Royal United Hospital
Encyclopedia
The Royal United Hospital (RUH) is a major acute hospital, located in the Weston suburb of Bath, England, which lies approximately 1.5 miles (2.4 km) miles west of the Bath city centre. The hospital currently has 565 beds and occupies a 52 acres (21 ha) site. It is the area's major accident and emergency hospital, with a helicopter landing point on the adjacent Lansdown Cricket Club
field.
The Casualty Hospital was founded in response to the serious injuries sustained to labourers working on the buildings which were being constructed in the city.
The Dispensary and Infirmary developed from the Bath Pauper Scheme, a charity founded in 1747 to provide medical treatment for destitute persons in Bath.
The combined institution opened as the Bath United Hospital in 1826 in Beau Street in a building designed by John Pinch the elder. It was awarded the title Royal by Queen Victoria in 1864 when a new wing, named the Albert Wing after the recently deceased Prince Consort, opened. This building was later occupied by Bath Technical College.
In 1959 it absorbed the Ear Nose and Throat Hospital and in 1973 the Bath Eye Infirmary, both located elsewhere in Bath.
in 1992, which then became the Royal United Hospital Bath NHS Trust.
The trust has run a deficit most years since then, with very large deficits from 2002 to 2006, creating an historic debt of £38 million by 2008. It also received a critical Commission for Health Improvement
report and zero-star rating in 2002 after a determination of 'deliberate manipulation' of waiting lists. Following this the Trust terminated the Chief Executive's contract, but in a subsequent employment tribunal case the former Chief Executive was awarded £218,439 for unfair dismissal with the tribunal rejecting allegations of neglect over misreporting waiting list numbers. Progress has been made since 2006 on a plan to repay historic debt by 2013.
In February 2008 a conservative peer — Lord Mancroft
— made a scathing attack on nursing staff at the hospital, claiming that many nurses who looked after him were "promiscuous, lazy and grubby".
In 2008, plans were revealed for a £100 million redevelopment of the pre-World War II
RUH North buildings, which would include an increase in single-occupancy rooms in line with Government targets. The first stage of this work should start in 2012.
In 2010/11, the rates of hospital acquired MRSA and Clostridium difficile
infection were below the national average. In 2010, Dr Foster Hospital Guide reported that RUH mortality rates give no cause for concern.
In 2010, Which?
judged that the RUH had the best hospital car parking regime in England.
In July 2011, the Dyson Centre for neonatal care
opened for premature babies. Over half of the £6.1 million cost was raised by the hospital's charity, the Forever Friends Appeal.
In 2011, the RUH applied to become authorised as an NHS Foundation Trust from late Spring 2012 and is recruiting Foundation Trust members.
Lansdown Cricket Club
Lansdown Cricket Club, formed in 1825, is recognised as the earliest official organised cricket club in Somerset. Originally based in Lansdown, since 1869 the club has been based at Combe Park, Bath, adjacent to the Royal United Hospital.-Foundation:...
field.
History
The Royal United Hospital takes its name from the union of the Bath Casualty Hospital founded in 1788 and the Bath City Dispensary and Infirmary founded in 1792.The Casualty Hospital was founded in response to the serious injuries sustained to labourers working on the buildings which were being constructed in the city.
The Dispensary and Infirmary developed from the Bath Pauper Scheme, a charity founded in 1747 to provide medical treatment for destitute persons in Bath.
The combined institution opened as the Bath United Hospital in 1826 in Beau Street in a building designed by John Pinch the elder. It was awarded the title Royal by Queen Victoria in 1864 when a new wing, named the Albert Wing after the recently deceased Prince Consort, opened. This building was later occupied by Bath Technical College.
Combe Park site
The hospital moved to its present site, Combe Park, on 11 December 1932. The site had previously been used for the large First World War Bath War Hospital from 1916 to 1922, then renamed the Bath Ministry of Pensions Hospital until closed in 1929. The site was also used by the Forbes Fraser Hospital and the Bath and Wessex Orthopaedic Hospital, both founded in 1924 and merged into the RUH about 1980.In 1959 it absorbed the Ear Nose and Throat Hospital and in 1973 the Bath Eye Infirmary, both located elsewhere in Bath.
NHS trust
The hospital became a NHS hospital trustNHS Hospital Trust
An NHS hospital trust, also known as an acute trust is an NHS trust that provides secondary health services within the English National Health Service and in NHS Wales. Hospital trusts are commissioned to provide these services by NHS primary care trusts....
in 1992, which then became the Royal United Hospital Bath NHS Trust.
The trust has run a deficit most years since then, with very large deficits from 2002 to 2006, creating an historic debt of £38 million by 2008. It also received a critical Commission for Health Improvement
Commission for Health Improvement
The Commission for Health Improvement was a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department of Health of the United Kingdom from 2001 until 2004, when its functions were subsumed by the Healthcare Commission....
report and zero-star rating in 2002 after a determination of 'deliberate manipulation' of waiting lists. Following this the Trust terminated the Chief Executive's contract, but in a subsequent employment tribunal case the former Chief Executive was awarded £218,439 for unfair dismissal with the tribunal rejecting allegations of neglect over misreporting waiting list numbers. Progress has been made since 2006 on a plan to repay historic debt by 2013.
In February 2008 a conservative peer — Lord Mancroft
Benjamin Mancroft, 3rd Baron Mancroft
Benjamin Lloyd Stormont Mancroft, 3rd Baron Mancroft is a British peer, businessman, Conservative Party politician and former heroin addict.The son of the 2nd Baron Mancroft and Diana Lloyd, he was educated at Eton College, Berkshire...
— made a scathing attack on nursing staff at the hospital, claiming that many nurses who looked after him were "promiscuous, lazy and grubby".
In 2008, plans were revealed for a £100 million redevelopment of the pre-World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
RUH North buildings, which would include an increase in single-occupancy rooms in line with Government targets. The first stage of this work should start in 2012.
In 2010/11, the rates of hospital acquired MRSA and Clostridium difficile
Clostridium difficile
Clostridium difficile , also known as "CDF/cdf", or "C...
infection were below the national average. In 2010, Dr Foster Hospital Guide reported that RUH mortality rates give no cause for concern.
In 2010, Which?
Which?
Which? is a product-testing and consumer campaigning charity with a magazine, website and various other services run by Which? Ltd ....
judged that the RUH had the best hospital car parking regime in England.
In July 2011, the Dyson Centre for neonatal care
Neonatal nursing
Neonatal nursing is the provision of nursing care for newborn infants up to 28 days after birth. The term neonatal comes from neo, "new", and natal, "pertaining to birth or origin"...
opened for premature babies. Over half of the £6.1 million cost was raised by the hospital's charity, the Forever Friends Appeal.
In 2011, the RUH applied to become authorised as an NHS Foundation Trust from late Spring 2012 and is recruiting Foundation Trust members.
External links
- Royal United Hospital, Bath
- Royal United Hospital, Bath, Dr Foster Hospital Guide
- A Potted History of the RUH, Royal United Hospital
- RUH 2009–2013 Strategic Direction, Royal United Hospital
- NHS Bath and North East Somerset
- Medical Heritage — RUH Bath