Today marks 75 years of the National Health Service.
Treating over a million people a day in England, the NHS touches all of our lives. The NHS has delivered huge medical advances, including the world’s first liver, heart and lung transplant in 1987, pioneering new treatments, such as bionic eyes and, in more recent times, the world’s first rapid whole genome sequencing service for seriously ill babies and children.
This Government’s commitment to support the NHS in continuing to deliver world class healthcare is as strong as it has been at any time over the last 75 years.
In the last few weeks alone we’ve announced a £96 million investment in cutting-edge research and technology to provide tomorrow's healthcare solutions today, targeted lung cancer screening for people aged 55 to 74 which will see us deliver one million more scans and help detect cancer in as many as 9,000 people earlier, and a £21 million investment to roll out Artificial Intelligence across the NHS which will help diagnose patients more quickly for conditions such as cancers, strokes and heart conditions.
Last week the Health Secretary also set out a Conservative vision for people to take control of their own health so that we can reject Labour’s tax and ban approach to public health. We put patients first, recognising the importance of personal choice and the freedom to make your own lifestyle decisions.
Equipping the NHS for the next 75 years means, amongst other things, making sure its workforce is on a strong footing. This is exactly what the Government is doing through the historic Long Term Workforce Plan announced last week - the first of its kind, setting out plans to train, retain and reform the NHS workforce.
The cap on medical school places will be doubled from 7,500 to 15,000 in England so that more of our brightest minds can become doctors. This additional training will be backed with just over £1 billion in new funding.
As the NHS celebrates its 75th birthday, the steps the Government is taking will ensure it remains something we are proud of for generations to come.
Today the NHS is 75 years old.
For me, the NHS is all about the staff who run it.
I want to introduce you to some of these incredible people 👇 pic.twitter.com/tKXdcpy0Xc— Rishi Sunak (@RishiSunak) July 5, 2023
This article was first published in The Forester newspaper.