70 years of the NHS

[Cleoriff]

This year marks the 70th year of the NHS.

July 5 1948 – The NHS is born

When health secretary Aneurin Bevan launched the NHS at Park Hospital in Manchester (today known as Trafford General Hospital), it was the climax of a hugely ambitious plan to bring good healthcare to all. For the first time, hospitals, doctors, nurses, pharmacists, opticians and dentists were brought together under one umbrella organisation to provide services that are free for all at the point of delivery.

The central principle were clear: the health service will be available to all and financed entirely from taxation, which means that people pay into it according to their means (Ref: NHS HIstory)

Across the country a series of programmes and celebrations are planned to mark this anniversary

*NHS England have started a series of events and celebrations NHS70

*ITV will be showing an award show tonight at 8.30pm. It's dedicated to the NHS and is called The NHS   Heroes Awards

*The BBC are running a series of documentaries BBC:NHS at 70

I am proud that I was part of this marvellous institution for 45 years. There have been so many changes, some bad, some brilliant. Whatever your experience, the NHS is unmatched by any other medical institution in the world

I think we should all give thanks to the legacy Aneurin Bevan left us with 

[MI5]

Without doubt a wonderful institution but I fear it will not be around for another 70 years if the abuse continues 😞

[Cleoriff]

I certainly think we will be seeing major changes. The NHS can't innovate without funding.

Nurses and doctors are leaving due to the stress of trying to cope under the most extreme conditions.

Patient care should be at the forefront of everything.

I have a feeling we may have to go down the route of charging patients for specialised care, if we are to continue being leaders in innovative research and care. .

[jonsie]

As a paying NHS Tourist I have to totally agree that healthcare in the UK is second to none unless you want to pay for private treatment which is totally out of the question for the vast majority of people in the UK.

It's so good that people come from all over Europe and beyond to use the service. As for the nursing staff, absolute angels the lot of them. We need to take care of them and give them the salary they deserve and work so blood-y hard for because thousands are leaving the NHS every year.

[Glory1]

Well said @jonsie and I agree with every word.

I also agree with @Cleoriff that patient care should be at the forefront of everything. Sadly, this is not always the case as money is often diverted elsewhere.

[Anonymous]

I agree with all which has been said in this thread

Aneurin Bevan is a hero of mine

Me & my small family have been well looked after by the NHS & continue to be so ... I am on 'a cocktail of tablets' as told to me by a GP ... I have been for many years & will be for the rest of my life ... I doubt I would be here today but for the NHS

Only yesterday my son was wanting to know if I'd ever taken a particular mineral supplement = this question is prompted by the hospital staff - he has been working from home for a few days because he 'feels drunk' (my son doesn't drink alcohol) & eats properly

God Bless The NHS 

[Cleoriff]

The series of documentaries shown this week about the NHS have been great to watch @Anonymous

They have shown how far we have come in 70 years.

The Research and Development associated with all aspects of the NHS are testament to that.

15 years ago, I doubt your son would have been asked about mineral supplements in relation to feeling drunk, purely because we were totally unaware of the effects.

This is similar to the discovery of E numbers and how they could affect you. My own son used to have bouts of mood swings and hyperactivity when he was a child. (Later discovered to be due to the vast amounts of orange squash he consumed...full of E numbers)

My grandson would 'climb the wall' if he was given Smarties. Again due to E numbers.

My husband used to suffer with cold sores round his mouth if he ate yoghurts containing gelatin

.

There are 1000's more instances of weird allergies. Many of these caused by the food we eat and the way it is processed etc.

More importantly, all discovered by R&D teams linked closely (or tenuously) to the NHS. 

Lifestyle changes bring great benefits. Sadly they also bring more problems ...

[Glory1]

Yes, @Cleoriff I have also enjoyed the documentaries on the NHS. I thought I knew quite a bit but I learned so much I didn't know. It was fascinating viewing to see how far it's come since it's inception.

Like @Anonymous I have much to be grateful to the NHS for. Without being overly dramatic, I definitely would not be here but for the doctors and nurses in the NHS and I'm very grateful to them all.

It would be a great pity if it was allowed to collapse and private medicine took it's place.

[jonsie]

My ongoing experience of the NHS has been well documented on here. I have nothing but the highest praise for the service but more so for those dedicated professionals who are undervalued and grossly underpaid .