Never in its 72-year history has the NHS received so much attention and public adoration than over the past few months. The prime minister, Boris Johnson, has promised to provide additional funding and resource to what he has called “the country’s national treasure”.

A recent national study by Assura/YouGov underlines the challenge ahead. The survey of more than a thousand healthcare workers showed that more than a quarter (27%) felt their facilities were not well-equipped to handle the demands of the pandemic.

…