I have been reading about the NHS winter crisis with interest recently – the cries for the public to stay at home if they have flu, the mass cancelled operations, being told there are no beds BUT there are chairs so to be grateful for those.

I have used the NHS a lot in my life; I suffered from severely debilitating asthma for the first half of my childhood and stayed for months in hospital. The service was exceptional and my memories of a truly horrific time for my family are softened by the care and attention of the hospital.

Greg and I spent a lot of time in hospitals last year. Similar to the early 1980s, the commitment and care from the staff is still exceptional but there are some major issues that are blatantly obvious from the very first visit. The nurses on the wards are working 13-hour shifts – think about what that would look like in your job and then factor in sleeping, eating and your family before you even think about the actual job they are doing.

I have witnessed nurses on the wards clearing up bodily fluids, hugging crying relatives, being slapped and shouted at all in the same hour. I’ve heard the managers on the wards whispering to their staff that they really need to go and sit down to have a drink and enquiring if they have eaten that day.

The oncology wards are full of the happiest, most helpful staff I have encountered but I have noticed there are too few of them. They are always short staffed and spend a lot of precious time apologising for delays.

These waiting rooms are the hardest I have ever sat in – when you look around, you are aware that everyone’s lives are hanging in the balance and that cut backs in funding and services are making this excruciating situation so much worse. The most terrifying thing is that these waiting rooms are full, from the elderly to children.

The NHS itself is not broken – it is full to the brim of people bringing the best of humanity to help others again and again in the most difficult of circumstances. We need to shout their praises from the rooftops and become active participants in saving such an incredible institution. When you or your family need it, you will be glad you did.