The Southampton-based hospital offers a variety of treatment and support, including a range of primary and secondary care, various specialist therapies, dental treatment, a Minor Injuries Unit, Sexual Health services and an on-site pharmacy.
History Of Royal South Hants Hospital
The Royal South Hants (RSH) hospital has a long history stretching back to 1844 when the ‘South Hants Infirmary’ was built and became the city’s most important hospital. 1851 saw the Bullar wards added to the hospital through the generosity of the doctors Joseph and William Bullar. The chapel on the site, which still exists as a Grade II listed building, was built in 1857.
The Royal South Hampshire hospital was started in 1865, funded by public subscription, as one of a countrywide wave of voluntary hospitals (like the Royal Hants County in Winchester, Royal Sussex in Brighton). The Crabbe wards were erected on the East side of the hospital in 1867 with a donation of Mrs Eyre Crabbe and in 1896 a new wing containing two wards, operating theatres, cottages for infectious cases and a mortuary were built costing £29,000. Further ward blocks and facilities, often funded by prominent city families ~ hence the names of wards such as Aldridge and Grimston.
On 7 February 1900 HRH Princess Henry of Battenburg formally opened the new wing and the Infirmary became known as the Royal South Hants Hospital.
For the next century the RSH was the city’s main hospital and centre of surgery. There is a wealth of archive material about the hospital, such as how its operating theatres moved to Broadlands, near Romsey during the Second World War to escape the heavy bombing.
The RSH came into the National Health Service in 1948 and remained the city’s main hospital until the late 1970’s when it relinquished this position to the Southampton General Hospital, which had the space to expand and develop the medical and nursing schools.
In 1970 a major programme of development began as the RSH saw the creation of an inpatient facility for psychiatric patients (the Department of Psychiatry), residences for doctors and nurses and the biggest development of all, the innovative outpatient’s centre that was modelled on the Mayo Clinic in the USA. This building was an innovative step forward for healthcare services in the city and was designed as a one-stop shop offering diagnostic and treatment services on the same site. It anticipated the growth of day surgery that has only really fulfilled its promise in the last five years.
In 1993, the RSH came under the management of the newly formed Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust.
The last 10-12 years has seen something of a run down in the fortunes of the hospital, so it is heartening to see its role as an important city community hospital being developed and invested in once more, when on the 31 March 2007, it will be transferred to the management of Southampton City Primary Care Trust. The PCT will develop it as a first class community hospital offering rapid diagnosis and treatment for the people of the Southampton.
