North Middlesex Hospital

North Middlesex Hospital
North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust
The Maternity ward tower block
Geography
Location	Edmonton, London, England, United Kingdom
Organisation
Care system	Public NHS
Hospital type	District General
Affiliated university	University College London Medical School (North Central Thames Foundation School)
Services
Emergency department	Yes Accident & Emergency
Beds	420
History
Founded	1910
Links
Website	http://www.northmid.nhs.uk
Lists	Hospitals in England

The North Middlesex University Hospital, known locally as North Mid, is a District General Hospital (DGH) in Edmonton, in the London Borough of Enfield, within the area served by the Enfield Primary Care NHS Trust.

History

As with many hospitals in the United Kingdom, the North Mid began life as a workhouse in 1840. The workhouse, built on land previously known as Langhedge Field, received its first inmates, totalling 400 men and women, in 1842. Children in the area were sent to the Chase Farm Schools Institution, later to become Chase Farm Hospital.

More land was added to the site as demand for pauper accommodation rose, and the need became clear for a separate building to treat the sick. In 1907, an Infirmary Building Committee was established with a view to constructing a large hospital. The hospital officially opened on 25 July 1910, and was separated from the workhouse itself by an iron fence, although the two shared a common gate, which still stands today.

In 1915 the complex was handed over to the military for use as a military hospital, known as Edmonton Military Hospital. Following its transfer back into civilian hands in 1920, the hospital took on its current name, the North Middlesex Hospital.

Control changed hands from the Edmonton Board of Guardians to Middlesex County Council in April 1930. In 1938, the workhouse closed (with inmates being transferred to Chase Farm) and its buildings were made available to the hospital.

During the Second World War, six high explosive bombs fell on the site, damaging several buildings. The accident and emergency department opened in 1955, having been built on the bombed section of the site. The outpatents department was added in 1960,and officially opened by Princess Margaret.

Part of the hospital site was cleared to make way for the expansion of the North Circular Road in 1973, with the Watermill Lane site being added to the hospital grounds to compensate. Construction of the buildings there was completed the following year. Additions in the 1980s include the pathology laboratories in 1982, a new car park, boilderhouse and estates offices in 1987, and the Pymmes Building (housing four elderly care wards) in 1988.

Temporary operating theatres (theatres 3 and 4) were constructed in 1991 and 1992. In 1997 and again in 1999, parts of the hospital site were sold off for development, to raise funds for the refurbishment of the remaining facilities. As a result, the accident and emergency department was refitted in 1999. In 2000, an NHS Walk-in centre was added. The Care of the Elderly department transferred their 'Day Hospital' from St Ann's hospital to the 'Pymmes' building in 2007 to allow greater continuity of care.

The hospital had the dubious record of topping the MRSA septicaemia league table in the early years of the 21st Century although things have improved significantly. More recently, and in common with other hospitals right across the NHS, diarrhoea due to C difficile has become a greater problem, especially amongst older patients. This has prompted a careful review of all antibiotic-use at the North Middlesex with the development of some antibiotic guidelines.

Great Ormond Street Hospital runs the children's services at this site, which comprises an inpatient ward, a special care baby unit, day assessment, outpatient services and a children's Accident and Emergency.

The Hospital has recently undergone a major £121m redevelopment to replace outdated buildings and construct a new diagnostic centre, surgical wards, operating theatres and Accident & Emergency department [1]. This facility opened in 2010, securing state of the art facilities for the local community for the years to come.

Coordinates: 51°36′52″N 0°04′26″W / 51.6145°N 0.07379°W / 51.6145; -0.07379