Watford General Hospital

File:Sycamore House, Watford.jpg

Watford General was formed at the foundation of the National Health Service utilising buildings which were formerly the Watford workhouse and, from 1929, Shrodells Public Assistance Institution.{{cite web | url=http://www.workhouses.org.uk/Watford/ | title=The Workhouse | accessdate=11 October 2014 | author=Higginbotham, Peter}} The facility also incorporated the Peace Memorial Wing from 1965 when management of the Peace Memorial Hospital was transferred to the Shrodells site.{{cite web | url=http://apps.nationalarchives.gov.uk/hospitalrecords/details.asp?id=739&page=20 | title=Details: Watford General Hospital (Peace Memorial Wing), Watford | via=National Archives | work=Hospital Records Database | accessdate=11 October 2014}}{{cite web | url=http://www.ukniwm.org.uk/server/show/conMemorial.41659 | title=Peace Memorial Hospital | publisher=Imperial War Museum | work=War Memorials Archive | accessdate=11 October 2014}} The Peace Hospice is situated on the former Peace Memorial site.{{cite web | url=http://www.peacehospice.co.uk/page.asp?thepageID=7 | title=Our history | publisher=Peace Hospice | accessdate=11 October 2014}} The Princess Michael of Kent Wing at the Shrodells site was opened by Princess Michael of Kent in 1986{{cite web|url=https://ezitis.myzen.co.uk/watfordgeneral.html|title=Watford General Hospital|publisher=Lost Hospitals of London|accessdate=8 April 2018}}{{cite web|url=http://www.westwatfordhistorygroup.org/watfordgeneralhospital.htm|title=Princess Michael of Kent wing|publisher=Watford History Group|accessdate=8 April 2018}} and an acute admissions unit was opened by Andy Burnham, the Secretary of State for Health, in February 2010.

The hospital manages beyond its safe capacity with A&E having been designed for around 30,000 attendances per year but receiving over 88,000. The hospital was designated "inadequate" in its 2015 CQC inspection, but was upgraded to "requires improvement" in January 2018.{{cite web|url=http://www.cqc.org.uk/location/RWG02/inspection-summary|title=CQC Report January 2018}}

Outline planning permission to redevelop the hospital and create the Watford Health Campus was granted in 2008. Section 106 agreements which will provide £3 million for infrastructure around the Vicarage Road site, including education and transport, were signed on 26 March 2010.{{cite news|url=http://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/news/5198043.Health_Campus_closer_to_reality|newspaper=Watford Observer|title=Watford Health Campus closer to reality|date=26 March 2010|accessdate=30 September 2012}} In August 2012 Kier Property was selected to carry out the development programme.{{cite news|url=http://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/news/9902103.Developer_selected_for_Watford_Health_Campus|newspaper=Watford Observer|title=Kier Property is to draw up plans for new hospital and hundreds of homes|date=30 August 2012|accessdate=30 September 2012}} It will take 15{{ndash}}20 years to complete.{{cite web|url=http://www.watford.gov.uk/ccm/content/strategic-services/press-releases/2015-07/first-spade-hits-the-ground-for-the-watford-health-campus-road.en;jsessionid=8CC66F2A5904C4ECCC0E411BE941B553|title=First spade hits the ground for the Watford Health Campus road|date=23 July 2015|accessdate=14 September 2015}}

A new road has been built to improve linking the hospital to the town centre and the M1. Given the name, Thomas Sawyer Way, it is the main access for the hospital.{{cite news|url=http://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/news/9510463.New_hospital_road_funding_hailed_as__critical_stride__to_Health_Campus|newspaper=Watford Observer|title=New hospital road funding hailed as critical stride to Health Campus|date=3 February 2012|accessdate=30 September 2012}}{{cite web|url=http://www.westhertshospitals.nhs.uk/documents/WHHT_new_hospital_road_map_oct2016.pdf|title= New hospital Road map|publisher=West Herts Hospitals}}{{cite web|url=http://www.westhertshospitals.nhs.uk/newsandmedia/mediareleases/2016/november/thomas_sawyer_way_opens.asp |title=Change to hospital access as Thomas Sawyer Way opens|publisher=West Herts Hospitals|accessdate=2 April 2018}}

The hospital is well-served by Watford buses running between the town centre and Rickmansworth.{{cite web|url=http://www.arrivabus.co.uk/ServiceSearchResults.aspx?regid=1737&txt=Watford|title=Watford - Our Services|date=2 September 2012|accessdate=30 September 2012}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{Official website}}
• [https://www.nhs.uk/Services/hospitals/Overview/DefaultView.aspx?id=1043 Watford General Hospital on the NHS website]
• [https://www.cqc.org.uk/location/RWG02 Inspection reports] from the Care Quality Commission

{{Authority control}}

Category:Hospitals in Hertfordshire

Category:Watford

Category:Workhouses in England

Category:NHS hospitals in England