NHS 70th Birthday - A Brief History of the NHS

As our National Health Service celebrates its 70th Birthday, we take a look back at the history of the NHS, how it came to be and the people that started it all!

1948

On 5th July, 70 years ago, the National Health Service was launched by Aneurin Bevan, the Health Secretary at the time. This meant that healthcare was officially free to all, for the first time.

1958

At the time, polio and diphtheria were major cases, with 8,000 cases of polio and 70,000 of diphtheria. This led to the first mass vaccination of all persons under the age of 15.

1962

Plans for district general hospitals to be built in every location that had a population of 125,000 persons. This was a 10-year plan, created by the Health Secretary, Enoch Powell.

1972

The first CT Scanners are used on patients. These machines can take 3D pictures of the patient's body allowing further investigation and revolutionising the ability to diagnose illness.

1994

Following a 5 year campaign by John and Rosemary Cox, the organ donor register was created. The Cox's son, who died in 1989, had asked that his organs be used to help others, leading them to launch the campaign.

The 2000s

In the last 18 years, the NHS has seen the launch of walk-in centres, the Change4Life programme and the introduction of the NHS 111 line. The NHS is constantly evolving and setting targets to improve the care given to the public. As they hit 70 years, it is important to remember how far it's come and how much further it needs to go. Hospitals all over the country will be celebrating the 70th Birthday throughout July. If you haven't already, order your own printed NHS decorations and commemorative products to help mark the fantastic occasion! Our experienced Account Managers can help you decide on the best products for your celebration and our in-house design team can create unlimited visuals, ensuring that the design is to your specific requirements.