The Shard and London Eye go blue for NHS 75

Famous South London landmarks went blue last night to mark the 75th anniversary of the National Health Service.

The London Eye in South Bank and the Shard in London Bridge joined other landmarks across the capital to commemorate the history of the health service and recognise its workers.

The NHS was established on July 5, 1948 as the first universal health system to be available to all, free at the point of delivery, and has since evolved to continue to provide world-class health care to all. 

Along with many NHS sites, landmarks such as London’s City Hall and the House of Commons  also turned blue to show unity and support for the NHS.  

In the capital alone, on average the institution handles 13,000 A&E attendances each day and delivers 300 babies.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “The NHS is the backbone of our society, a service that makes a real and lasting difference to our lives every day and an example to the world of the importance of free healthcare for all. 

“London owes the NHS a huge debt of gratitude for the remarkable way that our healthcare workers go above and beyond to help their communities, in particular the incredible efforts they made to help save the lives of Londoners during the pandemic.  

“I am immensely proud that City Hall will light up in blue to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the NHS, paying tribute to the amazing work of healthcare workers in London and across the country, as we continue to build a better and fairer London for everyone.” 

Pictured top: The Shard goes blue for NHS 75 (Picture: The Shard)