Description

Princess Margaret Hospital is a public hospital which is run by the Canterbury District Health Board. Opened on 31 August 1959 as a general hospital, it is now primarily used for older persons health care and mental health

Mental health

Mental health describes either a level of cognitive or emotional well-being or an absence of a mental disorder. From perspectives of the discipline of positive psychology or holism mental health may include an individual's ability to enjoy life and procure a balance between life activities and...

 services. It also houses much of the administration of Canterbury District Health Board. It is built at the foot of the Port Hills

Port Hills

The Port Hills form the northern rim of the ancient Lyttelton volcano, separating the port of Lyttelton from the city of Christchurch in Canterbury, New Zealand...

, at the western edge of the suburb of Cashmere

Cashmere, New Zealand

The suburb of Cashmere rises above the southern end of the city of Christchurch in New Zealand’s South Island.-Geography:Cashmere is situated on the north side of the Port Hills, immediately above the southern terminus of Christchurch’s main street, Colombo Street...

. The hospital was named after the late Princess Margaret

Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon

Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon was the younger sister of Queen Elizabeth II and the younger daughter of King George VI....

, sister of Queen Elizabeth II. The land was purchased from the Cracroft Wilson estate and the buildings designed by the Christchurch architectural partnership of Seward and Stanton. Charles Luney

Charles Luney

Charles Seymour "Chas" Luney was a builder and company director. He is notable for the many important buildings that his company constructed in Christchurch, of which his favourite was Christchurch Town Hall. His professional career spanned 80 years.-Early life:Luney was born in Lyttelton. His...

 was chosen as the construction professional. The complex was opened by the then Governor-General of New Zealand, Charles Lyttelton, 10th Viscount Cobham

Charles Lyttelton, 10th Viscount Cobham

Charles John Lyttelton, 10th Viscount Cobham, KG, GCMG, GCVO, TD, PC was the ninth Governor-General of New Zealand and an English cricketer.-Early life and family:...

.

Princess Margaret Hospital has a regional service that specially caters for people suffering from eating disorders known as the South Island Eating Disorders Service. The unit is the only place in New Zealand which has a in-patient unit specifically offering a dedicated weight gain programme to treat people with eating disorders. The unit is small and holds six to seven service users and shares facilities with the Mothers and Babies Unit next door (the two are collectively known as C-Ward"). The unit also has an outpatient area designed for people to have therapy suffering from eating disorders.

At one point, it was thought that this would become the main hospital for Christchurch, but it was thought that it is too far away from the centre of the city.

External links

• The Princess Margaret Hospital - Canterbury District Health Board