Celebrating 75 years of the NHS in Swindon

Wednesday 5 July marks 75 years of the National Health Service and Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is marking the milestone with a series of events and videos that celebrate staff and patients from right across the organisation, and Swindon’s role in inspiring free healthcare for all. 

In a special video produced to mark the 75th anniversary, the Trust explores how Swindon’s Great Western Railway Medical Fund provided inspiration for the National Health Service known today.

The fund was formed in 1847 from deductions from the wages of Great Western Railway workers. In its early days, staff and their families were provided with a doctor, who they could see for no extra fee. This would eventually lead to the creation of the Great Western Railway Medical Fund Hospital in 1873.

It was this service, alongside other medical funds throughout the country, which health minister Nye Bevan took inspiration from in designing the system of National Insurance which later led to the creation of the NHS.

The Trust’s Chief Executive, Kevin McNamara, marked the historical links to the Great Western Railway by visiting Swindon’s train station on Tuesday 4 July, from where a GWR train newly named after Nye Bevan arrived.

Across the Great Western Hospital, staff will be bringing patients together to take part in the NHS Big Tea – tea and cake kindly provided by the Trust’s facilities management provider, Serco.

New artwork will also be displayed on the ground floor, depicting 75 staff members from the whole workforce.

Reflecting on the last 75 years, Kevin McNamara said: “Working for the NHS in Swindon is particularly fitting given that inspiration for the service began locally with the Great Western Railway Fund.

“In 1873, the Great Western Railway Medical Fund Hospital opened as one of the first places in the country to have hospital care available for all workers, and all these years later we continue to deliver quality healthcare across the acute hospital and our community services to over one million patient contacts every year.

“Over the years, the Trust has developed to continue to meet the growing population we serve, and we’ve led the way on some exciting projects; including being one of the first places in the world to offer the Covid-19 vaccine, being first in the country to fit a specialist pacemaker and recently purchasing a new surgical robot.

“All of this, and much more besides, is helping to ensure we see and treat every patient and make sure local people have access to the right care, in the right place. It also establishes us as a supporter of the wider community, including our relatives, carers and partners.

“We continue to develop to keep up with the times, with our year-old Urgent Treatment Centre thriving and construction currently underway for an expanded and refurbished Emergency Department. We’ve also bought land near the hospital which means that as Swindon and the surrounding areas continue to grow, so can we.

“Of course, none of this would be possible without the 5,500 dedicated staff and volunteers who work tirelessly every day to provide our services – many of whom have worked for the NHS for up to 50 years. My thanks goes to everyone who works at the Trust, and to the local community who continue to support us.”

Local people can show their support for the NHS’ 75^th anniversary by signing up to the Brighter Futures Superhero Run, on Sunday 9 July, which is this year asking runners to dress up as an NHS superhero.