This week marks 77 years of the NHS!

As the first health system in any Western country to offer free medical care to the entire population, the NHS has been a pillar of Great British culture and something that we have all come to be so proud of.

In 1948, the then Minister of Health, Aneurin Bevin, launched the NHS in Park Hospital in Manchester. Its first patient was a 13-year-old called Sylvia Diggory. Since then, millions of patients have been treated, cured and, most importantly, cared for.

It is this consistent approach to care that has been the founding belief of our work here at The Medical and Diagnostic Care Group. When we launched 10 years ago, we shared the NHS’s founding belief that patients should be at the heart of everything we do, and everyone should have access to timely, high-quality care, regardless of their background.

We have been working closely with NHS Trusts ever since. Helping them to increase service capacity and improve patient outcomes – giving patients an NHS they can rely on when they need it most.

There’s no better time to show appreciation for this historic institution and express gratitude to all those who have tirelessly worked to care for us throughout the challenging years of the pandemic and beyond. It’s also a time to reflect on the evolving needs of our health service.

Today’s NHS faces unprecedented challenges, from increasing patient demand to workforce shortages. At MDCare, we understand the complexity of these issues because we’ve seen them firsthand in our partnerships with NHS Trusts across the UK.

These partnerships operate on a collaborative model where our teams embed seamlessly into existing NHS systems, allowing patients to receive the care they need faster, closer to home, while relieving pressure on permanent staff.

As we celebrate 77 years of this national treasure, we’re more committed than ever to protecting and strengthening it. And we want to extend a huge thank you to every single person involved in making it work. From the nurses who have held patients’ hands, the consultants who have stayed late, and the administrators who work tirelessly to keep everything moving, thank you. Your dedication keeps this system going, and we’re honoured to work alongside you.

The NHS is not just a healthcare system; it’s a promise to every person in the UK that they will receive equal treatment, regardless of their income or background. And this promise is something we must all work to keep.