Royal London Hospital
Encyclopedia
The Royal London Hospital was founded in September 1740 and was originally named The London Infirmary. The name changed to The London Hospital in 1748 and then to The Royal London Hospital on its 250th anniversary in 1990. The first patients were treated at a house in Featherstone Street, Moorfields in November 1740. In May 1741, the hospital moved to Prescot Street, and remained there until 1757 when it moved to its current location on the south side of Whitechapel Road, Whitechapel, in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets
.
The Royal London is part of the Barts and the London NHS Trust
, alongside St Bartholomew's Hospital
("Barts"), located approximately two miles away. The Royal London provides district general hospital services for the City
and Tower Hamlets
and specialist tertiary care services for patients from across London and elsewhere. It is also the base for the HEMS helicopter ambulance service
, operating out of a specially rebuilt roof area. There are 675 beds at The Royal London Hospital.
, to become St Bartholomews and The Royal London School of Medicine and Dentistry (name changed to Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry in 2007).
The present School of Nursing and Midwifery was formed in 1994 by the merger of the Schools from St Bartholomew's Hospital
and The Royal London Hospital to become the St Bartholomew School of Nursing & Midwifery
. Prior to this, the school of nursing was known as The Princess Alexandra College of Nursing and Midwifery. In 1995 the new Nursing School was incorporated into City University, London
. Both Schools have a strong and respected history dating back over 120 years and have produced many nurse leaders and educators. The School has since been incorporated into the School of Health Sciences, City University.
In March 2005 planning permission was granted for a £1 billion redevelopment and expansion of The Royal London Hospital. On completion of the project, the hospital will have London’s leading trauma and emergency care centre, one of Europe’s largest renal services and the capital’s second biggest paediatric service. Barts is also undergoing redevelopment and will become a cancer and cardiac centre of excellence.
Joseph Merrick
, known as the "Elephant Man", spent the last few years of life at The Royal London Hospital and his mounted skeleton is currently housed at the Medical School, but is not on public display.
The TV series Casualty 1909, as well as past series Casualty 1906 and Casualty 1907, are set there, and follow the everyday life of the hospital throughout these years. Some of the storylines are based on actual cases drawn from the hospital records.
. It includes works of art, surgical instruments, medical and nursing equipment, uniforms, medals, documents and books. There is a forensic medicine section which includes original material on Jack the Ripper
, Dr Crippen and the Christie
murders. There are also displays on Joseph Merrick
(the 'Elephant Man') and former Hospital nurse Edith Cavell
. A former Curator of the Museum was the noted surgeon Thomas Horrocks Openshaw
.
The Royal London's archives contain documents dating back to 1740, including complete patient records since 1883.
The museum is a member of The London Museums of Health & Medicine
.
The Royal London hospital is unique in its provision of Emergency care with a resident Emergency Department (ED) consultant available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The hospital is also home to London’s busiest A&E for children.
The Royal London Hospital is part of a new city-wide initiative to transform London's emergency and trauma services. From 2010, Londoners will receive new world-class trauma care through the London Trauma System. The network is believed to be the largest of its kind in the world. The System will be made up from four existing London hospitals, The Royal London Hospital (Whitechapel), King's College Hospital (Denmark Hill), St. Georges Hospital (Tooting) and St. Mary's Hospital (Paddington). These centers will be supported by a number of trauma units located in various A&E departments, where patients with less serious injuries will receive treatment.
The UK lags behind many other parts of the world with regards to trauma care. Death rates for severely injured patients who are alive when they reach a hospital are 40% higher in the UK than in some parts of the US, where they have developed effective trauma systems. The London Trauma system aims to rectify this inconsistency by delivering patients who need the highest quality specialist care to the correct hospital facility in order to give them the best chances of survival and recovery.
London Borough of Tower Hamlets
The London Borough of Tower Hamlets is a London borough to the east of the City of London and north of the River Thames. It is in the eastern part of London and covers much of the traditional East End. It also includes much of the redeveloped Docklands region of London, including West India Docks...
.
The Royal London is part of the Barts and the London NHS Trust
NHS Trust
A National Health Service trust provides services on behalf of the National Health Service in England and NHS Wales.The trusts are not trusts in the legal sense but are in effect public sector corporations. Each trust is headed by a board consisting of executive and non-executive directors, and is...
, alongside St Bartholomew's Hospital
St Bartholomew's Hospital
St Bartholomew's Hospital, also known as Barts, is a hospital in Smithfield in the City of London, England.-Early history:It was founded in 1123 by Raherus or Rahere , a favourite courtier of King Henry I...
("Barts"), located approximately two miles away. The Royal London provides district general hospital services for the City
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
and Tower Hamlets
London Borough of Tower Hamlets
The London Borough of Tower Hamlets is a London borough to the east of the City of London and north of the River Thames. It is in the eastern part of London and covers much of the traditional East End. It also includes much of the redeveloped Docklands region of London, including West India Docks...
and specialist tertiary care services for patients from across London and elsewhere. It is also the base for the HEMS helicopter ambulance service
London Air Ambulance
London's Air Ambulance, also known as London HEMS , is an air ambulance service that responds to seriously ill or injured casualties in and around London, England....
, operating out of a specially rebuilt roof area. There are 675 beds at The Royal London Hospital.
History
The London Hospital Medical College, the first in England and Wales, was founded in 1785. It amalgamated in 1995 with St Bartholomews Hospital Medical College, under the aegis of Queen Mary and Westfield College, now known as Queen Mary, University of LondonQueen Mary, University of London
Queen Mary, University of London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
, to become St Bartholomews and The Royal London School of Medicine and Dentistry (name changed to Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry in 2007).
The present School of Nursing and Midwifery was formed in 1994 by the merger of the Schools from St Bartholomew's Hospital
St Bartholomew's Hospital
St Bartholomew's Hospital, also known as Barts, is a hospital in Smithfield in the City of London, England.-Early history:It was founded in 1123 by Raherus or Rahere , a favourite courtier of King Henry I...
and The Royal London Hospital to become the St Bartholomew School of Nursing & Midwifery
St Bartholomew School of Nursing & Midwifery
The St Bartholomew School of Nursing and Midwifery was formed in 1994 from the merger of the schools of St Bartholomew's Hospital and the Royal London Hospital to become the St Bartholomew School of Nursing & Midwifery. In 1995 the new school was incorporated into City University London...
. Prior to this, the school of nursing was known as The Princess Alexandra College of Nursing and Midwifery. In 1995 the new Nursing School was incorporated into City University, London
City University, London
City University London , is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom. It was founded in 1894 as the Northampton Institute and became a university in 1966, when it adopted its present name....
. Both Schools have a strong and respected history dating back over 120 years and have produced many nurse leaders and educators. The School has since been incorporated into the School of Health Sciences, City University.
Joseph Merrick
Joseph Merrick
Joseph Carey Merrick , sometimes incorrectly referred to as John Merrick, was an English man with severe deformities who was exhibited as a human curiosity named the Elephant Man. He became well known in London society after he went to live at the London Hospital...
, known as the "Elephant Man", spent the last few years of life at The Royal London Hospital and his mounted skeleton is currently housed at the Medical School, but is not on public display.
The TV series Casualty 1909, as well as past series Casualty 1906 and Casualty 1907, are set there, and follow the everyday life of the hospital throughout these years. Some of the storylines are based on actual cases drawn from the hospital records.
Royal London Museum and Archives
The Royal London has a museum which is located in the crypt of a 19th century church. It reopened in 2002 after extensive refurbishment and is open to the public free of charge. The museum covers the history of the hospital since its foundation in 1740 and the wider history of medicine in the East EndEast End of London
The East End of London, also known simply as the East End, is the area of London, England, United Kingdom, east of the medieval walled City of London and north of the River Thames. Although not defined by universally accepted formal boundaries, the River Lea can be considered another boundary...
. It includes works of art, surgical instruments, medical and nursing equipment, uniforms, medals, documents and books. There is a forensic medicine section which includes original material on Jack the Ripper
Jack the Ripper
"Jack the Ripper" is the best-known name given to an unidentified serial killer who was active in the largely impoverished areas in and around the Whitechapel district of London in 1888. The name originated in a letter, written by someone claiming to be the murderer, that was disseminated in the...
, Dr Crippen and the Christie
John Reginald Halliday Christie
John Reginald Halliday Christie , born in Halifax, West Yorkshire, was a notorious English serial killer active in the 1940s and '50s. He murdered at least eight females – including his wife Ethel – by strangling them in his flat at 10 Rillington Place, Notting Hill, London...
murders. There are also displays on Joseph Merrick
Joseph Merrick
Joseph Carey Merrick , sometimes incorrectly referred to as John Merrick, was an English man with severe deformities who was exhibited as a human curiosity named the Elephant Man. He became well known in London society after he went to live at the London Hospital...
(the 'Elephant Man') and former Hospital nurse Edith Cavell
Edith Cavell
Edith Louisa Cavell was a British nurse and spy. She is celebrated for saving the lives of soldiers from all sides without distinction and in helping some 200 Allied soldiers escape from German-occupied Belgium during World War I, for which she was arrested...
. A former Curator of the Museum was the noted surgeon Thomas Horrocks Openshaw
Thomas Horrocks Openshaw
Thomas Horrocks Openshaw CB CMG FRCS LSA TD , was an English Victorian and Edwardian era surgeon perhaps best known for his brief involvement in the notorious Jack the Ripper murders of 1888....
.
The Royal London's archives contain documents dating back to 1740, including complete patient records since 1883.
The museum is a member of The London Museums of Health & Medicine
The London Museums of Health & Medicine
The London Museums of Health & Medicine is an organization that brings together some of the activities of some of the museums in London related to health and medicine...
.
Emergency & Trauma Center
Barts and The London NHS Trust consists of three tertiary hospitals, St. Bartholomew's, The Royal London and The London Chest hospital, together producing some of the best clinical outcomes in the UK - evidenced by one of the best survival records in the NHS. In 2008, The Royal London Hospital treated 1448 injury patients, more than any other centre in the UK. This is increased from 800 patients treated in 2006The Royal London hospital is unique in its provision of Emergency care with a resident Emergency Department (ED) consultant available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The hospital is also home to London’s busiest A&E for children.
The Royal London Hospital is part of a new city-wide initiative to transform London's emergency and trauma services. From 2010, Londoners will receive new world-class trauma care through the London Trauma System. The network is believed to be the largest of its kind in the world. The System will be made up from four existing London hospitals, The Royal London Hospital (Whitechapel), King's College Hospital (Denmark Hill), St. Georges Hospital (Tooting) and St. Mary's Hospital (Paddington). These centers will be supported by a number of trauma units located in various A&E departments, where patients with less serious injuries will receive treatment.
The UK lags behind many other parts of the world with regards to trauma care. Death rates for severely injured patients who are alive when they reach a hospital are 40% higher in the UK than in some parts of the US, where they have developed effective trauma systems. The London Trauma system aims to rectify this inconsistency by delivering patients who need the highest quality specialist care to the correct hospital facility in order to give them the best chances of survival and recovery.