Royal Hospital for Women
Encyclopedia
The Royal Hospital for Women (RHW) is a specialist hospital
for women and babies located in the suburb of Randwick
in Sydney
, New South Wales
, Australia
.
. Elizabeth Macquarie
, wife of the then Governor of New South Wales Lachlan Macquarie
chaired a committee of the Society to establish the hospital.
By 1888 the RHW (then known as the Benevolent Society Asylum) became affiliated to the University of Sydney
as a training hospital. Between 1901 and 1997 the hospital operated from its site in Paddington, New South Wales
before moving to Randwick. In 1904 the hospital was granted royal patronage by King Edward VII and became the Royal Hospital for Women.
The RHW forms a part of the South Eastern Sydney and Illawarra Area Health Service
and is assisted by the fundraising efforts of the Royal Hospital for Women Foundation.
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
for women and babies located in the suburb of Randwick
Randwick, New South Wales
Randwick is a suburb in south-eastern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Randwick is located 6 kilometres south-east of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre for the local government area of the City of Randwick...
in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
History
The RHW began life in 1820 as a 'lying-in' hospital under auspices of the Benevolent SocietyBenevolent Society
The Benevolent Society, founded by Edward Smith Hall in 1813, is Australia's first charity. It is an independent, non-religious, non-profit organisation which aims to help people overcome the barriers preventing them from participating fully in society...
. Elizabeth Macquarie
Elizabeth Macquarie
Elizabeth Macquarie was the second wife of Lachlan Macquarie who served as Governor of New South Wales from 1810 to 1821. She played a significant role in the establishment of the colony and is recognised in the naming of numerous Australian landmarks including Mrs Macquarie's Chair, Campbelltown...
, wife of the then Governor of New South Wales Lachlan Macquarie
Lachlan Macquarie
Major-General Lachlan Macquarie CB , was a British military officer and colonial administrator. He served as the last autocratic Governor of New South Wales, Australia from 1810 to 1821 and had a leading role in the social, economic and architectural development of the colony...
chaired a committee of the Society to establish the hospital.
By 1888 the RHW (then known as the Benevolent Society Asylum) became affiliated to the University of Sydney
University of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
as a training hospital. Between 1901 and 1997 the hospital operated from its site in Paddington, New South Wales
Paddington, New South Wales
Paddington is an inner-city, eastern suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Paddington is located 3 kilometres east of the Sydney central business district and lies across the local government areas of the City of Sydney and the Municipality of Woollahra...
before moving to Randwick. In 1904 the hospital was granted royal patronage by King Edward VII and became the Royal Hospital for Women.
Services
The RHW reportedly provides the following services annually:- Deliver more than 3,700 babies;
- Care of more than 600 premature babies;
- Treat more than 400 women for gynaecological cancer;
- Provide breast cancer surgery for more than 80 women;
- Attend to over 450 women requiring acute care services;
- Help more than 600 women through endo-gynaecological procedures;
- Provide care for over 10,000 women who rely on a special partnership with the RHW.
The RHW forms a part of the South Eastern Sydney and Illawarra Area Health Service
South Eastern Sydney and Illawarra Area Health Service
South Eastern Sydney and Illawarra Area Health Service was formed in 2005 from the amalgamation of the Illawarra Area Health Service and South Eastern Sydney Area Health Service...
and is assisted by the fundraising efforts of the Royal Hospital for Women Foundation.