Northern General Hospital facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Northern General Hospital
Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Northern General Hospital
Location in South Yorkshire
Geography
Location	Herries Road, Fir Vale, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England
Coordinates	53°24′39″N 1°27′30″W / 53.41083°N 1.45833°W / 53.41083; -1.45833
Organisation
Care system	NHS England
Hospital type	Teaching
Affiliated university	University of Sheffield Sheffield Hallam University
Services
Emergency department	Yes – Major Trauma Centre
Helipad	Yes
Beds	1,100
History
Founded	1878 (as Fir Vale Workhouse)

The Northern General Hospital is a very large hospital in Sheffield, England. It's a special place because it's a teaching hospital, meaning doctors and nurses learn there. It's also a Major Trauma Centre, which means it's equipped to help people with very serious injuries. The hospital has an Accident and Emergency (A&E) for adults. Kids needing emergency care usually go to the Sheffield Children's Hospital. The hospital is run by the Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

History of the Hospital

The Northern General Hospital started a long time ago, in 1878. Back then, it was called the Fir Vale workhouse and infirmary. An infirmary was a place for sick people. When it first opened in 1881, it could look after 366 patients.

Over the years, the hospital's name changed a few times.

• In 1906, it became the Sheffield Union Hospital.
• Later, it was known as Fir Vale Hospital.
• Then, in 1930, it changed to the City General Hospital.

A really important event happened here in 1955. Doctors at the City General Hospital performed the world's first ever heart valve replacement operation! This was a huge step forward in medicine.

In 1967, the City General Hospital joined with another local infirmary to become the Northern General Hospital we know today. In 1989, the hospital played a vital role when it helped many victims of the Hillsborough disaster.

In 1991, the hospital became its own special NHS Trust. Later, in 2001, it joined with other hospitals to form the Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. This trust became a Foundation Trust in 2004.

The hospital keeps getting better. In 2008, a new unit for patients recovering from surgery was opened. In 2016, a new helipad was built. This helipad allows helicopters to land directly at the hospital, bringing seriously injured patients quickly to the A&E department.

Hospital Services and Buildings

Huntsman Building Entrance, 2016

The Northern General Hospital has many different buildings and sections. Many of these are named after important people from Sheffield, especially those famous in the steel industry.

• The Huntsman Building: This building is named after Benjamin Huntsman, who made special steel. It mainly deals with orthopaedics, which is about bones and joints. It also has the main A&E, X-ray rooms, operating theatres, and a large dining area.
• The Firth Wing: Named after Mark Firth, an industrialist. This wing has wards for heart care (like the CCU) and Vascular surgery, which deals with blood vessels.
• The Chesterman Wing: This wing is named after James Chesterman, who made steel products. It's home to the regional heart centre and has many facilities for both inpatients (people staying in hospital) and outpatients (people visiting for appointments).
• The Vickers Corridor: Named after Edward Vickers, another industrialist. This area focuses on kidney problems (renal diseases) and hormone issues (endocrine diseases). It also has parts of the Sheffield Medical School.
• The Sorby Wing: Named after Henry Clifton Sorby, a scientist. This wing has the outpatient unit for kidney patients and a special centre for bone health.
• The Osborn Building: Named after Sir Samuel Osborn, a steelmaker. This building contains the spinal unit, which helps people with back and neck problems.
• The Brearley Wing: Named after Harry Brearley, who discovered stainless steel. This wing has wards for breathing problems (respiratory) and rehabilitation, which helps people get better after illness or injury. It also has a special lounge where patients can wait comfortably before going home.
• The Bev Stokes Day-surgery Unit: Named after Harold Beverley Stokes, a former leader of the hospital. This unit is for day surgeries, where patients come in for an operation and go home the same day.
• The Hadfield Wing: Named after Sir Robert Hadfield, another metallurgist. This wing has departments that moved from older parts of the hospital, including a ward for hip injuries.

The hospital also has a critical care department with an intensive care unit for very sick patients. The Clock Tower Building holds offices for finance, human resources, and even a hospital museum. There's also a GP centre for minor illnesses, which helps the A&E department focus on serious emergencies.

Transport to the Hospital

You can get to the Northern General Hospital easily by bus.