In his letter, Paul says: 
I wanted to write to you today as the NHS celebrates its 75th anniversary. It is remarkable to consider how far our national health service has come since 1948. It was the product of years of hard work and motivation from various figures after the war who felt that the healthcare system of the time was insufficient. I don't think they could have envisaged how far it would go to bring about the changes we have seen to the nation's health.
Image: Front page of the 1948 NHS Constitution, courtesy of the National Archives
The NHS has had its ups and downs along the way, and many challenges remain. I know that staff are under incredible pressure at the moment. There is never enough time in the day and more and more is being asked of us. The challenging circumstances of the lives of many patients/service users and their families is reflected in their health and social needs, and we, in the best traditions of the NHS, continue to try and meet their needs, whilst also trying to work to address the many social determinants of health.
And over the years, there have been many medical breakthroughs, innovation, growth in pharmaceutical knowledge, greater understanding of the nature of infection and other conditions, technical developments, and growth in scientific understanding and knowledge - all of which means that lives are saved that previously may not have been.
Throughout the life of the NHS, caring for people has remained at the heart of our work, and our know-how in supporting and managing people with long-term conditions or those nearing the end of their lives has grown. A key quality has been the ability to adapt in this ever-changing environment - and to constantly learn. In ELFT, our QI approach has been central to help us to test new ideas, move forward and share those ideas widely where they bring benefits to people who use health services.
We and our patients are the custodians of the NHS, and the increasing importance of People Participation in the delivery and design of our services means the right type of services are there for our communities to improve the quality of their lives and help to tackle the inequalities they face. You know and they know when you have done a good job.
Later today, we will be marking the NHS 75th Anniversary with an event in Bedfordshire and Luton, the Great Bedfordshire NHS Show at The Forest Centre, Marston Moretaine.
Next week, we will host East London NHS 75 on 12 July from 14.00-16.30 at Toynbee Hall in Tower Hamlets.
I look forward to seeing many of you at these events. I hope you will also be celebrating this important milestone in your teams in some way. Last week, I had the pleasure of hosting a small lunch for ELFT colleagues who share the same birthday as the NHS.
Today, I would like to wish you all the best on this special day for us all and thank you for continuing the legacy of Anuerin Bevan, for your commitment to the people we provide services to and to each other.
Best wishes
Paul Calaminus