Stracathro Hospital
Encyclopedia
Stracathro Hospital is a General Hospital in NE Angus
, Scotland
. Established as a wartime hospital, it became a District General Hospital and, since 2005 has been the site of the Scottish Regional Treatment Centre.
. It was designed as an Emergency Medical Services Hospital, for military casualties of World War II
. The single-storey wards could accommodate up to 1000 patients and the mansion house provided accommodation for staff. The first patients were victims of an air raid
on Montrose
in 1940. These were followed by civilian casualties from English cities, including London
, Birmingham
and Coventry
, and later by soldiers from all theatres of the war. Long trains would deliver the wounded to Brechin station.
The hospital subsequently became a teaching hospital and later a rural general hospital, serving a population of about 110,230, with specialised departments including orthopaedic surgery and a high-tech surgical appliance unit.
In 1998, almost overnight, emergency general surgery was moved to Ninewells Hospital
. This threatened the future of the hospital, and led to speculation over its closure. The Tayside Acute Services Review in 2001 recommended a new hospital in Angus. An external review recommended continuation of some local services. The closure of the coronary care unit
led to a paramedic
-led thrombolysis
service in the community. Stracathro continues as a rural General Hospital for Angus, part of NHS Tayside
.
In 2005, the Scottish Regional Treatment Centre was developed at Stracathro.. This is a joint venture between the NHS and the private sector and included £15 million funding from the Scottish Executive
. The SRTC caters for NHS patients from Grampian, Tayside and Fife Health Boards.
Stracathro House was sold in 2003 and has reverted to a private residence.
Angus
Angus is one of the 32 local government council areas of Scotland, a registration county and a lieutenancy area. The council area borders Aberdeenshire, Perth and Kinross and Dundee City...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. Established as a wartime hospital, it became a District General Hospital and, since 2005 has been the site of the Scottish Regional Treatment Centre.
History
Stracathro Hospital was established in 1939 in the grounds of Stracathro HouseStracathro
Stracathro is a small place in Angus, Scotland,-Location:Stracathro is located 2½ miles southeast of Edzell in NE Angus. It lies to the northeast of Brechin on the A90.-History:...
. It was designed as an Emergency Medical Services Hospital, for military casualties of 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...
. The single-storey wards could accommodate up to 1000 patients and the mansion house provided accommodation for staff. The first patients were victims of an air raid
Strategic bombing
Strategic bombing is a military strategy used in a total war with the goal of defeating an enemy nation-state by destroying its economic ability and public will to wage war rather than destroying its land or naval forces...
on Montrose
Montrose, Angus
Montrose is a coastal resort town and former royal burgh in Angus, Scotland. It is situated 38 miles north of Dundee between the mouths of the North and South Esk rivers...
in 1940. These were followed by civilian casualties from English cities, including London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
and Coventry
Coventry
Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...
, and later by soldiers from all theatres of the war. Long trains would deliver the wounded to Brechin station.
The hospital subsequently became a teaching hospital and later a rural general hospital, serving a population of about 110,230, with specialised departments including orthopaedic surgery and a high-tech surgical appliance unit.
In 1998, almost overnight, emergency general surgery was moved to Ninewells Hospital
Ninewells Hospital
Ninewells Hospital is one of the largest teaching hospitals in Europe, based on the western edge of Dundee, Scotland. It is internationally renowned for introducing laparoscopic surgery to the UK as well as being a leading centre in developing fields such as the management of cancer, medical...
. This threatened the future of the hospital, and led to speculation over its closure. The Tayside Acute Services Review in 2001 recommended a new hospital in Angus. An external review recommended continuation of some local services. The closure of the coronary care unit
Coronary care unit
A coronary care unit is a hospital ward specialized in the care of patients with heart attacks, unstable angina, Cardiac dysrhythmia and various other cardiac conditions that require continuous monitoring and treatment.-Characteristics:...
led to a paramedic
Paramedic
A paramedic is a healthcare professional that works in emergency medical situations. Paramedics provide advanced levels of care for medical emergencies and trauma. The majority of paramedics are based in the field in ambulances, emergency response vehicles, or in specialist mobile units such as...
-led thrombolysis
Thrombolysis
Thrombolysis is the breakdown of blood clots by pharmacological means. It is colloquially referred to as clot busting for this reason...
service in the community. Stracathro continues as a rural General Hospital for Angus, part of NHS Tayside
NHS Tayside
NHS Tayside is one of the fourteen regions of NHS Scotland. It provides healthcare services in the Angus, City of Dundee and Perth and Kinross areas. NHS Tayside is headquartered in Clepington Road, Dundee...
.
In 2005, the Scottish Regional Treatment Centre was developed at Stracathro.. This is a joint venture between the NHS and the private sector and included £15 million funding from the Scottish Executive
Scottish Executive
The Scottish Government is the executive arm of the devolved government of Scotland. It was established in 1999 as the Scottish Executive, from the extant Scottish Office, and the term Scottish Executive remains its legal name under the Scotland Act 1998...
. The SRTC caters for NHS patients from Grampian, Tayside and Fife Health Boards.
Stracathro House was sold in 2003 and has reverted to a private residence.