NHS 73rd birthday - Saying a big thank you
24 June 2021
South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASFT) is saying a big thank you to its colleagues, partners and the public – as the NHS celebrates its 73rd birthday.
More than seven decades after the NHS was founded on 5 July 1948, SWASFT is expressing gratitude to everyone whose dedication, help and support has enabled it to meet the challenges of the Covid-19 (coronavirus) pandemic and other pressures.
SWASFT is particularly thankful to its large team of operational and support colleagues, as well as its army of volunteer Community First Responders (CFRs).
It is also especially grateful to its fire and rescue service partners – who have directly assisted frontline teams by driving ambulances and providing much-needed assistance to patients – as well as other emergency services partners it has worked alongside.
Additionally it is appreciative of the millions of other key workers in the NHS and elsewhere – from hospital doctors to teachers, and from shop workers to refuse collectors – who have kept the country running and helped reduce the spread of the virus.
Will Warrender, Chief Executive of SWASFT, said: “As we mark the 73rd birthday of the NHS, I would like to say a huge thank you to all of our colleagues and their families, volunteers, partners and everyone else who has supported during the pandemic.
“In the midst of intense and unrelenting pressure, I could not be more proud of the commitment, perseverance and resilience of our people to enable us to continue to deliver excellent patient care across the region.
“I am also particularly grateful to my own team for their dedication and everything they continue to do to serve the public during this challenging time.”
The past 15 months has been extremely challenging for the NHS and the country as a whole, but there has also been hope. In the midst of the pandemic, the NHS has rolled-out the biggest vaccination programme in its history, the fastest in Europe and most precise in the world.
On the evening of Saturday 3 July, local landmarks and iconic buildings across England, including those enlisted as vaccination sites, will be lit up in blue as part of a collective memorial across the country.
The NHS Big Tea will also return on 5 July for communities to thank NHS colleagues and each other for the huge role they have played over the last 15 months.