To celebrate the official 70th birthday of the NHS the Royal Free Charity is putting on an ‘NHS Big 7Tea’ party on July 5.

The Royal Free Charity is joining together with NHS charities from around the country to celebrate by holding tea parties at the Royal Free Hospital, Barnet Hospital, Chase Farm Hospital, and their satellite sites across north London. The tea parties will be a chance to raise a cuppa to the NHS on its 70th birthday and say thank you to staff and volunteers with tea, cake, fun activities and musical acts.

Royal Free Charity CEO Chris Burghes invites all staff, patients, visitors and members of the local community to attend the celebrations. “We are very fortunate to have such a fantastic health service in this country and this is a great opportunity to say thank you to all the people who have helped to make the NHS what it is today,” said Mr Burghes.

The tea parties are being held at the following locations:

• Barnet Hospital: 2-4pm, level 3 corridor and the Lindsey Café 
• Chase Farm Hospital: 11am-1pm, rehabilitation gardens, Highlands wing 
• Royal Free Hospital: 3-5pm, hospital restaurant (with teapot competition!) 

Not all of the dedicated NHS staff will be able to leave their post to enjoy the festivities so the charity will also be bringing the festivities to wards. 

The NHS was officially launched on July 5th 1948 by the then Health Secretary, Aneurin Bevan, at Park Hospital in Manchester (known today as Trafford General Hospital).

For the first time, hospitals, doctors, nurses, pharmacists, opticians and dentists were brought together under one umbrella to provide services for free at the point of delivery.

Over the last 70 years, the NHS has transformed the health and wellbeing of the nation by delivering 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 Royal Free Charity is encouraging the public to put on their own events or say thank you to the NHS in their own way.

For more information about NHS70 and ideas for what you can do to give back go here.