Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King's Lynn
Encyclopedia
The Queen Elizabeth Hospital (also known as the QEH) is an acute NHS
District General Hospital located in the town of King’s Lynn in Norfolk
, England
. It is located on the outskirts of King’s Lynn, to the eastern edge of the town. The catchment area of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital covers the West Norfolk area, South Lincolnshire
and North East Cambridgeshire
, an area of approximately 1500 km² and 250,000 people. The hospital has approximately 480 beds at time of writing, although the number of beds can vary – due to seasonal pressures e.g. norovirus. At full capacity, the hospital has around 574 beds. The Hospital employs around 2400 staff and has around 100 volunteers, making it the biggest single employer in the town.
(Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon
), not the current Queen.
, opened the QE Hospital’s £1.2 million Macmillan Cancer Unit. Various members of the Royal Family have visited the Queen Elizabeth Hospital over the years, including Princess Anne who opened the £5 million Critical Care Unit in 2005. On 01 February 2011, the hospital was awarded Foundation Trust status.
The Fermoy unit and the Arthur Levin Day Surgery Centre are both joined to the main hospital building by a long service corridor. Also on the site is the private BMI Sandringham Hospital.The main hospital building has two small shops, a modern coffee bar and upstairs restaurant for patients, visitors and staff.
, Dermatology
, Diabetic Medicine, ENT
, Endocrinology
, Gastroenterology
, General Medicine, General Surgery
, Geriatric Medicine, Gynaecology
, Nephrology
, Neurology
, Ophthalmology
, Paediatric Neurology, Paediatrics, Rheumatology
, Thoracic Medicine, Trauma
and Orthopaedics, Upper Gastrointestinal Surgery and Vascular
Surgery. It also has a full Accident and Emergency department, and adult mental health
service based in the Fermoy Unit. Thoracic Surgery
, Neurology
and Plastic Surgery
are provided by the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital
, in Norwich
, and Renal Dialysis
provided at the QEH is an out reach on the Nephrology service in Cambridge
. The hospital has MRI and CT
scanners on site for imaging and diagnosis. There are 7 operating theatres and 19 inpatient wards. The wards are all named after local villages and towns. The Queen Elizabeth Hospital in partnership with UEA Norwich is also a teaching hospital and offers facilities such as lecture theatres and two libraries for use by the students.
formerly the Healthcare Commission
reviews hospitals annually and rates a hospital on two points: “Use of Resources” (which is based on finances) and “Quality of Service” (which is based on clinical performance). These two points are rated on a scale of “weak”, “Fair”, “Good” and “Excellent”. Latest results are expected before Christmas 2009.
In the 2007/08 Healthcare Commission’s review, it rated the Queen Elizabeth Hospital’s “Use of Resources” as “Weak” and “Quality of Service” as “Good”. The “weak” rating for use of resources was due primarily to the hospital’s debts, now all cleared. The “good” rating for quality of service is indicative of its clinical performance and waiting times. The Queen Elizabeth Hospital has good patient satisfaction rates, is nationally acknowledged for its infection control excellence and arrangements for keeping patients safe. The Accident and Emergency department in the hospital is rated at the best at hitting the four-hour target in the East of England, treating 98.6% of all patients within the 4-hour guideline. The Arthur Levin Day Surgery Centre is consistently ranked amongst the top in the country. MRSA rates are now also amongst the best in the country, with the biggest reduction. Research by a consultant at the QEH, Professor Lyn Liebowitz, have led to a dramatic reduction in MRSA cases, and is now assisting the Department of Health to reduce MRSA in other hospitals.
National Health Service (England)
The National Health Service or NHS is the publicly funded healthcare system in England. It is both the largest and oldest single-payer healthcare system in the world. It is able to function in the way that it does because it is primarily funded through the general taxation system, similar to how...
District General Hospital located in the town of King’s Lynn in Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
, 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...
. It is located on the outskirts of King’s Lynn, to the eastern edge of the town. The catchment area of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital covers the West Norfolk area, South Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
and North East Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire is a county in England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the northeast, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to the west...
, an area of approximately 1500 km² and 250,000 people. The hospital has approximately 480 beds at time of writing, although the number of beds can vary – due to seasonal pressures e.g. norovirus. At full capacity, the hospital has around 574 beds. The Hospital employs around 2400 staff and has around 100 volunteers, making it the biggest single employer in the town.
Name
Locally the Queen Elizabeth Hospital is often known as “The QE” or “the QEH”. It is occasionally (and incorrectly) referred to as “The Queen Elizabeth II Hospital” – however, the hospital is named after Queen Elizabeth the Queen MotherQueen mother
Queen Mother is a title or position reserved for a widowed queen consort whose son or daughter from that marriage is the reigning monarch. The term has been used in English since at least 1577...
(Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon
Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon
Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon was the queen consort of King George VI from 1936 until her husband's death in 1952, after which she was known as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, to avoid confusion with her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II...
), not the current Queen.
History
In February 1998 the Queen Mother was taken to the QE after she fractured her hip at nearby Sandringham, then later transferred to The King Edward VII Hospital in London. In January 1999, the Queen Mother was again taken to the QE Hospital after a series of nosebleeds, where they cauterised her nose. The Queen was taken to the QE Hospital in January 2003 after she had problems with her knee, where they performed a scan, and she was transferred to The King Edward VII Hospital in London for an operation to remove torn cartilage. During her golden jubilee in 2002, the queen who usually spends accession day in private at Windsor CastleWindsor Castle
Windsor Castle is a medieval castle and royal residence in Windsor in the English county of Berkshire, notable for its long association with the British royal family and its architecture. The original castle was built after the Norman invasion by William the Conqueror. Since the time of Henry I it...
, opened the QE Hospital’s £1.2 million Macmillan Cancer Unit. Various members of the Royal Family have visited the Queen Elizabeth Hospital over the years, including Princess Anne who opened the £5 million Critical Care Unit in 2005. On 01 February 2011, the hospital was awarded Foundation Trust status.
Campus
The hospital site contains the main hospital building, the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, which is a two-storey building and was opened in 1980. In addition to the main hospital building, the site houses The Fermoy Unit, an adult mental health unit opened the same time as the main hospital building, The Arthur Levin Day Surgery Centre, which was opened on 11 January 1999, the Roxburgh Children’s’ Day Centre, which provides outpatient care for children and a comprehensive GUM clinic opened summer 2008.The Fermoy unit and the Arthur Levin Day Surgery Centre are both joined to the main hospital building by a long service corridor. Also on the site is the private BMI Sandringham Hospital.The main hospital building has two small shops, a modern coffee bar and upstairs restaurant for patients, visitors and staff.
Services
The Hospital provides a comprehensive range of patient services, including: CardiologyCardiology
Cardiology is a medical specialty dealing with disorders of the heart . The field includes diagnosis and treatment of congenital heart defects, coronary artery disease, heart failure, valvular heart disease and electrophysiology...
, Dermatology
Dermatology
Dermatology 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....
, Diabetic Medicine, ENT
Otolaryngology
Otolaryngology or ENT is the branch of medicine and surgery that specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of ear, nose, throat, and head and neck disorders....
, Endocrinology
Endocrinology
Endocrinology 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...
, Gastroenterology
Gastroenterology
Gastroenterology is the branch of medicine whereby the digestive system and its disorders are studied. The name is a combination of three Ancient Greek words gaster , enteron , and logos...
, General Medicine, General Surgery
General surgery
General 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...
, Geriatric Medicine, Gynaecology
Gynaecology
Gynaecology or gynecology is the medical practice dealing with the health of the female reproductive system . Literally, outside medicine, it means "the science of women"...
, Nephrology
Nephrology
Nephrology is a branch of internal medicine and pediatrics dealing with the study of the function and diseases of the kidney.-Scope of the specialty:...
, Neurology
Neurology
Neurology 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,...
, Ophthalmology
Ophthalmology
Ophthalmology 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...
, Paediatric Neurology, Paediatrics, Rheumatology
Rheumatology
Rheumatology 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...
, Thoracic Medicine, Trauma
Physical trauma
Trauma refers to "a body wound or shock produced by sudden physical injury, as from violence or accident." It can also be described as "a physical wound or injury, such as a fracture or blow." Major trauma can result in secondary complications such as circulatory shock, respiratory failure and death...
and Orthopaedics, Upper Gastrointestinal Surgery and Vascular
Blood vessel
The blood vessels are the part of the circulatory system that transports blood throughout the body. There are three major types of blood vessels: the arteries, which carry the blood away from the heart; the capillaries, which enable the actual exchange of water and chemicals between the blood and...
Surgery. It also has a full Accident and Emergency department, and adult 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...
service based in the Fermoy Unit. Thoracic Surgery
Thoracic surgery
Thoracic surgery is the field of medicine involved in the surgical treatment of diseases affecting organs inside the thorax . Generally treatment of conditions of the lungs, chest wall, and diaphragm....
, Neurology
Neurology
Neurology 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,...
and Plastic Surgery
Plastic surgery
Plastic surgery is a medical specialty concerned with the correction or restoration of form and function. Though cosmetic or aesthetic surgery is the best-known kind of plastic surgery, most plastic surgery is not cosmetic: plastic surgery includes many types of reconstructive surgery, hand...
are provided by the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital
Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital
The Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital is a National Health Service academic teaching hospital located on the off the A11 road and the Watton Road on the southern outskirts of Norwich, England....
, in Norwich
Norwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
, and Renal Dialysis
Dialysis
In medicine, dialysis is a process for removing waste and excess water from the blood, and is primarily used to provide an artificial replacement for lost kidney function in people with renal failure...
provided at the QEH is an out reach on the Nephrology service in Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
. The hospital has MRI and CT
Computed tomography
X-ray computed tomography or Computer tomography , is a medical imaging method employing tomography created by computer processing...
scanners on site for imaging and diagnosis. There are 7 operating theatres and 19 inpatient wards. The wards are all named after local villages and towns. The Queen Elizabeth Hospital in partnership with UEA Norwich is also a teaching hospital and offers facilities such as lecture theatres and two libraries for use by the students.
Performance
The Care Quality CommissionCare Quality Commission
The Care Quality Commission is a non-departmental public body of the United Kingdom government established in 2009 to regulate and inspect health and social care services in England. This includes services provided by the NHS, local authorities, private companies and voluntary organisations -...
formerly the Healthcare Commission
Healthcare Commission
The Healthcare Commission was a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department of Health of the United Kingdom. It was set up to promote and drive improvement in the quality of health care and public health in England and Wales...
reviews hospitals annually and rates a hospital on two points: “Use of Resources” (which is based on finances) and “Quality of Service” (which is based on clinical performance). These two points are rated on a scale of “weak”, “Fair”, “Good” and “Excellent”. Latest results are expected before Christmas 2009.
In the 2007/08 Healthcare Commission’s review, it rated the Queen Elizabeth Hospital’s “Use of Resources” as “Weak” and “Quality of Service” as “Good”. The “weak” rating for use of resources was due primarily to the hospital’s debts, now all cleared. The “good” rating for quality of service is indicative of its clinical performance and waiting times. The Queen Elizabeth Hospital has good patient satisfaction rates, is nationally acknowledged for its infection control excellence and arrangements for keeping patients safe. The Accident and Emergency department in the hospital is rated at the best at hitting the four-hour target in the East of England, treating 98.6% of all patients within the 4-hour guideline. The Arthur Levin Day Surgery Centre is consistently ranked amongst the top in the country. MRSA rates are now also amongst the best in the country, with the biggest reduction. Research by a consultant at the QEH, Professor Lyn Liebowitz, have led to a dramatic reduction in MRSA cases, and is now assisting the Department of Health to reduce MRSA in other hospitals.