Banners say a big ‘thank you’ to NHS doctors and nurses from retired Limehouse GP

A retired GP campaigning to keep the NHS public after the Coronavirus emergency has put up “thank you” banners to nurses and doctors outside the Royal London and Mile End hospitals.

Dr Anna Livingstone and her 'thank you' banner in Stepney Way opposite Royal London Hospital. Picture: Public NHS campaign - Credit: Keep Our NHS Public campaign

Underfunding and privatising some services are blamed by Dr Anna Livingstone for any initial inefficiency and the shortage of protective equipment when the emergency struck.

“These banners show the need to rebuild a publicly-provided NHS,” she said.

“The disastrous UK experience of Covid-19 contributed to deaths and severe illness in the community, particularly among NHS and key workers.”

Dr Anna Livingstone and her 'thank you' banner in Stepney Way opposite Royal London Hospital. Picture: Public NHS campaign - Credit: Keep Our NHS Public campaign

Dr Livingstone, who ran a practice in Limehouse when she launched the Tower Hamlets Keep NHS Public campaign in 2010, claims the squeeze on NHS budgets “played a part” in the country not being ready when the pandemic began.

“Even now the contract for tracing contacts of people who might catch covid has been given to a private company,” she points out.

Her campaign calls for protected NHS budgets funded “from the wealthy” and from more business taxes.