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NHS 60th anniversary
02/07/2008
Celebrations are underway this week to mark the 60th birthday of the NHS in Scotland.
Today sees the start of the anniversary week programme of national events, recognising those who have made a unique contribution to the development of the Health Service and paying tribute to staff, patients, volunteers and carers.
Tonight, a special Reception will be held at Edinburgh Castle, where front-line staff, volunteers and patients, will join host Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon for an evening of thanks and celebration.
Tomorrow Ms Sturgeon will host a visit by Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh to open a new state of the art Heart and Lung Centre for the West of Scotland at the NHS Golden Jubilee Hospital in Clydebank.
This weekend, on Friday, Minister for Public Health Shona Robison, will visit Ninewells Hospital in Dundee where she will meet young patients in the Children's Ward and help them cut a NHS 60 birthday cake.
On Saturday the anniversary of the birth of the NHS, Ms Sturgeon will be at a Princess Royal Maternity Hospital in Glasgow to meet one of the first babies born on the 60th anniversary.
Ms Sturgeon will then join an audience of 2,000 people at Glasgow's Royal Concert Hall to celebrate the last 60 years and help Scottish celebrities including Radio Clyde presenter Gina McKie present a series of Diamond Anniversary Awards for those working in the health service.
On Sunday the Deputy First Minister will make an address at a special service for NHS 60 held at St. Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh attended by faith leaders, patients, carers and front-line staff.
Ms Sturgeon said:
"During the course of the events planned this week, I am looking forward to meeting many staff, patients and members of the public and hearing many of the stories people have to tell about the past 60 years.
"For the future I want to see the Scottish people and NHS staff become real partners - co owners - of the health service so that they can shape a truly responsive National Health Service which meets Scotland's needs for the next 60 years."
Ms Robison said:
"The 60th anniversary of the NHS is an opportunity to remind people of just how special the NHS in Scotland is; how much we value it and how our lives would be different if it did not exist.
"This is also a fantastic opportunity to recognise the contributions of the many dedicated staff who have worked for the NHS during the past 60 years.
Local NHS Boards are also engaged in a programme of celebratory events across Scotland including family fun days, tea parties, photographic exhibitions, charity balls, ceilidhs and openings of new local NHS facilities.