Earls House Hospital
Encyclopedia
Earls House Hospital is a hospital
located in County Durham
, England
, and lies on a large site just north west of Durham
city. The hospital is run by Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Trust
who also run St Luke's Hospital, Middlesbrough
, and West Park Hospital
in Darlington. It formerly served as the headquarters for the old County Durham and Darlington Priority Services NHS trust. The site hosts offices for Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Trust, County Durham Primary Care Trust, regional internal audit services, and training facilities for the North East Ambulance Service.
hospital. By 1928, it became known as Earls House Sanatorium. It is spread over a very spacious site. The original red brick sections of the hospital provide offices for County Durham Primary Care Trust. Many of the newer ‘villas’ that became used as the main housing for people with learning disabilities closed down in the 1990s when Care in the community
was seen to be the only way to cut costs. Most of the villas are now disused or used for administration and training. The hospital now also provides a small general outpatient facility, which includes a dental clinic and a wheelchair and hearing aid service. There is also a large restaurant on the site.
Mental Health Services for Older People
The modern Bowes Lyon Unit, provides two wards for the elderly organic and functional psychiatry and a day unit and clinic.
Two villas in the hospital are currently used for elderly people with severe challenging behaviours who cannot be placed in appropriate care homes.
.
Shortly the County Hospital, Durham
will be relocated to this site and a new purpose built unit will be constructed to house the two adult psychiatric wards from the County Hospital and a further psychiatric ward for the elderly on a different site which was opened as an interim measure and is set to closed and be relocated to Earls House.
The current Bowes Lyon Unit will remain however. The new development is also anticipated to contain a physiotherapy department.
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....
located in County 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...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, and lies on a large site just north west of Durham
Durham
Durham is a city in north east England. It is within the County Durham local government district, and is the county town of the larger ceremonial county...
city. The hospital is run by Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Trust
Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Trust
The Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Trust is a NHS Trust that provides mental health, learning disability and addictive behaviour services. It covers the 1.4 million people living in County Durham, the Tees Valley and North East Yorkshire. The trust's annual income is approximately...
who also run St Luke's Hospital, Middlesbrough
St Luke's Hospital, Middlesbrough
St Luke's Hospital, Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, England is unique as it is a remaining example of a well intact Victorian asylum. The building now provides a range of services for adults and older people with mental health problems and learning disabilities...
, and 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....
in Darlington. It formerly served as the headquarters for the old County Durham and Darlington Priority Services NHS trust. The site hosts offices for Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Trust, County Durham Primary Care Trust, regional internal audit services, and training facilities for the North East Ambulance Service.
History
Earls House began as a vocational residential school for children with special academic needs. It slowly developed into a learning disabilityLearning disability
Learning disability is a classification including several disorders in which a person has difficulty learning in a typical manner, usually caused by an unknown factor or factors...
hospital. By 1928, it became known as Earls House Sanatorium. It is spread over a very spacious site. The original red brick sections of the hospital provide offices for County Durham Primary Care Trust. Many of the newer ‘villas’ that became used as the main housing for people with learning disabilities closed down in the 1990s when Care in the community
Care in the Community
Care in the Community is the British policy of deinstitutionalization, treating and caring for physically and mentally disabled people in their homes rather than in an institution...
was seen to be the only way to cut costs. Most of the villas are now disused or used for administration and training. The hospital now also provides a small general outpatient facility, which includes a dental clinic and a wheelchair and hearing aid service. There is also a large restaurant on the site.
Learning disability services
Three villas on site provide inpatient care for people with learning disabilities (most people with severe learning disabilities in County Durham are cared for in private homes or smaller NHS-run houses). One of the villas at Earls house is a respite care treatment centre, one a long stay residence and one for forensic learning disabilities. The hospital is also home to the regional behavioural support team for learning disability.Mental Health Services for Older People
The modern Bowes Lyon Unit, provides two wards for the elderly organic and functional psychiatry and a day unit and clinic.
Two villas in the hospital are currently used for elderly people with severe challenging behaviours who cannot be placed in appropriate care homes.
Adult mental health services
One of the villas has recently been converted into a small residential special care mental health unit to replace part of the region's demolished Winterton HospitalWinterton Hospital
Winterton Hospital was a psychiatric hospital in County Durham, England and was one of the biggest in Europe.-History:A site for the Durham County Asylum was purchased in 1855 on land between the villages of Fishburn and Sedgefield. The hospital was to be designed by the architect John Howison, the...
.
Shortly the County Hospital, Durham
County Hospital, Durham
County Hospital, Durham is a hospital that is part of the Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys Foundation Trust of the NHS and provides mental health care to people from the North Durham area.-History:...
will be relocated to this site and a new purpose built unit will be constructed to house the two adult psychiatric wards from the County Hospital and a further psychiatric ward for the elderly on a different site which was opened as an interim measure and is set to closed and be relocated to Earls House.
Future plans
In 2008 work will begin on the £24 million redevelopment of the site, which will see the construction of a new Lanchester Road Hospital.The current Bowes Lyon Unit will remain however. The new development is also anticipated to contain a physiotherapy department.