Frenchay Hospital
Encyclopedia
Frenchay Hospital is a large hospital situated in Frenchay
, South Gloucestershire
, on the (NE) outskirts of Bristol
, England
, part of the North Bristol NHS Trust
.
The hospital, situated in the grounds of a Georgian
mansion, Frenchay Park, started life as a TB
hospital (Frenchay Park Sanatorium) in 1921, when Bristol Corporation acquired the land. In 1931, five purpose-built buildings were constructed to extend the hospital beyond the original house.
Concerns about the possibility of heavy bombing casualties led to the hospital being greatly expanded between 1938 and early 1942. Although Bristol was severely bombed, the new facilities remained unused. When US forces arrived in 1942, the city handed the new hospital facilities over to the Americans, as a sort of reverse Lend-Lease
. Further expansion to the facilities occurred in late 1942. Initially, the Americans used the hospital mainly as training facility for their medical staff. After D-Day
, however, the hospital was used in earnest, the processing of casualties becoming a very slick operation. Casualties were flown into Filton or arrived by train from the channel ports.
Although the Frenchay TB hospital operated as a separate unit throughout the war, the patients were transferred elsewhere in 1947.
After World War II
, the Americans handed the hospital back to the Corporation. The National Health Service
acquired the hospital in 1948.
Over the last 60 years or so, the hospital facilities have been slowly modernized, but many wartime buildings are still very much in evidence.
Frenchay is served by local charity Freewheelers EVS
, whose volunteers provide a free-of-charge motorcycle courier
service between Frenchay, Southmead and other hospitals in the area.
. The hospital has extensive grounds which would be sold off were this to happen. There is however a Save Frenchay Hospital campaign that is fronted by Steve Webb
, the Member of Parliament
for the Northavon
constituency that includes Frenchay. The campaign's main arguments are that Frenchay Hospital affords greater possibility for expansion than the Southmead site and that emergency access is easier due to its proximity to the motorway with less traffic.
Frenchay
Frenchay is a suburb of Bristol, England, to the north east of the city, but located mainly in South Gloucestershire and the Civil Parish of Winterbourne....
, South Gloucestershire
South Gloucestershire
South Gloucestershire is a unitary district in the ceremonial county of Gloucestershire, in South West England.-History:The district was created in 1996, when the county of Avon was abolished, by the merger of former area of the districts of Kingswood and Northavon...
, on the (NE) outskirts of Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
, 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...
, part of the North Bristol NHS Trust
North Bristol NHS Trust
North Bristol NHS Trust is a National Health Service trust providing community healthcare and hospital services to Bristol, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset. Hospital services are provided through Frenchay Hospital and Southmead Hospital...
.
The hospital, situated in the grounds of a Georgian
Georgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...
mansion, Frenchay Park, started life as a TB
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
hospital (Frenchay Park Sanatorium) in 1921, when Bristol Corporation acquired the land. In 1931, five purpose-built buildings were constructed to extend the hospital beyond the original house.
Concerns about the possibility of heavy bombing casualties led to the hospital being greatly expanded between 1938 and early 1942. Although Bristol was severely bombed, the new facilities remained unused. When US forces arrived in 1942, the city handed the new hospital facilities over to the Americans, as a sort of reverse Lend-Lease
Lend-Lease
Lend-Lease was the program under which the United States of America supplied the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, China, Free France, and other Allied nations with materiel between 1941 and 1945. It was signed into law on March 11, 1941, a year and a half after the outbreak of war in Europe in...
. Further expansion to the facilities occurred in late 1942. Initially, the Americans used the hospital mainly as training facility for their medical staff. After D-Day
D-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
, however, the hospital was used in earnest, the processing of casualties becoming a very slick operation. Casualties were flown into Filton or arrived by train from the channel ports.
Although the Frenchay TB hospital operated as a separate unit throughout the war, the patients were transferred elsewhere in 1947.
After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the Americans handed the hospital back to the Corporation. The National Health Service
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...
acquired the hospital in 1948.
Over the last 60 years or so, the hospital facilities have been slowly modernized, but many wartime buildings are still very much in evidence.
Frenchay is served by local charity Freewheelers EVS
Freewheelers EVS
Freewheelers Emergency Voluntary Service is a registered charity based in South West England. The charity was founded in Weston-super-Mare in 1990....
, whose volunteers provide a free-of-charge motorcycle courier
Motorcycle courier
A motorcycle courier is a courier operating via a motorcycle or motor scooter. Motorcycle couriers are common in major urban centres, primarily in Europe, South America and Asia, but increasingly in North America.- History :...
service between Frenchay, Southmead and other hospitals in the area.
Future
Frenchay Hospital is due to be downsized so the main Trust hospital will be at Southmead HospitalSouthmead Hospital
Southmead Hospital is a large hospital, situated in the northern suburbs of Bristol, England, part of the North Bristol NHS Trust.The hospital opened in 1902 as a 64 bed workhouse for poor sick people. By 1911 there were 520 beds....
. The hospital has extensive grounds which would be sold off were this to happen. There is however a Save Frenchay Hospital campaign that is fronted by Steve Webb
Steve Webb
Steven John Webb, better known as Steve Webb , is an English Liberal Democrat politician. He is the Member of Parliament for Thornbury & Yate and the Minister of State for Pensions.-Background:...
, the Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for the Northavon
Northavon
Northavon was a district in the English county of Avon from 1974 to 1996.The district was formed by the Local Government Act 1972 on 1 April 1974 as part of a reform of local authorities throughout England and Wales. Under the reorganisation, the area surrounding the cities of Bath and Bristol was...
constituency that includes Frenchay. The campaign's main arguments are that Frenchay Hospital affords greater possibility for expansion than the Southmead site and that emergency access is easier due to its proximity to the motorway with less traffic.
External links
- North Bristol NHS Trust - official hospital website
- Frenchay Hospital - historical article on Frenchay Village Museum website
- The History of Frenchay Hospital - Written by James Briggs
- Save Frenchay Hospital Web Site - Including Petition