Like many people across the country, I will be celebrating the 70th birthday of our National Health Service today.

It is an institution that we are rightly proud of as a nation and that can truly bring us together, regardless of background. Many of us have personal stories about how it has saved a life, or provided excellent care for a relative or friend; or for those lucky enough not to use it very often, we know it is there for us.

It is no coincidence that we are also celebrating another 70th anniversary, that of the symbolic arrival of the Empire Windrush as British citizens from across the Caribbean (and around the Commonwealth) came to help rebuild the country in the aftermath of the war.

These two anniversaries are interlinked. It is often said that the NHS would collapse overnight if it weren’t for immigration to this country, but what is often forgotten is that the fledgling health service would have struggled to get off the ground without the nurses and doctors who arrived on these shores 70 years ago.

And speaking of 70th anniversaries, there is another one that goes hand in hand with the birth of the NHS, that of the National Assistance Act. If you’re wondering what that is, it is effectively the start of adult social care, so we should celebrate that anniversary too.

The act established the National Assistance Board which had a duty to provide reception centres which acted as temporary board and lodging for ‘unsettled people’, and a duty was placed on local authorities to provide accommodation for elderly and frail people who needed support. The act also made it compulsory for residential care homes for the disabled and elderly to be registered, with local authorities being empowered to grant financial aid to voluntary organisations that provided recreational facilities or meals.

So things we all take for granted now. And we must always remember that, as well as supporting people and meeting their basic needs, we must also think about their aspirations for living a fuller and healthier life.

Social care is actually a great enabler for improved health, both mental and physical, and we are therefore a critical partner for the NHS. I know this from first-hand experience, having been a nurse since 1987 after qualifying at Sandwell hospital in the Black Country. Being a nurse was not always easy, but was a professional role that I was delighted to do.  I was part of a dedicated family who worked together to deliver care to patients for over 20 years.

I am honoured to have played my small part in the development and continued growth of the NHS. The role that is played by this national institution in its 70th year cannot be underestimated and I personally would like to wish the NHS and social care a happy birthday and wish them all the best for the next 70 years.

So let’s celebrate the great work we do together to help our most vulnerable citizens.

This blog was posted on 5 July 2018