Southend University Hospital

The Southend University Hospital is a 928 bedded University Hospital located in Westcliff on Sea, Southend, in South East of Essex (England). It serves a local population of over 330,000 as estimated at the 2003 census; besides, patients from outsides the confines of South-East Essex are also treated.

History

The hospital was founded in 1887, to celebrate Queen Victoria's Jubilee, that a public fund was started. A site for Southend's first hospital was bought for £350 (where Warrior Square swimming pool now stands). Built for £1,287.4s.6d, Southend Victoria Hospital opened in May 1888.

* 1930 Building work commenced
* 1932 Hospital officially opened by Rt. Hon Earl of Iveagh
* 1935 Fracture clinic established
* 1938 Average number of occupied beds for 1st quarter was 221. First modern anaesthetic machine purchased at cost of £92.
* 1939 Outbreak of World War 2. 408 beds ready for service. 25,000 sandbags assembled in position. Plans made for evacuation of hospital
* 1940 Food rationing introduced to hospital
* 1945 VE day – double pay to any members of staff required to remain on duty
* 1946 Two senior nurses (without late night passes) were dismissed for returning to hospital at 2 am under the influence of alcohol
* 1947 First female doctor appointed to the resident staff (Dr Catherine Johnstone). Visit by HRH Duchess of Kent
* 1948 Number of consultants 24. Number of resident medical staff 11. Hospital taken over by the Ministry of Health under the newly-formed NHS
* 1960 Radio-isotope laboratory opened
* 1962 Hydrotherapy pool opened
* 1966 Major extension (tower block) started
* 1968 Intensive therapy unit opened
* 1969 Audiology clinic inaugurated. New accident and emergency department opened
* 1970 Hospital information system computerised. New operating theatres commissioned
* 1971 Tower block opened by HRH Princess Anne. Children’s Centre opened
* 1976 Breast screening unit opened (in grounds of Southend Hospital). Sita-Lumsden coronary unit opened.
* 1981 Sportsmen’s ward opened to provide an additional 28 beds for orthopaedic patients
* 1982 Celebration of 50th anniversary of hospital
* 1985 Eye laser facility purchased from Trust funds and voluntary fundraising
* 1986 Major refurbishment of accident and emergency department completed
* 1989 New CT scanner unit opened by the Princess Royal
* 1990 Diabetes centre opened. Outpatients’ waiting areas upgraded
* 1991 Southend became an NHS Trust. £27m plans approved to centralise all acute services at Southend (transferring services from the Rochford site). Number of senior medical staff 80.
* 1992 Second linear accelerator unit completed. Celebration of Southend Hospital’s Diamond Jubilee
* 1993 Separate £1m eye clinic opened. New 18-station renal dialysis unit opened. Work started on the new £11m extension and the refurbishment of all tower block wards
* 1994 £27m redevelopment programme under way to centralise all acute services on the Southend Hospital site. Installation of £1m MRI scanner (result of community fundraising).
* 1995 Rochford Hospital acute services successfully transferred to Southend
* 1996 15-bed accident and emergency observation ward opened. £550,000 day-surgery unit completed. Number of senior medical staff 110.
* 1997 Southend Hospital officially designated Cancer Centre status.
* 1998 50th Anniversary of the NHS
* 1999 £250,000 extension to the Renal Unit opened plus work started on a £1m programme to rebuild and refurbish pathology labs.
* 2000 £400,000 Leukaemia Unit opened thanks to massive support from the local community.
* 2001 Completion of £3.4m A&E department.First of 2 additional 25-bed wards opened (Dowsett ward)
* 2002 New 4-bed high dependency unit for surgical patients opened on Kitty Hubbard Ward. Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) introduced. Tyrells Health Wing, Benfleet opened.
* 2003 £500,000 Ladybird workplace nursery opened. Nightingale Centre opened (Women's clinic/breast unit). £2.4m project completed to provide two new operating theatres. Hospital achieved 3 star status.
* 2004 £1.6m Lighthouse Centre opened thanks to donated money from the Building Blocks Appeal. New 12-bedded surgical assessment unit opened on Dowsett ward. New Angioplasty service now available.
* 2005 New endoscopy suite opened. One replacement and one new MRI scanner installed.
* 2006 £4.75m Centre for Clinical Oncology (Radiotherapy) opened with two new linac machines. 1st June - hospital gained Foundation Trust status - new name Southend University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.2008 multistorey car park

External links

[http://www.southend.nhs.uk Official website]

References