Happy 74th birthday to the NHS

Posted on July 5th, 2022

What is the NHS Birthday?

The NHS – the National Health Service – was first established in the UK on the 5th of July 1948. This was after many years of cumulative hard work by several influential figures, that wanted to replace the current healthcare system, which was considered unsatisfactory, with a revolutionised version that would provide care as it was needed, and not reliant on someone’s ability to pay.

In 1948, the then Minister of Health, Aneurin Bevin, launched the NHS in Park Hospital in Manchester. Its first patient was a 13-year old called Sylvia Diggory, who was admitted with liver problems.

Our wonderful NHS

There’s no better time than to show appreciation for this beloved institution, and say thank you to all those who have tirelessly worked to take care of us throughout the challenging years of the pandemic. The past few years, although extraordinarily difficult, have also brought times of hope and illuminated the dedicated, hard-working and resilient nature of the workers of the NHS who have worked tirelessly on the front line during a global pandemic.

Interesting facts about the amazing NHS

• The NHS deals with over 1 million patients every 36 hours.
• In 2017, a Commonwealth Fun Report ranked the UK as top for the healthcare system performance.
• The NHS is the 5th largest employer in the world! This is behind McDonalds, Walmart, the US Department of Defence, and China’s People’s Liberation Army.
• The NHS employs roughly 1 in 20 out of Britain’s working population.
• The NHS was founded out of the ideal that good quality healthcare should be accessible to all, regardless of wealth or income.