NHS care ‘boosts life expectancy’

The Department of Health has announced the results of a unique project tracing the lives and health history of a class of children who went to school in Cornwall 60 years ago.

It claims that the information uncovered by the NHS Choices team shows that the influence of NHS healthcare has enhanced the life expectancy of the children who were all present in a 1948 class photograph for Tintagel Primary School.

Using in-depth interviews to offer a picture of the health of these ex-students today and investigation of the factors that have influenced it, the group contend that the life expectancy of the class has far exceeded the life expectancy of the time.

Ben Bradshaw, health minister, said: “Prior to the NHS’s inception, healthcare was a luxury not everyone could afford.

“Infant mortality was around one in 20 and every year, thousands died each year of preventable diseases like pneumonia, meningitis, tuberculosis, diphtheria, and polio.”

He added that the experiences of the Tintagel Class of ’48 boast the improvement in life long care offered by the NHS since its inception six decades ago.

Last week, a study of NHS staff showed that employees in the health services are generally satisfied with their jobs, despite changes over recent years.