On Sunday 5 July, we celebrate the 78th anniversary of the National Health Service and recognise the difference it makes to millions of people’s lives every day.

Since its founding in 1948, the NHS has continually adapted to meet the changing needs of the population, from a health system originally focused on treating acute illness, to one that increasingly supports people to live longer with complex conditions, delivers more care in the community, and focuses on preventing ill health before it starts.

As we mark this anniversary, we are also looking ahead to the future. Across Derby and Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, and Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, we have recently published a new five-year population health strategy and five-year strategic commissioning plan that set out how we will work with partners to help people live longer, healthier lives and improve access to care.

The plans focus on the same three major shifts being seen across the NHS: moving from sickness to prevention, from hospital to community-based care, and from analogue to digital services.

Together, these plans will help the NHS work more closely with our partners, because the NHS could not do what it does without the local authorities, charities, voluntary and community groups and local organisations who work alongside us to support the people we serve.

So as we celebrate the NHS’s birthday, we would like to thank everyone working across health and care for their continued support and commitment.