Ara Darzi released his report on the English National Health Service last month. To no one’s surprise, he finds that the service is ‘in serious trouble’, with crumbling buildings, demoralised staff and slipping standards in key areas such as maternity care. More than 7.6 million people are on waiting lists. Only a third of dentists are accepting new NHS patients, and DIY dentistry kits are for sale in pound shops. Yet Darzi also insists that the ‘vital signs’ of the NHS ‘remain strong’ and his report outlines strategies for the new Labour government to adopt.