Frimley Park Hospital celebrates its 50th birthday this week alongside a significant anniversary of the trust.

The hospital is part of the Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust, which also celebrated its 10th anniversary this week.

The trust was formed on October 1, 2014, when Frimley Park Hospital and Heatherwood and Wexham Park Hospitals joined together.

Frimley Park NHS Foundation Trust was the only 'excellent'-rated trust in the NHS, while Heatherwood and Wexham Park NHS Foundation Trust was in financial difficulties and needed investment.

Managers realised both trusts could benefit from working together and after a period of consultation, Frimley Health was born.

The trust now has around 12,000 permanent staff and an annual turnover of more than £1 billion.

Its state-of-the-art services include pioneering robot-assisted surgery, AI-assisted diagnostics, a leading heart attack centre, and it is part of one of the biggest and most advanced NHS pathology networks.

As part of the celebrations, some of the original staff and patients were invited back to the hospital as ‘honoured guests’.

Teresa Myall was one of the first student nurses to work at Frimley Park and went on to have a long career working in intensive care and cardiology.

She said: "I retired six years ago but I still really miss my job.

"I have a huge regard for Frimley and of course have seen it grow over time into the centre of excellence which it is today.

"It will always remain very close to my heart, not only because of my 42-year nursing career but also my three children were born here."

Sue Foster was the first patient in maternity at the hospital.

She said: "When we arrived, the staff gave us a round of applause as I was the first patient on the unit.

"There was a lot of excitement on the day, I remember news reporters and photographers being around and the nurses being thrilled that they had a patient to care for.

"I’ve seen a lot of changes over the years but the one thing that has remained the same is the sense of community among staff, we’re still the Frimley family."

In 1996, following the closure of the Cambridge Military Hospital in Aldershot, Frimley Park became host to the Ministry of Defence Hospital Unit, starting an ongoing partnership with military staff working side by side with NHS colleagues.

The proud association continues to this day.

In 2014 the hospital became the first in the country to be recognised as ‘outstanding’ by inspectors from the health care regulator the Care Quality Commission.