to 100,000 a day by the end of April.

The Armed Forces are supporting the delivery of personal protective equipment (PPE) to NHS staff and I am working with the local NHS and care homes to help them get the support they need.

British manufacturers are also backing the NHS with big companies like Rolls Royce and Dyson stepping up and producing much-needed ventilators.

As many as 8,000 ventilators are starting to be delivered to NHS hospitals.

The new NHS Nightingale Hospital in East London has opened and started admitting patients.

Manchester will have an NHS Nightingale Hospital built as well, along with Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Harrogate and Glasgow.

The news that the Prime Minister has been taken into the intensive care unit while suffering with coronavirus was very sobering and the number of messages that have come through, wishing him well, has been very striking.

This virus doesn’t care who you are and we all have a responsibility to stay at home in order to protect the NHS and save lives.

The more people who get sick, the more difficult it becomes for the NHS to cope with the pressure.

By observing social distancing, we can slow the spread of the disease and save thousands of lives.

The Queen made this clear in her broadcast last week when she expressed her hope that everyone will ‘be able to take pride in how they responded to this challenge.’

We are all coming together in a national effort, and the NHS represents the very best of the British spirit.

Robert Largan is MP for High Peak.