Kingston Hospital

Kingston Hospital is an acute NHS hospital in Kingston upon Thames, South West London. It has an Accident & Emergency Unit, a popular midwife-led Maternity unit, and an STD clinic known as the Wolverton Centre. It is operated by Kingston Hospital NHS Trust.

History

The hospital is on the site of the former "Kingston Union Workhouse", which was built in 1837-1839 as a result of the Poor Law Amendment Act 1834. An infirmary was built on the site of what is now Regent Wing in 1843. A nurses home complex was built in the north west corner of the site in 1897, which was partially demolished in 1998 to build a car park.

In 1902 the infirmary was separated from the workhouse and named "Kingston Infirmary". In 1920 it was renamed "Kingston and District Hospital". In 1948, when the NHS was launched, the entire former workhouse site was given over to the hospital, and many of the original buildings were demolished. Esher Wing was built in the 1970s.

More recently in June 2007, the Trust opened a new Surgical Centre with a new 100 bedded facility, housing surgical and gynaecology wards. The centre also houses the physiotherapy department, education centre and the staff and visitor restaurant, The Dining Room.

In June 2008, the Trust opened the Sir William Rous Unit for those with cancer or concerned they might have cancer. The Unit is run in partnership between Kingston Hospital, The Royal Marsden Hospital and Macmillan Cancer Support to provide the best possible care for patients with cancer.

The Trust is currently involved in the process of applying for Foundation status, which will provide it with greater autonomy within the NHS.

Information about the Hospital

The hospital, which is located on one site in Kingston Upon Thames, serves approximately 320,000 people in Kingston, Esher, Richmond, Roehampton and Putney and other parts of South West London. The Trust has approximately 520 beds and directly employs some 2,600 staff with another 300 staff employed by contractors but working on behalf of the Trust. The entire site is non-smoking, as part of an NHS initiative.

The Trust provides a full range of diagnostic and treatment services and focuses oninnovative developments in healthcare, particularly in 'patient-focused' care, day surgery and maternity services.

As well as the General Charitable Fund, the hospital also has the KingstonCan appeal, to provide funds for the building of a dedicated cancer unit and Born Too Soon, which offers support to parents who have a baby being cared for on the Neonatal Unit at Kingston Hospital.

Transport

Kingston Hospital is close to Norbiton railway station and is on the A308. It is serviced by several bus routes (primarily from Kingston upon Thames).

External links

* [http://www.kingstonhospital.nhs.uk Kingston Hospital NHS Trust]
* [http://www.kingstoncan.org.uk KingstonCan Appeal]
* [http://www.borntoosoon.org.uk Born Too Soon Appeal]