Hammersmith Hospital
Encyclopedia
Hammersmith Hospital is a major teaching hospital
in West London
. It is part of Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust
in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham
, and is associated with the Imperial College Faculty of Medicine
. Confusingly the hospital is north of White City
adjacent to Wormwood Scrubs
and East Acton, rather than in Hammersmith
.
Its origins begin in 1902, when the Hammersmith Poor Law Guardians decided to erect a new workhouse
and infirmary
on a 14 acres (56,656 m²) site at the north side of Du Cane Road in Hammersmith. The land, adjacent to Wormwood Scrubs Prison
, was purchased for £14,500 from the Ecclesiastical Commissioners
. A temporary corrugated iron building was erected on the site in 1902 to provide care for victims of a smallpox
epidemic that had taken place in the winter of 1901-2. The buildings were designed by the firm of Giles, Gough and Trollope. The infirmary
occupied the front part of the site with a central administrative building flanked by pavilion ward blocks linked by a single storey corridor running east-west. A laundry, boiler-house and workshops lay at the centre of the site.
In 1916, the patients and inmates were moved to other establishments and the site was taken over by the War Office
for use as the Military Orthopaedic Hospital. It was then renamed the Special Surgical Hospital, and in 1919 became the Ministry of Pensions Hospital. In 1926, demands by the Hammersmith Guardians for return of their property finally succeeded and the site became Hammersmith Hospital. By 1930, the infirmary could accommodate 300 patients.
Until 1997 it was the home of the Royal Postgraduate Medical School
, which then became part of Imperial College. The hospital continues to be a major centre of postgraduate medical study as part of the UK's first academic health science centre. The Medical Research Council
(MRC) also has a major presence at Hammersmith Hospital providing a strong foundation for clinical and scientific research, with extensive research and development of imaging techniques.
Hammersmith Hospital is internationally renowned for clinical research. Its clinical reputation was built on the treatment of medical conditions notably of the heart and kidney, and now includes an angioplasty suite, a cancer centre, a leukaemia wing (The Catherine Lewis Centre) and the West London Renal and Transplant Centre. Specialist surgery is available for liver cancer, kidney transplantation, gynaecological cancer and cardiothoracic procedures.
The address is: Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0HS.
The telephone number is 020 8383 1000.
Teaching hospital
A teaching hospital is a hospital that provides clinical education and training to future and current doctors, nurses, and other health professionals, in addition to delivering medical care to patients...
in West London
West London
West London generally refers to the western portions of London, and may refer specifically to:*West *West End of London*W postcode area...
. It is part of Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust
Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust
Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust is an NHS trust based in London, United Kingdom. It is the largest NHS trust in England and together with Imperial College London forms an academic health science centre....
in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham
London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham
The London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham is a London borough in West London, and forms part of Inner London. Traversed by the east-west main roads of the A4 Great West Road and the A40 Westway, many international corporations have offices in the borough....
, and is associated with the Imperial College Faculty of Medicine
Imperial College School of Medicine
The Imperial College School of Medicine is the medical school of Imperial College London in England, and one of the United Hospitals....
. Confusingly the hospital is north of White City
White City, London
White City is a district in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, to the north of Shepherd's Bush. Today, White City is home to the BBC Television Centre and BBC White City, and Loftus Road stadium, the home of football club Queens Park Rangers FC....
adjacent to Wormwood Scrubs
Wormwood Scrubs
Wormwood Scrubs, known locally as The Scrubs, is an open space located in the north-eastern corner of the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in west London. It is the largest open space in the Borough, at 80 ha , and one of the largest areas of common land in London...
and East Acton, rather than in Hammersmith
Hammersmith
Hammersmith is an urban centre in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in west London, England, in the United Kingdom, approximately five miles west of Charing Cross on the north bank of the River Thames...
.
Its origins begin in 1902, when the Hammersmith Poor Law Guardians decided to erect a new workhouse
Workhouse
In England and Wales a workhouse, colloquially known as a spike, was a place where those unable to support themselves were offered accommodation and employment...
and infirmary
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
on a 14 acres (56,656 m²) site at the north side of Du Cane Road in Hammersmith. The land, adjacent to Wormwood Scrubs Prison
Wormwood Scrubs (HM Prison)
HM Prison Wormwood Scrubs is a Category B men's prison, located in the Wormwood Scrubs area of the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, in inner west London, England. The prison is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service....
, was purchased for £14,500 from the Ecclesiastical Commissioners
Ecclesiastical Commissioners
Ecclesiastical Commissioners were, in England and Wales, a body corporate, whose full title is Ecclesiastical and Church Estates Commissioners for England. The commissioners were authorized to determine the distribution of revenues of the Church of England, and they made extensive changes in how...
. A temporary corrugated iron building was erected on the site in 1902 to provide care for victims of a smallpox
Smallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease unique to humans, caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor. The disease is also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera, which is a derivative of the Latin varius, meaning "spotted", or varus, meaning "pimple"...
epidemic that had taken place in the winter of 1901-2. The buildings were designed by the firm of Giles, Gough and Trollope. The infirmary
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
occupied the front part of the site with a central administrative building flanked by pavilion ward blocks linked by a single storey corridor running east-west. A laundry, boiler-house and workshops lay at the centre of the site.
In 1916, the patients and inmates were moved to other establishments and the site was taken over by the War Office
War Office
The War Office was a department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence...
for use as the Military Orthopaedic Hospital. It was then renamed the Special Surgical Hospital, and in 1919 became the Ministry of Pensions Hospital. In 1926, demands by the Hammersmith Guardians for return of their property finally succeeded and the site became Hammersmith Hospital. By 1930, the infirmary could accommodate 300 patients.
Until 1997 it was the home of the Royal Postgraduate Medical School
Royal Postgraduate Medical School
The Royal Postgraduate Medical School was an independent medical school, based primarily at Hammersmith Hospital in west London. In 1988, the school merged with the Institute of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, and in 1997 became part of the Imperial College School of Medicine.-History:The medical school...
, which then became part of Imperial College. The hospital continues to be a major centre of postgraduate medical study as part of the UK's first academic health science centre. The Medical Research Council
Medical Research Council (UK)
The Medical Research Council is a publicly-funded agency responsible for co-ordinating and funding medical research in the United Kingdom. It is one of seven Research Councils in the UK and is answerable to, although politically independent from, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills...
(MRC) also has a major presence at Hammersmith Hospital providing a strong foundation for clinical and scientific research, with extensive research and development of imaging techniques.
Hammersmith Hospital is internationally renowned for clinical research. Its clinical reputation was built on the treatment of medical conditions notably of the heart and kidney, and now includes an angioplasty suite, a cancer centre, a leukaemia wing (The Catherine Lewis Centre) and the West London Renal and Transplant Centre. Specialist surgery is available for liver cancer, kidney transplantation, gynaecological cancer and cardiothoracic procedures.
The address is: Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0HS.
The telephone number is 020 8383 1000.