The state of the NHS – and what the main parties are going to do with this beloved institution – has made multiple headlines over the last couple of weeks. After a decade of austerity, there’s no denying that the NHS is struggling right now – and each party has a different explanation on how they’re going to fix that.

In the mix of chaotic debate, misinformation and outlandish claims that have formed a good majority of the recent discussion over the NHS, it can be hard to decipher what exactly needs to be done. Only one thing’s for certain: the NHS is one of the most important services this country has.

Indeed, if one thing has come out of this year’s General Election, it’s a greater awareness of just how much we value and depend upon the NHS. With the threat of US investment looming over the service and stories of children with pneumonia being left to lie on the floor due to lack of beds, NHS workers and celebrities alike are coming together to rally for more funding and force politicians to take necessary action. 

And now Jameela Jamil – former Stylist guest editor and The Good Place actor – has shared some powerful words highlighting the true value of the UK’s health service. 

Taking to Twitter to share her message, Jamil explained how her experience living in the US has shown her the true value of the NHS.

“Save our NHS. Save our NHS. Save our NHS,” she wrote. “I’m living in a country with no free healthcare and SO many of the homeless here are people who got sick, or their children got sick, and they couldn’t afford their medical bills so were then forced to live on the street. Save our NHS.”

In response to the tweet – which attracted over 21,000 likes and 4,000 retweets – many of Jamil’s followers began to share their support for the tweet, sharing their own stories and tributes to the NHS.

“We’re currently filing bankruptcy as a result of our son’s five-month hospitalisation,” one of Jamil’s US followers wrote. “We need universal healthcare in the US.”

Another added: “I’ve had 100 operations since 2006. The NHS is the most prized possession this country has. If I was in America I would never have afforded to get better.”

This isn’t the first time Jamil has shared her appreciation for the NHS. At the end of November, Jamil shared a video about the NHS from American comedian, actor, writer and activist Rob Delaney. The Catastrophe star has been an outspoken supporter of the UK’s National Health Service ever since his son’s death in 2017, and has been working to raise awareness of underfunding and budget cuts during the 2019 general election.

Alongside Delaney’s latest video, which has been shared over 37,000 times on Twitter alone, Jamil wrote: “The NHS saved my life so many times. He’s right, it is the pinnacle of human achievement.”

This Morning presenter Holly Willoughby has also been vocal in her support of the NHS; earlier this year, she went viral for writing an emotional tribute to the service. And in another recent move, US congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio Cortez urged British people to appreciate the NHS and fight for its survival.

She tweeted: “To our friends in the UK: please cherish, protest, & continue investing in your healthcare system! Once Big Pharma & special interests get their hands on it, it could take generations to regain. Millions of people in the US are fighting to have a system half as good as the NHS.”

If you’re interested in learning more about the NHS and how you can fight for its survival in Thursday’s election, Stylist has rounded-up what each of the main parties are promising on a variety of topics (including the NHS) if they were to be elected.

You can also find out more about the ways you can help the NHS here.

Images: Getty