Mandy Jackson and Sharon Kenning enjoy afternoon tea at North Downs Hospital.

On Sunday 4th May North Downs Hospital in Caterham hosted an Afternoon Tea to celebrate the hospitals 40th anniversary of providing fantastic healthcare to the local community. Guests to the event included some of the current and ex long serving staff and consultants and a number of patients. North Downs chefs cooked up a wonderful spread for the well deserving guests who had a great afternoon enjoying the food and catching up with colleagues, many of whom they had not seen for years.

North Downs opened in 1974 when the existing house, which is thought to date back to 1873, was renamed North Downs Clinic, an extension was added to include a theatre, kitchen, sluice, bathroom and four additional rooms.

Local clinicians, John Miller, an Orthopaedic Surgeon practicing at Mayday University Hospital, Dr Denis Couchman, a local GP and Anaesthetist and Jim Bush, an Accountant in partnership purchased the hospital in 1983 when the unit took on the name of North Downs Hospital.

Overall amongst the guests who attended on the day there was a staggering 493 years service to the hospital, and included within this were Dr Couchman and the wife of Mr John Miller as well an an ex manager and ex matron of the hospital.

The hospital has other events planned for the rest of the year including a family fun day on 12th July.

For more information about North Downs Hospital visit http://bit.ly/1iFm20Y