Claire Winser

Happy Birthday to the NHS!

The NHS will be turning 70 on the 5th July, and what an amazing 70 years it has been.

In 1948, the NHS was born when health secretary Aneurin Bevan bought together hospitals doctors, nurses, pharmacists, opticians, and dentists, at Park Hospital in Manchester (now known as Trafford General Hospital)


The message was clear; to be available to all and financed from taxes so people pay into with what they could afford.

Throughout its existence, the NHS has managed to transform the health and wellbeing of the UK. It may not be perfect, but the principal of free health care for all is the envy of many other countries who have to pay for life saving operations. Over the years, we have seen the evolvement of this very special business and watched it adapt as the advances in technology, science and information, have grown. We have seen the abolishment polio and diphtheria, performed the first live saving liver heart and lung transplant, and gained a better understanding as to how diseases such as cancers work, as well as worked towards creating lifesaving treatments to fight them.

With the population of England soaring to around 17 million, and with life expectancy increasing, the NHS has felt a strain, and pressure of ensuring that the best care and service levels are reached to the public. But they are rising to the challenge as best they can despite restrained resources, and public satisfaction is higher than it has been in previous years, with more patients receiving the life- saving level of care that is required.

None of the developments would be possible without the skilled and dedicated employees that work for the NHS. Estimated to be made up of 1.5 million employees and 350 careers, their job roles are all different but very much needed to help run the biggest business in the UK.

What does the future hold?

As we look to the future, the NHS has some exciting prospects in the pipeline. Over the next 70 years, the NHS is set to continue to drive innovations in patient care, looking into surgical breakthroughs such as hand transplants and bionic eyes to restore patient sight. It also plans to respond to the pressures of an ageing population and is set to give patients easier access to GP surgeries, as well as improving diagnosis and treatment for cancers, and making mental health services and emergency care more readily available.

Zenopa is an agency that specialises in commercial healthcare recruitment. The roles we recruit for include Sales, Marketing and Managerial positions within scientific, dental, medical devices, healthcare communications and PR, engineeringpharmaceutical and consumer sectors. We cannot wait to see the further evolvement in research, technology, and devices to give everyone the chance to live a longer, happier life.

Happy birthday to the NHS- and here is to another 70 years.

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