I retired from working for the NHS for 42 years in 2017. My career was varied. I started as a biomedical scientist and ended as an NHS commissioner with project management, a construction project and Year 2000 in between. Commissioning included ‘specialised services - high cost low numbers and individual funding requests as well as using private providers for nhs appointments. I have always been interested in the NHS in it’s history, the politics and developments. I link the history of the NHS with my own experience.