A week of celebrations to mark 50 years of Ninewells Hospital
FRIDAY, 18 OCTOBER, 2024
If you would like to join any of the celebrations, please contact tay.communications@nhs.scot. Please use any of the Ninewells 50th content shared on the NHS Tayside social media channels or website throughout the week but if you would like any original files, get in touch.
A week of celebrations to mark 50 years of Ninewells Hospital
To mark five decades of delivering healthcare in Tayside, Ninewells Hospital will be hosting a series of celebratory events.
On 23 October 1974, Her Majesty The Queen Mother officially opened Ninewells Hospital. This was the culmination of almost a decade of construction work to create the first new teaching hospital in Britain since the 19th century and the largest hospital in Europe at the time.
To celebrate this milestone, NHS Tayside is hosting a series of events throughout the week including:
• Tayside Children’s Hospital will be hosting a tea party for patients and will be taking part in some 50-themed colouring-in to display on the ward.
• University of Dundee medical students will be hosting a Teddy Bear Hospital for local nursery children where they will find out about what happens in a healthcare setting.
• Special birthday video messages from familiar faces will be posted on social media throughout the week as well as a series of ‘In Conversation’ videos where long-standing members of staff will be talking about their time at Ninewells.
• Jon Ritchie & That Swing Sensation will be performing for patients, with the performance also being live streamed into a number of wards.
• On Friday 25 October, NHS Tayside and the NHS Tayside Charitable Foundation will be hosting a celebratory event in the Ian Low Centre at Ninewells. This will be an opportunity for staff and volunteers to mark the occasion, grab a celebratory cake and take in some live music. Fundraisers who took part in the NHS Tayside Charitable Foundation’s ‘Foundation 50 challenge’ will also join the celebrations.
Chair of Tayside NHS Board Lorna Birse-Stewart said, “For half a century Ninewells Hospital has touched many thousands of lives in Tayside in different ways. As each decade has come and gone the one constant is our amazing staff.
“In a hospital serving a population of over 400,000 it takes thousands of devoted staff from a whole range of departments to ensure that services run smoothly. Every member of staff makes a valuable contribution to our health and social care services.
“This upcoming week of celebration gives us a chance to reflect on the innovations Ninewells staff have led or contributed to, both here in Tayside and also across the UK and beyond over the last 50 years.
We hope everyone will be able to join us in celebrating this important milestone, one we could not have achieved without their dedication.”
Chief Executive Nicky Connor added, “Ninewells Hospital has a stellar reputation across the UK and beyond. Our dedicated staff, innovative research, and compassionate care have transformed the lives of countless individuals. As we celebrate this week we reaffirm our commitment to providing outstanding patient care for everyone who walks through our doors. I look forward to seeing Ninewells continue to serve our incredible community for many more years to come.”
Keep an eye on @NHSTayside on social media and www.nhstayside.scot.nhs.uk for photographs and videos showcasing Ninewells Hospital throughout the decades.
Contact:
NHS Tayside Communications
(01382) 424138
