Selly Oak Hospital Explained

Selly Oak Hospital
Org/Group:University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust
Map Type:West Midlands
Location:Selly Oak
Region:Birmingham
Country:England
Healthcare:NHS
Type:Teaching
Emergency:Yes
Affiliation:University of Birmingham
Founded:1897
Closed:2011

Selly Oak Hospital was a hospital situated in the Selly Oak area of Birmingham, England. Previously managed by the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, the hospital closed in 2011.

History

Origins

The site was originally selected for the construction of the new King's Norton Union Workhouse. This was a place for the care of the poor and was one of many workhouses constructed throughout the country following the introduction of the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834.[1] The new workhouse, which was designed by Edward Holmes, was built on the site and opened in 1870.[2]

A workhouse infirmary, which was designed by Daniel Arkell to a pavilion plan and entirely lit by electric light, was built by Thomas Rowbotham of Small Heath at a cost of £45,000 and opened in September 1897.[2] It provided accommodation for about 300 patients.[2]

Expansion

A new entrance block was completed in 1902 and a large nurses' home which became known as Woodlands was completed in 1908.[2] The workhouse became a home for the chronically sick known as Selly Oak House and the home and the infirmary combined to join the National Health Service as Selly Oak Hospital in 1948.[3]

The Royal Centre for Defence Medicine was formed at the hospital and was officially opened by the Princess Royal in April 2001.[4]

In March 2007, the families of certain injured servicemen alleged that the hospital was not treating Iraq War veterans properly.[5] There were also reports of servicemen being verbally abused in the hospital by members of the public opposed to the war.[6] Following a visit to the hospital, Jeremy Clarkson added to the criticism by writing a complaint to the NHS alleging that injured servicemen had no dedicated ward and that they were treated no differently from "a lad who got drunk and smashed his Citroën into a tree".[7] A report published by the House of Commons Defence Select Committee blamed the allegations against the hospital on a smear campaign[8] and praised the clinical care provided to military patients.[9]

Closure and site redevelopment

On 23 May 2010 a 'Service of Thanks' was held at Selly Oak Hospital to celebrate a century of caring and to share memories of the facility.[10] After services had transferred to the new Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Selly Oak Hospital closed in October 2011.[11]

On 24 February 2015 the Trust announced that it had exchanged contracts with Persimmon for the sale of the site with outline planning permission for 650 homes.[12]

Notable staff

Notable patients

Those reported to have died at the hospital include:

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. http://www.kingsnorton.info/time/poor_law_workhouse_timeline.htm The King’s Norton Web Site: Timeline - Poor Laws, Workhouses, and Social Support
  2. Web site: King's Norton. Workhouses. 21 October 2018.
  3. Web site: Selly Oak Hospital, Birmingham. National Archives. 21 October 2018.
  4. Web site: The Royal Centre for Defence Medicine. Qaranc. 21 October 2018.
  5. News: Best treatment pledge for troops . BBC News . 11 March 2007 . 25 February 2008.
  6. Web site: Calls for 'military-wards' to protect troops from abuse. 4 October 2006. Evening Standard. 21 October 2018.
  7. News: Clarkson's hero . Times Online . 2 December 2007 . Margarette Driscoll . 21 October 2018 . London.
  8. Web site: Selly Oak military unit victim of 'smear campaign' . . 19 February 2008 . 25 February 2008.
  9. Web site: Medical care for the Armed Forces . Defence Select Committee . 5 February 2008 . 26 February 2008.
  10. Web site: New hospital information for staff – events. www.uhb.nhs.uk. 19 April 2018.
  11. Web site: Selly Oak A&E closes its doors. 16 June 2010. BBC. 21 October 2018.
  12. Web site: Ex-Selly Oak Hospital site homes-plan contracts exchanged. BBC . 24 February 2015.
  13. http://munksroll.rcplondon.ac.uk/Biography/Details/1764 "Geoffrey Gerrard Gillam"
  14. Book: Dickins, Gordon. An Illustrated Literary Guide to Shropshire. 1987. Shropshire Libraries . 28. Evans lived in south Shropshire.
  15. Web site: Hoban . Sally . Florence Camm . Oxford Dictionary of National Biography . 6 October 2018.