So many lives saved but such a task ahead

Record numbers of staff quitting and waits for treatment overshadow service at Abbey to mark milestone

- Daniel Keane

THE NHS celebrated its 75th anniversary today amid fresh warnings that it is facing pressure like never before, with the cost of rebuilding it laid bare by new figures.

Dr Chris Streather, medical director for NHS London, said staff are the capital's "greatest asset" as events commemorating the founding of the health service got underway across the country.

Aneurin "Nye" Bevan opened the first NHS hospital in Manchester on this day in 1948, promising a service that would "relieve money worries in times of illness". To mark the occasion, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh were this morning joining Government leaders, celebrities and NHS staff for a multifaith service at Westminster Abbey.

Landmarks, including the London Eye and the House of Commons, were also lighting up blue for the NHS's birthday. Amanda Pritchard, chief executive of the NHS in England, said: "While many things have changed over the last 75 years, the skill and compassion of NHS staff who care for our patients and their families has always remained constant.

"They face enormous challenges: recovering services, addressing Covid backlogs that inevitably built up over the pandemic and dealing with record demand for services."

She added: "This milestone 75th anniversary is an opportunity for us to reflect on their hard work and our achievements but to look to the future of the health service too."