As the NHS turns 70, we’d like to share some fascinating facts about the service that has helped to transform the health and wellbeing of the nation.
- In 1948 the NHS had a budget of £437m. In 2017/18, around £110 billion will be spent on the day to day running of the NHS in England
- The NHS treats more than 1.4 million patients every 24 hours
- It is the UK’s largest employer, with more than 1.5 million staff from all over the world
- In 1948 there were 16,864 GPs. Today there are 41,817 GPs across the NHS
- In 1962 the first hip replacement was carried out. We now perform approximately 77,000 hip operations each year in the UK
