Clap for Carers: Tradition to happen every year on NHS' birthday

The boss of the NHS wants people to celebrate the service every year with a clap on its birthday.

He wants the event to start this year with an applause on the 5 July, the NHS's 72nd birthday.

It follows the success of the weekly Clap for Carers, which encouraged people to clap for the NHS and key workers to thank them for their amazing work during the coronavirus pandemic.

Chief executive Sir Simon Stevens said he hopes the public will use the anniversary as an opportunity to "say a heartfelt thank you" to hospital staff.

On 5 July at 5pm people are expected to give the NHS another huge round of applause, with broadcasters stopping their transmissions as a mark of respect.

Public buildings will be lit up in blue for the NHS, including landmarks like Blackpool Tower, the Royal Albert Hall, the Shard in London and the Wembley Arch.

Nurses at James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough lined up in height order!

Sir Simon Steven added: "During this testing time our nurses, doctors, physios, pharmacists and countless more colleagues were sustained by the support of the public, not least through the weekly applause for key workers. No health service, not even the NHS, could have coped alone with this coronavirus pandemic."