Watford General Hospital facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Watford General Hospital |
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| West Hertfordshire Teaching 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. This hospital works with Hemel Hempstead Hospital and St Albans City Hospital. They are all managed by the West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. This trust helps make sure people get good healthcare.
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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. From 1929, these buildings were known as Shrodells Public Assistance Institution.
In 1965, the hospital added the Peace Memorial Wing. This happened when the management of the Peace Memorial Hospital moved to the Shrodells site. The Peace Hospice, a place that cares for people with serious illnesses, is now located where the original Peace Memorial Hospital used to be.
Important Openings
Many new parts of the hospital have opened over the years. In 1986, Princess Michael of Kent opened the Princess Michael of Kent Wing. This was an important addition to the hospital.
Later, in February 2010, a special unit for urgent patient admissions was opened. This unit helps people who need to be admitted to the hospital quickly. Andy Burnham, who was the Secretary of State for Health at the time, opened this new unit.
Hospital Improvements
The hospital has been working to improve its services. In 2015, a group called the Care Quality Commission (CQC) checked the hospital. They said it needed to improve. By January 2018, the hospital had made progress. The CQC then said it "requires improvement," which was a step up.
There are plans to make the hospital even better. In 2008, permission was given to rebuild parts of the hospital. This project is called the Watford Health Campus. It is a big plan that will take many years to finish. In 2012, a company called Kier Property was chosen to help with this development. The project is expected to take 15 to 20 years to complete.
Hospital Facilities
The hospital has good connections to the local area. A new road was built to make it easier to get to the hospital from the town centre and the M1 motorway. This road is called Thomas Sawyer Way. It is now the main way to access the hospital.
Getting There
Watford General Hospital is also easy to reach by public transport. Many local buses run between the town centre and Rickmansworth. These bus services make it simple for patients, visitors, and staff to get to and from the hospital.
