RECENT statistics, given in the Department of Health’s latest ‘state-of-the-nation’ report, show just what a healthy part of the world we live in.

Death rates have been steadily falling for the past 10 years, with early death from heart disease, stroke and cancer at a lower level than many other parts of the country.

Life expectancy is higher than the average and our general levels of health are also better than the average.

There are some black spots: the rates of road injuries and deaths are higher than average and so, too, are the levels of adult obesity and child tooth decay.

So quite a lot of grounds for self-satisfaction here.

But, of course, it’s not just down to what we sensible individuals are doing to improve our health and lifestyles.

It would be wholly inappropriate, in this 60th anniversary year of the National Health Service, not to pay heartfelt tribute to the dedicated men and women who have pioneered and now sustain it.

Doctors, nurses, specialist clinicians and even the much-maligned administrative staff, as well as countless others working in research and pharmacies, have helped deliver this improving result.

Fewer people obviously now recall the days when the money had to be found for a sick child’s visit to the doctors or for a hospital stay; when ill health could only be afforded if you were really well-off or really ill; when chronic pain or disability had to be endured.

The NHS may not be perfect - it has all-too-many unfair critics - but as anyone who has knowledge of what went before or what happens elsewhere, we have many reasons for pride and gratitude this week.