Darlington Memorial Hospital
Encyclopedia
Darlington Memorial Hospital provides acute hospital services for the area around Darlington
, South Durham
and parts of North Yorkshire
. Its quality of services and use of resources were rated 'excellent' by the HealthCare Commission Ratings.
The Hospital is run by (and serves as the headquarters for) the County Durham and Darlington Foundation NHS Trust, which achieved Foundation Trust status in 2007.
The main 'tower block' is the most modern and distinctive part of the hospital. It has a basement a ground floor and six further floors. It contains all the wards in the hospital, the eye and ENT departments, the pathology department, the lecture theatre and library, catering services, restaurant and some administrative facilities.
To the front of this is a three-storey building which contains accident and emergency, the main outpatients department, theatres, radiography and physiotherapy. The pharmacy and domestics are in the basement of this building.
The site also contains 'the Women's Centre' and a large portion of the offices for the health trust.
Other facilities include a childcare centre for the doctors and a social club which is also available for hire to the general public.
Children's psychology is still provided on the DMH site in the 'Mulberry Centre', managed by the Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust (TEWV). TEWV's predecessors operated a psychiatric unit on site until its relocation to the new West Park Hospital
on the outskirts of Darlington.
Recently the stroke rehabilitation unit has been relocated to Bishop Auckland General Hospital
, however Darlington still continues to treat acute stroke patients. In recent years many of Bishop Auckland's maternity beds have been transferred to Darlington.
There are some services such as neurosurgery, heart surgery and radiotherapy which are not provided at Darlington Memorial Hospital. The super-sized James Cook University Hospital
in Middlesbrough is the region's designated hospital for these specialties. The hospital also provides no intermediate care for rehab patients. Most of these are treated at Bishop Auckland General Hospital
and the Richardson Community Hospital in Barnard Castle.
While this hospital is designated for Eye and Ear, Nose and Throat surgery, University Hospital of North Durham
in Durham City deals with plastic surgery, vascular surgery and dermatology.
Darlington Memorial Hospital also takes the trauma, emergency surgery cases, and babies needing special care baby unit treatment from the Bishop Auckland catchment area.
Darlington Memorial Hospital was officially opened in 1933 by Prince George, (who later became the Duke of York). Many people gathered to see its official opening.
The 'Memorial Hall' is the only remaining part of the original hospital and is a listed building and stands behind the war memorial which existed before the hospital did. It is now used for occupational health, the personnel department and the training and development offices.
Much of the older hospital was sited on what is now the visitors' car park.
Hundens Lane Hospital later became an ear, nose and throat hospital before its closure. Greenbank Maternity hospital also closed and both are now demolished.
The 'New Hospital' was officially opened in 1980. Most of the beds are now in 6 bedded single sex bays with toilets and shower facilities. There are no 'Nightingale' wards remaining.
Darlington
Darlington is a market town in the Borough of Darlington, part of the ceremonial county of County Durham, England. It lies on the small River Skerne, a tributary of the River Tees, not far from the main river. It is the main population centre in the borough, with a population of 97,838 as of 2001...
, South Durham
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
and parts of North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county primarily in that region but partly in North East England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 it covers an area of , making it the largest...
. Its quality of services and use of resources were rated 'excellent' by the HealthCare Commission Ratings.
The Hospital is run by (and serves as the headquarters for) the County Durham and Darlington Foundation NHS Trust, which achieved Foundation Trust status in 2007.
Services
These include: Accident and Emergency, Maternity/SCBU, Children's Ward, Trauma and Orthopaedics, General Surgery (Day Surgery, Elective Surgery and Emergency Surgery), Acute Medical, Chemotherapy, Intensive Therapy Unit (ITU), High Dependency Unit(HDU), Coronary Care (CCU), Ear Nose and Throat (ENT) Unit and Eye Unit.The main 'tower block' is the most modern and distinctive part of the hospital. It has a basement a ground floor and six further floors. It contains all the wards in the hospital, the eye and ENT departments, the pathology department, the lecture theatre and library, catering services, restaurant and some administrative facilities.
To the front of this is a three-storey building which contains accident and emergency, the main outpatients department, theatres, radiography and physiotherapy. The pharmacy and domestics are in the basement of this building.
The site also contains 'the Women's Centre' and a large portion of the offices for the health trust.
Other facilities include a childcare centre for the doctors and a social club which is also available for hire to the general public.
Children's psychology is still provided on the DMH site in the 'Mulberry Centre', managed by the Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust (TEWV). TEWV's predecessors operated a psychiatric unit on site until its relocation to the new West Park Hospital
West Park Hospital
West Park is a modern NHS adult mental health unit situated on the north-western outskirts of Darlington. It was built to replace the dated facilies at the now demolished Winterton Hospital and the Pierremont unit at Darlington Memorial Hospital....
on the outskirts of Darlington.
Recently the stroke rehabilitation unit has been relocated to Bishop Auckland General Hospital
Bishop Auckland General Hospital
Bishop Auckland Hospital is a small NHS district general hospital serving the western part of County Durham, with a primarily rural catchment area centred on the Wear Valley. It was opened in 2002 and then had around 286 beds, but this number has since been cut substantially. There has been much...
, however Darlington still continues to treat acute stroke patients. In recent years many of Bishop Auckland's maternity beds have been transferred to Darlington.
There are some services such as neurosurgery, heart surgery and radiotherapy which are not provided at Darlington Memorial Hospital. The super-sized James Cook University Hospital
James Cook University Hospital
The James Cook University Hospital is a 1010 bed major tertiary referral hospital and district general hospital in Middlesbrough, England, lying on Marton Road, a major route into the centre of Middlesbrough . It forms part of the South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, along with the Friarage...
in Middlesbrough is the region's designated hospital for these specialties. The hospital also provides no intermediate care for rehab patients. Most of these are treated at Bishop Auckland General Hospital
Bishop Auckland General Hospital
Bishop Auckland Hospital is a small NHS district general hospital serving the western part of County Durham, with a primarily rural catchment area centred on the Wear Valley. It was opened in 2002 and then had around 286 beds, but this number has since been cut substantially. There has been much...
and the Richardson Community Hospital in Barnard Castle.
While this hospital is designated for Eye and Ear, Nose and Throat surgery, University Hospital of North Durham
University Hospital of North Durham
The University Hospital of North Durham , provides acute services for the north of County Durham, north east England; including Durham, Chester-le-Street and the former district of Derwentside. The hospital is operated by County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust. The Chief Executive is...
in Durham City deals with plastic surgery, vascular surgery and dermatology.
Darlington Memorial Hospital also takes the trauma, emergency surgery cases, and babies needing special care baby unit treatment from the Bishop Auckland catchment area.
History
The first hospital to open in Darlington was the Hundens Lane Isolation Hospital in the 1800s. Soon after this Darlington Hospital and dispensary opened on Russell Street. Greenbank Maternity Hospital opened in the late nineteenth century and a Red Cross Hospital operated on Skinnergate in the early 20th century.Darlington Memorial Hospital was officially opened in 1933 by Prince George, (who later became the Duke of York). Many people gathered to see its official opening.
The 'Memorial Hall' is the only remaining part of the original hospital and is a listed building and stands behind the war memorial which existed before the hospital did. It is now used for occupational health, the personnel department and the training and development offices.
Much of the older hospital was sited on what is now the visitors' car park.
Hundens Lane Hospital later became an ear, nose and throat hospital before its closure. Greenbank Maternity hospital also closed and both are now demolished.
The 'New Hospital' was officially opened in 1980. Most of the beds are now in 6 bedded single sex bays with toilets and shower facilities. There are no 'Nightingale' wards remaining.