Long-serving staff shine bright for the NHS on 75th birthday
A couple's romance and supporting major sporting events are just some of the positive stories mentioned
Last updated 5th Jul 2023
Today marks the 75th anniversary of the NHS, and we are shining a light on those in Cambridgeshire who have become loyal servants to the service.
John and Sandy Ellington met at the former Peterborough District Hospital while training, and have served the North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust for a combined 88 years.
The pair met when John asked Sandy on a date – they married a year later in 1982 and worked in hospital theatres together for the next 30 years.
But it was when John, medical equipment manager at the Trust, had a motorbike accident when his wife-to-be first saw him.
"All the best friends we have are from the NHS"
“I walked onto the ward and he grabbed a doctor by the tie because he was in pain and the doctor had just moved his poorly foot,” Sandy, medical equipment coordinator at Peterborough City Hospital, said.
“That’s the first time I saw him, but we got chatting and eventually got together.
“All the best friends we have are from the NHS; it’s fabulous and it’s like we’ve got an extended family.”
As for John, he has been under pressure at times in his career but would be lost without the NHS.
John says the NHS 'is heart and soul' of the country
“The NHS has given me everything, everything I’ve got I owe to the NHS including my wife so I can’t praise it enough,” he said.
“We’d be lost without it; it’s the heart and soul of the country.
“Treatment free at the point of care is an absolute must and we’ve got to do everything we can to save it for future generations.”
Celia Kendrick has worked in the NHS for 44 years and is the Trust’s head of resilience and emergency preparedness, having first enrolled into the Peterborough and Stamford School of Nursing aged 18.
And in that time, she has not known any different.
Celia has been challenged while in the NHS, but says:
“It has given me my whole career; I’ve never worked anywhere other than the NHS,” Celia said.
“From student nurse to sister to lead nurse; It’s had its challenges, but overall, I’ve enjoyed every minute.
“It’s been challenging, it’s been rewarding, it’s opened my eyes to lots of things and it’s given me lots of friends to people I otherwise wouldn’t have met.”
Some of her best achievements include becoming a sister in the A&E department as well as launching the Hospital Major Incident Medical Management & Support course.
This allows hospitals to change the way they deal with major incidents, including in countries preparing for the FIFA World Cup or Euros tournaments.
"Covid was also a massive achievement; we didn’t run out of any PPE and managed to provide a response through Covid for our staff, patients, visitors and volunteers,” Celia added.
NHS is established
The National Health Service was formally established in 1948 at what is now Trafford General Hospital in Manchester. The service was started by Aneurin Bevan under the government of Clement Atlee. Its aim was to create a system of free healthcare to all. One of the first patients was Sylvia Diggory, aged 13, who was suffering from a liver condition.
Prescription charges introduced
Soon after its inception, charges for prescriptions and dental care were introduced. Each prescription would cost one shilling, while dental care would require a £1 payment. Charges would eventually be dropped and then reinstated in 1968.
NHS discoveries
Throughout the 1950s, thanks to the pioneering technology the NHS was using, a number of medical advancements were made. Polio vaccinations were rolled out in the UK, the structure of DNA was found and the link between smoking and cancer was proven.
Treating new diseases
As time went on and the NHS grew, so did its capacity to look after those who were unable to be treated before. The Mental Health Act in 1983 was the first time the concept of consent was raised in treating those with mental health issues. Nurses also treated people suffering from AIDS in the late 1980s and, together with the government, helped to reduce the stigma of the disease, which primarily affected gay men.
Opening to the public
In order to cope with the increasing demand for the NHS, the structure of the service changed. In 1991, NHS Trusts were established in the first of a wave of reorganisation for the service. People would later be able to donate organs more easily with the introduction of the NHS Organ Donor Register.
Stretched resources
In the 21st century, the NHS came under pressure as a result of stretched resources. With the rising cost of medicines, the government voted to bring in longer working hours and minimal increases in pay for NHS staff in 2015. This resulted in a mass picket of junior doctors around the country for better working conditions. It was the first general strike in the NHS' history and the first instance of industrial action in 40 years. There have been further strikes in 2023
NHS during coronavirus
In 2020, a new disease named COVID-19 began to spread around the world, eventually reaching the UK at the end of January. The resulting pandemic led to NHS workers being on the frontline of the disease. Support for the NHS grew massively and during lockdowns, so-called "Claps for Carers" would take place every Thursday to thank the NHS and its staff for protecting the public during the pandemic.
NHS has 'plenty of opportunities' for new blood, says Celia
“It’s probably not for everybody, but I think it’s got so many different roles within it and we all depend on one another.
“There’s lots of opportunities, so I think if you do want to come and work in the NHS, it will give you a good career.”
Julian Stanley, chief executive of Healthwatch Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, is used to speaking to NHS leaders on how care can be improved.
But having needed care himself, he believes it is a service that people still value and need to continue valuing.
Changes to the NHS are on their way to meet 'massive desire'
“I’ve had family members treated for cancer and for dementia and a range of different things,” he said.
“We’ve been very grateful for NHS being there at time of need; its importance can’t be underestimated to the community in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, but nationally.
“I think it’s changing and there will be changes, but I still think there‘s a massive desire in this country.
“I hear it locally from people I meet saying the services they receive are vital to their quality of life, so I think there are many reasons to retain a free national health service as far as we possibly can.”