Trafford General Hospital

Trafford General Hospital is a district general hospital in Davyhulme, Greater Manchester, England, managed by Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust.

Trafford General Hospital
Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust
Trafford General Hospital
Shown in Greater Manchester
Geography
LocationDavyhulme, Trafford, England, United Kingdom
Coordinates53.45406°N 2.37068°W / 53.45406; -2.37068
Organisation
Care systemPublic NHS
TypeTeaching
Affiliated universityUniversity of Manchester
Services
Emergency departmentNo Accident & Emergency
Beds230
History
Opened17 December 1928
Links
Websitemft.nhs.uk/trafford/
ListsHospitals in the United Kingdom

History

Early history

Work began on what was originally named Davyhulme Park Hospital, established by the Barton-upon-Irwell Union, in 1926.[1] The Barton-upon-Irwell Union had been established in keeping with the requirement of the Poor Law Amendment Act 1834 for parishes to create unions offering provision to the poor.[2] The hospital opened to patients on 17 December 1928, officially opened by Princess Mary, Viscountess Lascelles on 1 June 1929.[1] When the Local Government Act 1929 abolished the poor law unions, the hospital passed to Lancashire County Council.[3]

During the Second World War it functioned initially as a British military hospital, the first patients arriving in 1940 as a result of the German invasion of Norway. Later the hospital was transferred to the US military becoming the 10th US Station Hospital where it hosted Glenn Miller and the United States Air Force Band to entertain the American troops. After the War it was de-requisitioned and returned to Lancashire County Council.[1][2]

Postwar

The hospital is regarded as the first National Health Service hospital. Known as Park Hospital, it was visited by the then health minister Aneurin Bevan on 5 July 1948. In a symbolic ceremony, Aneurin Bevan received the keys from Lancashire County Council alongside a 'guard of honour' of nurses.[2]

Sylvia Diggory (née Beckingham), then 13, was the first NHS patient. Before she died, Sylvia said: "Mr Bevan asked me if I understood the significance of the occasion and told me that it was a milestone in history – the most civilised step any country had ever taken, and a day I would remember for the rest of my life – and of course, he was right." [4]

The facility was renamed Trafford General Hospital in 1988.[3] The maternity unit was closed in 2010[5] and the accident and emergency unit was closed in 2013 under instruction by health secretary Jeremy Hunt,[6] despite a long campaign by interested parties.[7] Emergency care provision was reduced to a nursing and GP service after emergency consultant care was withdrawn in 2016.[8]

See also

References
  1. "History of Trafford General Hospital" (PDF). Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. The Communications Department, Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
  2. "Trafford General: where it all began". BBC News. BBC. 3 July 2008. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
  3. "Park Hospital, Davyhulme (Trafford General Hospital)". Archives Hub. Retrieved 25 November 2018.
  4. "NHS at 60: Your Stories". BBC News. BBC. 17 June 2008. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
  5. "Trafford General Hospital – the birthplace of the NHS – closes its maternity unit". Messenger. 29 January 2010. Retrieved 1 February 2014.
  6. "Trafford General: 'birthplace of NHS' to lose its A&E unit". The Telegraph. 11 July 2013. Retrieved 17 January 2018.
  7. "Trafford hospital where NHS was launched will lose A&E unit". The Guardian. 11 July 2013. Retrieved 17 January 2018.
  8. "Another downgrade for Trafford General Hospital as emergency consultants about to be axed". Manchester Evening News. 22 September 2016. Retrieved 17 January 2018.
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