'Precious' and 'part of us' despite challenges - Shropshire reflects on NHS' 75th birthday

However, the service is in crisis, with patients waiting for hours on end in A&E, ambulances queueing outside hospitals by the dozen and staff morale so low that medics are either quitting, going on strike or ditching the UK for more money and less stress in Australia.

The health service's milestone birthday brings all these issues into focus. We took to the streets of Bridgnorth to find out how Shropshire Star readers feel about the NHS, and whether its future is in safe hands.

Evelyn Brown and her friend Jackie Menzies, both from Bridgnorth, recognise the value of our healthcare workers, but have big concerns.

"I think the NHS is part of our fabric," said Evelyn, 59. "It's integral to who we are and how we are. It's one of the best things about Britain. Even though it's got huge issues, it still does a fantastic job most of the time. The staff keep going, I don't know how. We do worry about the future.

"I'm not confident with the current administration at all. The Government says it's putting in more money, but it was starved of so much for so long, we're struggling to catch up. They've lost a lot of staff, and the ones there have more put on them and it becomes a vicious cycle."

Jackie, aged 63, said: "I've only needed it when I had my children, and the care was first class. My daughter is about to start a job with the NHS in London in occupational therapy. She loves people, particularly children, she's just of that nature. She hopes she can make a difference and help people."

But she added: "I don't know how you fix it."

Helen Neill, who has been a healthcare assistant for 37 years, believes the NHS has been struggling particularly for the last four or five years. She told of a gruelling wait in A&E with her son recently.

"I'm a bit worried," said the 55-year-old. "I went to hospital with my son the other day and he had a seven-hour wait.

"We went with him to A&E because he passed out with exhaustion. It's no good if you're going to hospital, you wait hours and hours to see a doctor and you end up going home feeling worse than you did when you went in.

"It never used to be like that. I think it's been the last four or five years it's been going like this."

Helen, who is from Lanesfield, Wolverhampton, followed in her mothers' footsteps by getting into healthcare. "My mum did it," she said.

"I think it's something that's in your soul. I think you've got to have a certain way about you to do that kind of job."

She added: "We are lucky to have the NHS. My family live in America and even if you graze your knee it's £100."

Kaye Scott, from Bridgnorth, believes our health service is "precious", but feels more could be done to help patients access certain types of help.

"Myself and my son have suffered with our mental health, I think a lot more people have experienced it since Covid. It's not easy to get help, I think more needs to be done," she said.

"We are lucky to have it when you think about other countries.

"My daughter was working in a Covid ward doing 12-hour shifts so I've seen the effects it has. I don't think they get paid enough for what they do. They are overworked and underpaid."

She added: "I was watching Call The Midwife [set shortly after the introduction of the NHS]. If you think about it, it's not that long ago. It feels like it's been there forever. It's something we shouldn't take for granted. It is precious.

"Nowadays everything comes down to pounds, shillings and pence. The services need to be getting the money."

Ivor Moore and wife Barbara, from Much Wenlock, feel medics offer very good in-person care, but believe getting past receptionists to see doctors and over-the-phone diagnoses have their problems.

"I think it's good if you can get an appointment, said Ivor, aged 79. "It's getting to see a doctor [that is a problem].

"I've had two new knees and I couldn't fault it at all. I had very good care.

"But one friend I know phoned up and was diagnosed over the phone with a frozen shoulder. It was dislocated and once they realised, it was too late to put it back in. They needed a new shoulder!"