Born a minute after midnight on a day that made British history, Aneira Thomas came to life on the same day as Anerurin Bevan’s vision of free healthcare for all. Olga Rachello finds out what it means for her to share her 70th birthday with the NHS.

You were the last of seven children and the first of your family to be born in a hospital, for free. How has the NHS impacted your family?

It’s had a major impact. It used to be only the privileged who could afford healthcare – I never had grandparents because they died between the ages of 30 and 50. My own life has been saved eight times. My two children have had brain hemorrhages and neurosurgery so I’m eternally grateful. We all need it and we all use it, so we’ve got to fight to preserve and protect it. I worked for the NHS as a nurse, along with three of my sisters. And my own daughter is a paramedic.

You were born at the Amman Valley Hospital on the western edge of the Brecon Beacons National Park. Do you ever go back there to visit?

I went up there about five years ago with Channel 5, and it was very emotional for me – thinking of my mother Edna bringing me out of hospital. She held on [until midnight] so the first NHS baby could be born in Wales. She was used to hearing the word “push” with her other babies, but she knew this baby was going to be different. The nurses kept saying, “Hold on, Edna.” And my brother even pushed me back in for one minute [chuckles].

You were named after Welsh NHS founder Aneurin ‘Nye’ Bevan, son of a coalminer. What does it mean to you that such a crucial social reform came from Wales?

I’m known as Nye too and they’ve told me I’m the pin-up girl of the NHS this year. I am proud and privileged to be named after a wonderful Welshman. Bevan watched suffering in the Valleys, where mining was the main occupation of men at the time and they suffered from lung disease. My own father was also a miner and the place where he worked was called ‘Young Man’s Grave’.

What advice would you give young people considering a career in healthcare?

If you are drawn to it then it’s meant to be. When I was nursing we were taught ‘tender loving care’ and to spend a bit of time with the patient. That makes a lot of difference. You’ve got to have wonderful listening skills. You have to be non-judgmental, but also quite stern because sometimes sympathy can be misread for weakness.

What is the major challenge facing the NHS today?

Now we have managers whereas before there was a matron on the ward. Change is good, but I feel that while there are so many managers, we don’t have enough actual management. I’m not a politician or an economist, but when they are making major decisions about the health service I think they should include the frontliners. Doctors, nurses, and paramedics know first-hand what’s needed and where things are going wrong.

You have stated that the public have a responsibility for taking care of their own health.

Absolutely. They have Health and Social Care in colleges but I think the NHS should be introduced in primary school. Healthier people are more productive, aren’t they? We have a duty to ourselves and to the national health to care for ourselves. That way we wouldn’t spend so much money on drugs. Money is needed for science and for early intervention – which is better than cures.

The NHS will be celebrating its birthday with a month-long programme of events across Wales and you are Patron of National Theatre Wales’ NHS70 Festival. How will you be celebrating this very important birthday?

I’ve had about 10 invites the day of my birthday. I’ll be in London for an ITV show in the morning – Lorraine. Then I’m coming back to the Welsh Assembly. I’ve been invited to Westminster Abbey but my priorities lie in Wales. We’ll have a big dinner on the Sunday after my birthday with the family. I always say Aneurin Bevan left a legacy but so did my mother. She had seven children, 21 grandchildren, and 65 great-grandchildren. That’s special, isn’t it? She left a legacy of love.

The NHS turns 70 onThurs 5 July. Info: www.nhs70.nhs.uk