Happy 70th birthday to the NHS: our President's statement

On the 70th anniversary of the NHS our President issues a statement about what is needed for the future of our health service 

Professor Sir Robert Lechler PMedSci, President of the Academy of Medical Sciences said:

“On this day that we come together to wish happy birthday to our National Health Service we stand at a time of great opportunity to improve our health, and that of future generations. To realise this vast potential over the next 70 years the NHS must prioritise a forward thinking agenda, putting research high up on the priority list.

“We have so much to gain from research within the NHS, but we are not doing enough to safeguard it. We know that in a cash strapped NHS clinicians, nurses and technicians are under pressure, and that this impacts on their capacity to be involved in the research that will support the future of this much loved institution.

“We must continue to emphasise the importance of research in medical settings and protect clinicians’ time to carry out research. Alongside this, we must ensure that the National Institute for Health Research receives continued support and investment from future governments.

"A research focused NHS, that welcomes the best talent from across the globe will ensure the UK remains an attractive place for the pharmaceutical, biotech and medical industries post Brexit.

“Looking to the future, our ageing population, many of whom are living with more than one long term condition, will expect and require more innovative and joined up healthcare. I am reassured that mental health awareness is increasing, however we need to think differently about the way we treat clusters of mental and physical diseases. If we are going to continue to improve the health of our population in the next 20 years we must also make smarter choices about the way we live; our diet, our exercise levels and our built environment need individual time and thought.”​

For more of our President's thoughts on the NHS read his interview in The Guardian, published exactly 70 years after the NHS was founded:

The Academy has also published two blogs about the work of the NHS: catch up here

NHS at 70: What has research done for us? 

NHS at 70: Research benefits health

 

To find out more about supporting the work of the Academy, please see our dedicated support us webpage 

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