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Description

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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 purposebuilt 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 LendLease Further expansion to the facilities occurred in late 1942 Initially the Americans used the hospital mainly as training facility for their medical staff After DDay 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 freeofcharge motorcycle courier service between Frenchay Southmead and other hospitals in the area

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History

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Frenchay Hospital began its life as a sanatorium for children with tuberculosis The mansion at Frenchay Park with 70 acres of land was bought by the Bristol Corporation in 1921 Thirty five patients were cared for in the mansion house now the Trusts headquarters By 1931 demand was growing and two ward pavilions were built and the beds extended to 100

During the second World War a series of singlestorey brick buildings were built to form an emergency medical services EMS hospital for the American armed forces These facilities included 15 new wards a twin operating theatre a gym a pharmacy and an isolation ward as well as several air raid shelters The Americans extended the hospital for the specialities of general surgery neurosurgery orthopaedic surgery thoracic surgery ophthalmology maxillofacial and plastic surgery and urology In 1948 when the National Health Service was set up five wards were given over to thoracic surgery the first regional speciality Regional specialities were soon set up at Frenchay for neurosurgery and plastic surgery In the 1960s and 70s general specialities were established at Frenchay and an accident centre built which opened in 1967 In 1971 a purpose built unit was set up for children with spina bifida and a neurological stroke and rehabilitation research unit established

A major redevelopment programme got underway in the late 1980s culminating with the opening of Phase I with 258 beds The Hospital continues to develop refine and expand its services and facilities ensuring it remains an internationally recognised centre of excellence

Children patients at Frenchay Hospital
During 1995 a total of 2327 seriously ill children were admitted to Frenchay Hospital They received treatment and care for a wide range of conditions and problems including life threatening burns injuries neurological disorders and head injuries These children benefited from Frenchays renowned expertise in the areas of burns plastic surgery and neurosurgery

Frenchay Hospital is also the regional major trauma centre its geographical position close to intersecting motorways and its helicopter landing pad enable children suffering major injuries to be brought quickly to the Accident Centre to receive specialist treatment and care

As the regional neurological paediatric centre Frenchay Hospitals intensive care unit is able to provide the highly skilled treatment desperately ill children require The Hospital takes in children patients from a large local catchment area as well from the South West and further afield

Frenchay Healthcare NHS Trust was established in 1992 Its mission describes its key purpose quotBy excellence in practice the Trust aims to provide the highest quality of health care for allquot
The Trust comprises four hospitals
Frenchay
Blackberry Hill
Cossham
Burden Neurological

acute medical and surgical services care of the elderly mental illness respite and palliative care physical disability base neuropsychiatry
Together the Hospitals have 938 beds Also within the Trust are 10 health centres and a base for community healthcare staff

Key facts

Frenchay Healthcare NHS Trust provides care and treatment for around 600000 patients a year including those seen in the community

The Trust has an income of pound90 million a year

It employs 4500 staff

The wide range of services for the local population include general medicine care of the elderly general surgery and oral surgery Breast Care services cover the wider North and East Bristol area while other services including trauma surgery neurosurgery and neurology burns and plastic surgery are provided to patients from throughout the Bristol and district area Gloucestershire Somerset Bath and further afield