Happy 75th Birthday to our National Health Service
This week, the National Health Service (NHS) celebrates 75 years of publicly funded healthcare in the UK. Established in 1948 to provide everyone in the UK with healthcare based on their needs and not on their ability to pay, the service is globally renowned for its equitable approach to healthcare. Of course, like any public service, it has its problems but events like the COVID-19 pandemic brought the incredible work of the service and its people into the spotlight.
Did you know?
- The NHS is the fifth largest employer in the world, behind McDonalds, Walmart, the US Department of Defence, and China’s People’s Liberation Army.
- When 13-year-old Sylvia Diggery was admitted to a Manchester hospital with a liver condition in 1948, she became the first patient to be treated by the NHS.
- The first heart transplant in the UK took place on 3rd May 1968 at the National Heart Hospital in Marylebone, London.
Celebrating our health service
At Miad Healthcare, we’ve been privileged to work with this remarkable institution for 28 of its 75-year history. We’ve asked some of our team members for their reflections to celebrate. We’ve also made a £750 donation to trusts chosen by team members that we believe go over and above when it comes to investing in their people.
Here’s what they had to say:
As MD of Miad Healthcare, the team and I are proud to work alongside the NHS, albeit in a small capacity. It gives me great pleasure to hear and see the knowledge, skill, and passion our Facilitators, Appraisers, and Clinicians bring to the fantastic Healthcare professionals they work with—Happy 75th Birthday to every person working in the NHS. Keep up the excellent work. You are all just amazing.
Libby Ryan, Managing Director at Miad Healthcare
“For over 20 years I’ve had the pleasure of working in more NHS trusts and hospitals than probably anyone else. This affords me the opportunity to observe the fifth largest organisation in the world perform. The mere size of the NHS makes it truly impressive with all its overwhelming successes over these many years. Yes, there are problems as you would expect in such a large endeavour, but the dedication and commitment of the doctors, nurses, medical, organisational and ancillary staff is immensely impressive.
It has been a great privilege to work alongside this highly professional workforce. Thank you all for your extremely hard work. The NHS more than deserves this day of celebration. We should all celebrate that we have an NHS every day. “
Van Hinman, Miad Programme Facilitator, and our longest-standing trainer
“During my 12 years with Miad it feels extremely rewarding to know our dedicated work has made such a positive difference to so many in the NHS. From creating and delivering effective learning experiences for doctors and consultants to providing administrative support to SAS tutors, MEM’s, DME’s and revalidation managers, it really is a pleasure to support everyone who has given, and continues to give, so much over the last 75 years!”
Laura Mason, Training Co-ordinator at Miad Healthcare
Investing in development
To mark the NHS’ milestone birthday, Miad Healthcare has made a donation to three trusts. Through the NHS trusts, Miad Healthcare has worked with thousands of doctors all over the country, helping with key aspects of their non-clinical development.
University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust
“I have selected Western Sussex as one of the first trusts I worked with when I joined Miad. It’s been great to work with this trust on such a variety of projects over the years. It has always been a real pleasure to work with the team and I really appreciate the advocacy of Miad over the years.”
Joanne Monk, Account Manager at Miad Healthcare
University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust
“I’ve selected the University Hospital of Birmingham because since we started working with the trust in 2019, we’ve found everyone we’ve worked with when delivering training programmes to be proactive and supportive, especially with provision of your educational supervision programmes. It has been a pleasure to work with the trust’s educational team who are professional and very responsive.”
Mary Mansell, Relationship Manager at Miad Healthcare
King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
“I’ve selected Kings as one of the first trusts we worked with in the 1990’s. The trust has always been proactive, specifically with provision of leadership skills for clinicians and of course appraisal. It has always been a real pleasure to work with the team here. TJ is one of the most supportive, hands-on educationalists, demonstrating real leadership skills that I’ve have come across in the health service over the years I have been working with Miad.”
Liz Brewer, Head of Learning and Development at Miad Healthcare
Miad is proud to work with the NHS and its amazing people on their learning and development. To meet some of our team who deliver our training and who have shared their reflections here, visit the team page on our website, here.