Celebrating 60 years of the Health Service in Northern Ireland

An Inter-denominational Service of Celebration and Thanksgiving has been held in St Anne’s Cathedral, Belfast to celebrate 60 years of the Health Service in Northern Ireland.

The Service, conducted by the Dean of Belfast, the Very Reverend Houston McKelvey, was attended by Health and Social Care staff, past and present, patients and their families who have availed of the service at some time in their life and representation from the community and voluntary sector.

The four main churches in Northern Ireland were also represented.

Reflecting on 60 years of the Health Service, Health Minister Michael McGimpsey said: “When Aneurin Bevan’s vision for a free health service for all was introduced in Northern Ireland by the then Minister of Health and Local Government, William Grant in 1948, no one could have envisaged just how far the service would advance.

“During those 60 years, our society has changed radically; we are living longer, we are healthier – yet at some point every one of us will need the support of our caring services.

“Health and well being is something that we often take for granted but if we look back on the past 60 years it shows just how far we have travelled and how much this service has impacted on the people of Northern Ireland.

“From humble beginnings with a few thousand staff the Health service is now Northern Ireland’s largest employer, employing over 70,000 staff.”

Since taking office as Minister for Health, Michael McGimpsey has taken forward a major reform and modernisation programme which has already reduced 19 health trusts to six (including the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service).

He recently announced further proposals, for a new regional health and social care board and a public health agency.

Over the last year, he has also announced a further transformation in hospital waiting times, and in other services such as access to cancer treatment and ambulance response times. He has campaigned for an increase in his allotted budget to improve frontline services.

Other announcements made include confirmation of the new south west hospitals in Enniskillen and Omagh, the creation of a board of experts for mental health and learning disability, a new regional suicide prevention helpline, a major capital investment of £190million at the Ulster Hospital, Dundonald and his desire is to see much more investment being made in the Health Service going forward.

The Minister concluded: “Aneurin Bevan said about the health service in 1948 that ‘expectations will always exceed capacity. The service must always be changing, growing and improving – it must always appear inadequate’. I concur with Bevan and we shall never rest on our laurels. We will always continue to improve and provide all of our community with a first class Health Service they deserve and expect.”

Notes to Editors:

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