Queen Victoria Hospital facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Queen Victoria Hospital |
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| Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Foundation Trust | |
Queen Victoria Hospital
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 Location in West Sussex
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| Geography | |
| Location | East Grinstead, West Sussex, England |
| Coordinates | 51°08′07″N 0°00′05″E / 51.135278°N 0.001389°E |
| Organisation | |
| Care system | National Health Service |
| Services | |
| Emergency department | Minor Injuries Unit |
| Beds | 80 |
| History | |
| Founded | 1863 |
The Queen Victoria Hospital (QVH) is a special hospital in East Grinstead, England. It's famous for its amazing work in reconstructive surgery. This type of surgery helps people who have been badly hurt or have conditions that change their appearance. The hospital also helps patients at other clinics nearby. It became known worldwide for its new ways of treating burns and doing plastic surgery. The hospital is named after Queen Victoria and is run by the Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
Contents
A Look Back: The Hospital's History
The hospital started as the East Grinstead Cottage Hospital in 1863. It changed its name to "Queen Victoria Hospital" in the 1930s. In 1936, it moved to its current location.
Helping Heroes During World War II
During the Second World War, the hospital became a special burns unit. This was thanks to the leadership of Sir Archibald McIndoe. He was a pioneer in treating badly burned or injured airmen. These airmen were from the Royal Air Force (RAF) and other allied forces. They needed special reconstructive plastic surgery to help them recover.
The hospital became famous for its new ways of treating these injuries. In 1941, the Guinea Pig Club was formed here. This club was a social group and support network. It helped the airmen and their families. The club continued to support its members for many years after the war. They met regularly in East Grinstead until 2007.
Modern Upgrades and Care
Today, the Queen Victoria Hospital is still a leader in special care. It is known for its excellent burns treatment and expert staff throughout England. In recent years, the hospital has been updated. A new outpatients department opened in 2012. The burns and children's units were also made new. In 2013, six new operating theatres were opened by the Princess Royal.
Special Care and Services
The hospital is a top center for burns and reconstructive surgery. This means they use special methods like tissue transplant and microvascular surgery. These help to fix damage from disease, injuries, or birth defects. Here are some of the special units:
Burns Centre: Healing Severe Burns
The QVH Burns Centre provides expert care for people with severe burns. They help patients from across the South East of England. The hospital worked with the Kent Police on a special project. A young woman who was badly burned by a firework shared her story in a video. This video helps other young people understand the dangers of fireworks.
Corneo Plastic Unit: Eye and Face Surgery
The Corneo Plastic Unit was started in the 1940s. It specializes in corneal transplantation surgery. This is when a damaged part of the eye is replaced. They also perform oculoplastics, which is surgery around the eye. The hospital also has an eye bank, which stores eye tissue for transplants.
This unit continues to perform corneal transplantation and other eye surgeries. A doctor named Raman Malhotra at the hospital found a new way to treat a condition called Blepharospasm. This condition causes eyelids to twitch or close.
Plastic Surgery Unit: Rebuilding and Repairing
The hospital is a major center for Plastic Surgery. They also perform Hand surgery here. Doctors at the hospital have even shared videos of complex hand operations online. In one amazing case, surgeons at QVH successfully reattached a man's arm. He had accidentally cut it off with a chainsaw. After a 14-hour operation, he was able to use his fingers again!
Maxillofacial Surgery: Face and Jaw Experts
The Maxillofacial unit is known worldwide for its training and teaching. Staff here are experts in many areas. These include oral surgery (mouth surgery), orthodontics (teeth straightening), and fixing facial trauma (face injuries). They also treat head and neck cancer and help with reconstruction of the face and jaw. For example, they performed major reconstructive surgery on a woman whose face was badly injured by her own dog.
Therapies Department: Helping Patients Recover
The Therapies Department helps patients get better after their special treatments. They also offer many services to the local community. These include physiotherapy, clinics for back pain, and speech and language therapy. They also have weight management clinics and groups for people with Parkinson's disease. This department is also part of a leading team that treats facial palsy, which is when facial muscles are weak or paralyzed.
In 2012, the hospital made a short film about its services. It was called the Queen Victoria Hospital Short Film 2012.
Telemedicine: Care from a Distance
Queen Victoria Hospital uses a special system called telemedicine. This allows doctors to refer patients and share information using technology. It's especially helpful for reconstructive surgery after injuries. In 2008, this telemedicine service won an award for its new technology. It was also featured in a documentary.
Hospital Performance: How Well It Does
The Queen Victoria Hospital is known for its high quality of care.
In a 2011/12 survey, 94% of cancer patients said their care at QVH was 'excellent' or 'very good'. This was the highest score among all hospitals providing cancer services. In another survey in 2011, the hospital got the highest scores in the country for many questions. This included "Overall, how would you rate the care you received?".
In a 2011 survey for NHS staff, 94% of doctors and nurses said they would tell friends and family to use their hospital. This was more than any other hospital in the country. In 2011, an independent guide called the Dr Foster Hospital Guide said it was the most recommended NHS hospital in the country.
In 2015, the Health Service Journal named it one of the top 100 NHS trusts to work for. At that time, 91% of staff recommended it as a place for treatment. Also, 74% recommended it as a place to work.
Getting There: Transport Links
Local bus services are provided by Metrobus. The following bus routes pass the hospital:
- Route 281: This bus runs every hour. It connects QVH to the town center, station, and other nearby towns like Crawley and Lingfield.
- Route 400: This bus also runs every hour. It links QVH to the town center, Crawley, Horley, East Surrey Hospital, and Redhill.
See also
- Healthcare in Sussex
- List of hospitals in England
