University College Hospital
Encyclopedia
University College Hospital (UCH) is a teaching hospital
located in London
, United Kingdom
. It is part of the University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
and is closely associated with University College London (UCL)
.
The hospital has 665 in-patient beds, 12 operating theatres and houses the largest single critical care unit in the NHS
. The Accident & Emergency department
sees approximately 80,000 patients a year. It is a major teaching hospital
and a key location for the UCL Medical School. It is also a major centre for medical research and part of both the UCLH/UCL Comprehensive Biomedical Research Centre
and the UCL Partners
academic health science centre
.
The hospital is located on Euston Road
in the Fitzrovia
area of Central London
, adjacent to the main campus of UCL. The nearest London Underground
station is Euston Square
, with Warren Street
and Goodge Street
nearby.
to allow students access to that hospital's wards. It soon became known as University College Hospital.
In 1835 Robert Liston
became the first professor of clinical surgery at UCH,
and the first major operation under ether
in Europe
was conducted at the hospital by Liston on 21 December 1846. UCH was split from UCL in 1905, and a new hospital building designed by Alfred Waterhouse
, known as the Cruciform Building, was opened in 1906. UCH merged with the National Dental Hospital in 1914, and the Royal Ear Hospital in 1920. In 1994 UCH became part of the University College London Hospitals NHS Trust
. The hospital site at the Cruciform Building was closed in 1995 and the building purchased by UCL, for use as the home for the Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research and pre-clinical teaching facilities for the UCL Medical School.
A major new £422 million, 75,822 m² hospital was opened in 2005, constructed by a partnership between AMEC
, Balfour Beatty
and Interserve
under the Private Finance Initiative
. In November 2008, the £70 million University College Hospital Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Wing
was opened, allowing the hospital to offer all women's health services in one place (with the exception of some breast and gynaecology services).
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...
located in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. It is part of the University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is an NHS foundation trust based in London, United Kingdom. It comprises the Eastman Dental Hospital, The Heart Hospital, the Hospital for Tropical Diseases, the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, the Royal London Hospital for...
and is closely associated with University College London (UCL)
University College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
.
The hospital has 665 in-patient beds, 12 operating theatres and houses the largest single critical care unit in the NHS
National Health Service
The National Health Service is the shared name of three of the four publicly funded healthcare systems in the United Kingdom. They provide a comprehensive range of health services, the vast majority of which are free at the point of use to residents of the United Kingdom...
. The Accident & Emergency department
Emergency department
An emergency department , also known as accident & emergency , emergency room , emergency ward , or casualty department is a medical treatment facility specialising in acute care of patients who present without prior appointment, either by their own means or by ambulance...
sees approximately 80,000 patients a year. It is a major teaching hospital
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...
and a key location for the UCL Medical School. It is also a major centre for medical research and part of both the UCLH/UCL Comprehensive Biomedical Research Centre
UCLH/UCL Comprehensive Biomedical Research Centre
The UCLH/UCL Comprehensive Biomedical Research Centre is a biomedical research centre based in London, United Kingdom. It is a partnership between University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust , University College London and the National Institute for Health Research and is one of five...
and the UCL Partners
UCL Partners
UCL Partners is an academic health science centre located in London, United Kingdom. It is the largest academic health science centre in Europe, treats more than 1.5 million patients each year, has an annual turnover of around £2 billion and includes around 3,500 scientists, senior researchers and...
academic health science centre
Academic health science centre
An academic health science centre is a partnership between one or more universities and healthcare providers focusing on research, clinical services, education and training...
.
The hospital is located on Euston Road
Euston Road
Euston Road is an important thoroughfare in central London, England, and forms part of the A501. It is part of the New Road from Paddington to Islington, and was opened as part of the New Road in 1756...
in the Fitzrovia
Fitzrovia
Fitzrovia is a neighbourhood in central London, near London's West End lying partly in the London Borough of Camden and partly in the City of Westminster ; and situated between Marylebone and Bloomsbury and north of Soho. It is characterised by its mixed-use of residential, business, retail,...
area of Central London
Central London
Central London is the innermost part of London, England. There is no official or commonly accepted definition of its area, but its characteristics are understood to include a high density built environment, high land values, an elevated daytime population and a concentration of regionally,...
, adjacent to the main campus of UCL. The nearest London Underground
London Underground
The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
station is Euston Square
Euston Square tube station
Euston Square is a London Underground station at the corner of Euston Road and Gower Street, just north of University College London and within walking distance of Euston railway station. It is between Great Portland Street and King's Cross St. Pancras on the Circle, Hammersmith & City and...
, with Warren Street
Warren Street tube station
Warren Street tube station is a London Underground station, located at the intersection of Tottenham Court Road and Euston Road. It is on the branch of the Northern Line, between and , and the Victoria Line between and Euston. It is in Travelcard Zone 1 and is the nearest tube station to...
and Goodge Street
Goodge Street tube station
Goodge Street is a London Underground station on Tottenham Court Road. It is on the Northern Line between Tottenham Court Road and Warren Street, and is in Travelcard Zone 1.-History:...
nearby.
History
The hospital was founded as the 'North London Hospital' in 1834, eight years after UCL (then known as the London University), in order to provide clinical training for the "medical classes" of the university, after a refusal by the governors of the Middlesex HospitalMiddlesex Hospital
The Middlesex Hospital was a teaching hospital located in the Fitzrovia area of London, United Kingdom. First opened in 1745 on Windmill Street, it was moved in 1757 to Mortimer Street where it remained until it was finally closed in 2005. Its staff and services were transferred to various sites...
to allow students access to that hospital's wards. It soon became known as University College Hospital.
In 1835 Robert Liston
Robert Liston
Robert Liston was a pioneering Scottish surgeon, and the son of the Scottish minister and inventor Henry Liston, whose father was also a Robert Liston, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland....
became the first professor of clinical surgery at UCH,
and the first major operation under ether
Diethyl ether
Diethyl ether, also known as ethyl ether, simply ether, or ethoxyethane, is an organic compound in the ether class with the formula . It is a colorless, highly volatile flammable liquid with a characteristic odor...
in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
was conducted at the hospital by Liston on 21 December 1846. UCH was split from UCL in 1905, and a new hospital building designed by Alfred Waterhouse
Alfred Waterhouse
Alfred Waterhouse was a British architect, particularly associated with the Victorian Gothic Revival architecture. He is perhaps best known for his design for the Natural History Museum in London, and Manchester Town Hall, although he also built a wide variety of other buildings throughout the...
, known as the Cruciform Building, was opened in 1906. UCH merged with the National Dental Hospital in 1914, and the Royal Ear Hospital in 1920. In 1994 UCH became part of the University College London Hospitals NHS Trust
University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is an NHS foundation trust based in London, United Kingdom. It comprises the Eastman Dental Hospital, The Heart Hospital, the Hospital for Tropical Diseases, the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, the Royal London Hospital for...
. The hospital site at the Cruciform Building was closed in 1995 and the building purchased by UCL, for use as the home for the Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research and pre-clinical teaching facilities for the UCL Medical School.
A major new £422 million, 75,822 m² hospital was opened in 2005, constructed by a partnership between AMEC
AMEC
AMEC plc is a global consultancy, engineering and project management company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is focused on the oil and gas, minerals and metals, renewable energy, environment and infrastructure sectors and has offices in 40 countries worldwide...
, Balfour Beatty
Balfour Beatty
Balfour Beatty plc is a British construction, engineering, military housing, rail and investment services company. It is one of the largest construction companies in the UK, and the 15th largest in the world...
and Interserve
Interserve
Interserve plc is an international support services and construction company based in the UK, with revenue of £1.9 billion and a workforce of 50,000 people worldwide. The company is headquartered in Reading, Berkshire and is listed on the London Stock Exchange...
under the Private Finance Initiative
Private Finance Initiative
The private finance initiative is a way of creating "public–private partnerships" by funding public infrastructure projects with private capital...
. In November 2008, the £70 million University College Hospital Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Wing
University College Hospital Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Wing
The University College Hospital Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Wing is a maternity and neonatal service at University College Hospital in Bloomsbury, London in the United Kingdom...
was opened, allowing the hospital to offer all women's health services in one place (with the exception of some breast and gynaecology services).
Services
The following services are currently provided at the hospital:- Accident & emergencyEmergency departmentAn emergency department , also known as accident & emergency , emergency room , emergency ward , or casualty department is a medical treatment facility specialising in acute care of patients who present without prior appointment, either by their own means or by ambulance...
- Cancer careOncologyOncology is a branch of medicine that deals with cancer...
- Critical care
- EndocrinologyEndocrinologyEndocrinology is a branch of biology and medicine dealing with the endocrine system, its diseases, and its specific secretions called hormones, the integration of developmental events such as proliferation, growth, and differentiation and the coordination of...
- General surgeryGeneral surgeryGeneral surgery, despite its name, is a surgical specialty that focuses on abdominal organs, e.g., intestines including esophagus, stomach, small bowel, colon, liver, pancreas, gallbladder and bile ducts, and often the thyroid gland . They also deal with diseases involving the skin, breast, soft...
- OphthalmologyOphthalmologyOphthalmology is the branch of medicine that deals with the anatomy, physiology and diseases of the eye. An ophthalmologist is a specialist in medical and surgical eye problems...
- DermatologyDermatologyDermatology is the branch of medicine dealing with the skin and its diseases, a unique specialty with both medical and surgical aspects. A dermatologist takes care of diseases, in the widest sense, and some cosmetic problems of the skin, scalp, hair, and nails....
- General medicine
- GynaecologyGynaecologyGynaecology or gynecology is the medical practice dealing with the health of the female reproductive system . Literally, outside medicine, it means "the science of women"...
- General neurologyNeurologyNeurology is a medical specialty dealing with disorders of the nervous system. Specifically, it deals with the diagnosis and treatment of all categories of disease involving the central, peripheral, and autonomic nervous systems, including their coverings, blood vessels, and all effector tissue,...
- RheumatologyRheumatologyRheumatology is a sub-specialty in internal medicine and pediatrics, devoted to diagnosis and therapy of rheumatic diseases. Clinicians who specialize in rheumatology are called rheumatologists...
- Orthopaedics
- Paediatrics and adolescents
- UrologyUrologyUrology is the medical and surgical specialty that focuses on the urinary tracts of males and females, and on the reproductive system of males. Medical professionals specializing in the field of urology are called urologists and are trained to diagnose, treat, and manage patients with urological...
- Sterile Services
Sources
- University College Hospital and its Medical School: a history by W R Merrington (1976) ISBN 0434465003