Watch here: Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s message to the NHS on its 77th birthday

To mark the 77th anniversary of the NHS, the Prime Minister has met and personally thanked the NHS worker who looked after his brother with compassion, care and respect during his final battle with cancer. 

In a new video released by No10 today, the Prime Minister meets with Advance Nurse Practitioner Ben Huntly who provided expert care to his brother during the final weeks of his life, before he passed away on Boxing Day last year, and to discuss his family ties with the NHS. 

The video reunites patients with the hard-working NHS carers that looked after them and their loved ones through the darkest of times.  

In special conversations that took place in Downing Street, cancer survivors speak about the workers who cared for them as the ‘most precious person’ and ‘a joy in the hardest of times’.   

The Prime Minister shares their gratitude and describes the support his brother receives as a ‘lifeline’, and highlights how cared and respected Ben made his brother feel.  

The Prime Minister has a deep personal connection to the NHS. Not only did it provide high quality care for his mother and brother when they were in need, but it is where his mother, sister and wife have all worked.  

The Prime Minister says: 

“My mum worked in the NHS and then she was very, very ill, for most of her life. And the NHS became our absolute lifeline. My sister worked for the NHS, my wife works for the NHS and it was the NHS that looked after my brother who we lost last Boxing Day to cancer. 

“Ben, you looked after him. I think from the moment he was in all the way through and you made sure that he felt cared for and respected. 

“That meant a huge amount to me and my family and, on all of our behalf. I say through you a very special thank you to the NHS.” 

Ben was one of a number of NHS workers invited to Downing Street this week for a special reception to celebrate the work of the public sector; including nurses, doctors, paramedics, police officers, emergency call handlers, prison officers, firefighters, RNLI volunteers, teachers and other school workers, border force officers, members of the armed forces, and veterans. 

As part of its Plan for Change, the government is putting an extra £29 billion per year into the day to day running of the health service and is working to bring waiting lists down, to build an NHS fit for the future. 

This week the Prime Minister launched the government’s 10 Year Health Plan to make the NHS fit for the future, standing alongside NHS staff at a health centre in Stratford. 

Built in direct consultation with staff and patients, the plan outlines how the government will fundamentally rewire our health system to make sure it sets staff up to succeed, harnessing new technology to free up their time, and empowering local leaders who know how best to deliver for their communities. 

The plan will build on the progress already made in the last year with over 4 million extra appointments delivered, 1,900 more GPs recruited, and waiting lists at their lowest level in two years.