NHS 70th birthday party at Munro Medical Centre
Patients and staff at one of Spalding's main medical centres took time out from their appointments to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the NHS.
Just a year before its centenary, Munro Medical Centre hosted a buffet on Wednesday, with pride of place belonging to a Spalding couple who have been registered with the surgery for a combined total of 150 years.
Frank and Bernadette Blades, of Cathedral Drive, Spalding, watched as senior practice partner Dr Graham Wheatley cut an anniversary cake in front of patients and staff.
Dr Wheatley said: "The NHS has made some massive changes and improvements over the past 70 years in terms of how people can access healthcare.
"But it has its challenges as well which is why it was nice to have the opportunity to talk about what the NHS has done in the past and what it can do in terms of providing quality clinical care for patients.
"As a practice, we've had a presentation to see how we can develop in the future, including parking which we know has been the number one source of difficulties for patients."
Mr Blades said he was "too young" to remember before the NHS when he was a patient of Dr James Munro who founded the practice in 1919.
But Mr Blades (85) added: "Over the last 70 years, technology has been the biggest influence that I've seen as regards medical care.
"You used to make an appointment and just turn up at the doctor's, sitting there and waiting until you were seen.
"At least that way everybody attended their appointment, whereas now they don't.
"I've been married to Bernadette for 65 years and she's been coming to Munro Medical Centre for that length of time.
"I'm very proud of the NHS and I've received marvellous medical treatment in my life."
Munro Medical Centre's practice team were also joined by patients’ group representatives to learn how the NHS opened up access to GPs to all in 1948, not just those insured or able to pay.
There was also a talk on how the NHS has developed and how it plans to improve in future, as well as plans for the centre itself to improve services to patients, including car park improvements.
Anthony Cronin, of Munro Medical Centre's Patient Participation Group, said: "The NHS is critical to the 20,256 patients from the Spalding area who are registered here.
"Quite clearly, with the additional services that the surgery can take on, it's trying to make it more of a hub to cut down on travelling for patients.
"People have to travel 20 miles or more to visit Pilgrim Hospital, Boston, or Peterborough City Hospital.
"So the more local services can be kept, the better it is for patients, especially the elderly."
