It doesn’t make headlines, but I’ve heard from people awaiting regular and long term treatment enduring awful delays and great pain
When a large earthquake is coming, the ground often shakes beforehand. Geologists believe “foreshocks” can occur months or even decades before the onslaught of an earthquake, the Earth slowly rumbling for some before the rest of us are affected.
It is much the same in politics. The sort of social crises we are currently witnessing in Britain are rightly shocking to much of the public – few more so than the disintegrating NHS. To fall sick and not have the safety net of knowing the health service will be able to take care of you is a deep trauma. And yet it is one that disabled people in this country have long been enduring.
Frances Ryan is a Guardian columnist
Some names have been changed
In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123, or email [email protected] or [email protected]. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org.
