Are you up for the #NHS70 challenge?

On Thursday, April 26, there will be 70 days to go until the NHS’s 70^th birthday on July 5^th 2018 and healthcare leaders in South Tyneside and Sunderland are calling on local people to join in the celebrations by taking on a 70-themed health challenge or fundraising event.

Over the last 70 years, the NHS has transformed the health and wellbeing of the nation and become the envy of the world. Behind the scenes, NHS charities work tirelessly to provide extra comforts and support for patients and both City Hospitals Sunderland and South Tyneside NHS Foundation Trusts have their own charitable funds which local people support generously year-on-year to say thank you for the care they have experienced.

With Spring now in the air and just 70 days to go until the big 7-0, the local NHS is encouraging people to use the opportunity to raise £70 in 70 days by committing to walk, cycle, or run 1 mile per day for the next 70 days, or by organising a celebratory charity tea party with friends and neighbours to raise a cuppa to our beloved NHS and raise £70 for local Trust charities.

Whatever the fundraising feat, South Tyneside and City Hospitals Sunderland NHS Foundation Trusts are hoping people will feel inspired by #NHS70 to give back to their local NHS and perhaps even discover a new, healthy pursuit at the same time.

Anyone wishing to fundraise for South Tyneside and City Hospitals Sunderland NHS Foundation Trusts should please initially contact Andy Pestell by emailing andrew.pestell@chsft.nhs.uk or by phoning, 0191 565 6256

As part of the celebrations, the Trusts are also aiming to capture the thoughts, memories and reminiscences of those who have worked in or been treated by local NHS services over the years and have old photographs or artefacts which would be of interest to the local community.

They would like to hear from:

• Any staff working in the NHS who began their careers in the 50s, 60s and 70s
• NHS families. Any generations of nurses/midwives/doctors in South Tyneside or Sunderland who have all worked in the NHS
• People who worked in the NHS back in 1948 when it all began to get a sense of what healthcare was like and how much it has changed over the years
• People who remember the days before the NHS and what happened if you became ill
• People who simply want to say thank you to the NHS for the care and treatment they may have received in South Tyneside or Sunderland

People should get in touch via: trustcomms@stft.nhs.uk or by calling 0191 404 1127.

Mr Bremner added: “We hope as many people as possible will join us in celebrating 70 years of the NHS, and in recognising the achievements and innovations over the years which have led to a transformation in the health and wellbeing of our local communities and the dedication of our extraordinary staff who deliver outstanding care 24/7.”

To find out more about NHS 70 nationally go to www.nhs70.nhs.uk or

http://www.nhsbig7tea.co.uk/

Facts about the NHS

• It was launched on July 5, 1948 by the then minister of health, Aneurin Bevan
• It was based on three core principles to which it remains true to this day:

• that it meets the needs of everyone
• that is free at the point of delivery
• that it is based on clinical need, not the ability to pay

• The NHS in England deals with over 1 million patients every 36 hours
• The NHS employs more than 1.5 million people, putting it in the top five of the world’s largest workforces, together with the US Department of Defence, McDonald’s, Walmart and the Chinese People’s Liberation Army
• It has delivered huge medical advances and improvements to public health, meaning we can all expect to live longer lives
• It is thanks to the NHS that we have all but eradicated diseases such as polio and diphtheria, and pioneered new treatments like the world’s first liver, heart and lung transplant
• The NHS continues to drive innovations in patient care, including bionic eyes to restore sight and surgical breakthroughs such as hand transplants
• Looking to the future, the NHS is becoming more integrated and investing in new medicines, genetic research and digital technologies like apps and artificial intelligence, which will ensure we continue to live longer and healthier lives