Watford General Hospital facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Watford General Hospital |
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| West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust | |
Watford General Hospital from Vicarage Road
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 Location in Hertfordshire
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| Geography | |
| Location | Vicarage Road, Watford, Hertfordshire, England |
| Coordinates | 51°38′54″N 0°24′14″W / 51.64833°N 0.40389°W |
| Organisation | |
| Care system | National Health Service |
| Hospital type | District General |
| Services | |
| Emergency department | Yes |
| Beds | 521 |
| History | |
| Founded | 1948 |
Watford General Hospital is a large hospital in Watford, Hertfordshire, England. It has 521 beds for patients who need care. This hospital, along with Hemel Hempstead Hospital and St Albans City Hospital, is managed by the West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust. It's a place where people go for many different health needs, from emergencies to planned treatments.
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Hospital History
Watford General Hospital started when the National Health Service (NHS) was created in 1948. It used buildings that were once a "workhouse." A workhouse was a place where poor people could live and work in the past. From 1929, these buildings were known as Shrodells Public Assistance Institution.
Important Hospital Additions
In 1965, the hospital grew bigger. It added the Peace Memorial Wing. This happened when the management of the Peace Memorial Hospital moved to the Shrodells site. Today, the Peace Hospice is located where the old Peace Memorial Hospital used to be.
Later, in 1986, the Princess Michael of Kent Wing was opened by Princess Michael of Kent. This added more space for patients. In 2010, a new unit for patients needing urgent care was opened. This unit was opened by Andy Burnham, who was a government minister for health at the time.
Hospital Improvements
The hospital's emergency department was built for about 30,000 visits each year. However, it now receives over 88,000 visits. This means it is very busy.
In 2015, a health inspection group called the Care Quality Commission (CQC) said the hospital needed to improve. By 2018, after making changes, the hospital's rating improved.
Plans to make the hospital even better were approved in 2008. These plans include creating a "Watford Health Campus." In 2010, agreements were signed to provide £3 million for new roads and transport around the hospital. A company called Kier Property was chosen in 2012 to help with this big project. It is expected to take 15 to 20 years to finish all the improvements.
Hospital Facilities
A new road has been built to make it easier to get to the hospital. This road connects the hospital to the town centre and the M1 motorway. It is called Thomas Sawyer Way and is the main way to access the hospital.
The hospital is also easy to reach by bus. Many local buses run between the town centre and Rickmansworth, stopping near the hospital.
Images for kids
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The Administration Block
