Royal Albert Edward Infirmary
{{short description|British hospital}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox hospital
| Name = Royal Albert Edward Infirmary
| Org/Group = Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust
| Image = The Royal Albert Edward Infirmary, Wigan - geograph.org.uk - 857010.jpg
| Caption = Royal Albert Edward Infirmary
| Logo =
| Location = Wigan Lane, Wigan
| Region = Greater Manchester
| State = England
| Country = UK
| HealthCare = NHS
| Type = General hospital
| Speciality =
| Emergency = Yes
| Affiliation=
| Beds =
| Founded = 1796
| Closed =
| Website = {{URL|https://www.wwl.nhs.uk}}
| Wiki-Links =
| map_type =Greater Manchester
| map_caption=Shown in Greater Manchester
| coordinates={{coord|53.5581|-2.6296|type:landmark_region:GB|display=inline,title}}
|}}
The Royal Albert Edward Infirmary, also known as the Wigan Infirmary, is a health facility in Wigan Lane, Wigan, Greater Manchester, England. It is managed by the Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust.
History
The facility has its origins in the Wigan Dispensary which was established in King Street in 1796.{{cite web|url=http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/hospitalrecords/details.asp?id=779|title=Royal Albert Edward Infirmary|publisher=National Archives|accessdate=29 December 2019}} The foundation stone for the current facility in Wigan Lane was laid by the Earl of Crawford in 1870.{{cite web|url=https://issuu.com/wlct/docs/23_autumn-winter-1999/11|title=Wigan Infirmary on the Early Years|page=11|publisher=Fast Forward|date=1999|accessdate=29 December 2019}} General Sir James Lindsay, who had seen action in the Red River Rebellion, was in attendance for the ceremony. The new building, which was designed by Thomas Worthington and Joseph Hanson, was opened by the Prince and Princess of Wales in 1873. A children's ward was added in 1877 and it joined the National Health Service in 1948. A major extension, in the same architectural style as the original building, was completed in 2004.{{cite book|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=Dl_ghLUNVGsC&q=opened+at+Royal+Albert+Edward+Infirmary+2004&pg=PA668|page=668|title=Lancashire: Liverpool and the Southwest|first1= Richard |last1=Pollard|first2=Nikolaus |last2=Pevsner|first3=Joseph |last3=Sharples|publisher=Yale University Press|year=2006|isbn=978-0300109108}} In September 2019 the trust announced that an extra ward might be created to respond to growing demand for beds.{{cite web|url=https://www.wishfm.net/news/local/much-needed-new-ward-could-be-built-at-wigan-hospital/|title='Much Needed' New Ward Could Be Built at Wigan Hospital'|date=26 September 2019|publisher=Wish FM|accessdate=29 December 2019}}
In May 2020, a new ward dedicated to treating COVID-19 patients was opened in the hospital. The Bryn Ward has 50 beds with 27 of those being used for intensive care.{{cite news| url= https://www.wigantoday.net/news/uk-news/wigan-infirmary-officially-opens-its-new-covid-19-ward-2852323 | title= Wigan Infirmary officially opens its new Covid-19 ward | date= 13 May 2020 | work= Wigan Today}} The modular unit was built in the Infirmary's car park.{{cite news | url=https://www.wigantoday.net/health/coronavirus/2020-how-wigans-hospital-trust-coped-its-toughest-year-ever-3082508 | title=2020: How Wigan's hospital trust coped with its toughest year ever | date= 31 December 2020 | work= Wigan Today}}
In 2021, a new £7.6 million community assessment unit, with 21 beds, was opened in the Infirmary.{{cite news|url=https://www.wigantoday.net/health/building-work-finished-new-ps76m-state-art-unit-wigan-infirmary-3124426|title=Building work is finished on new £7.6m state-of-the-art unit at Wigan Infirmary|date=4 February 2021|work=Wigan Today}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.wwl.nhs.uk Official site]
{{authority control}}
Category:Hospitals established in 1796
Category:1796 establishments in England
Category:Hospitals in Greater Manchester