Stracathro Hospital

Stracathro Hospital
NHS Tayside
Geography
Location near Brechin, Angus, Scotland
Organisation
Care system NHS Scotland
Hospital type District Hospital
Services
Emergency department No
Links
Website http://www.nhstayside.scot.nhs.uk/patients/hospital/STRACATH_HOSP.shtml
Lists Hospitals in Scotland

Stracathro Hospital is a General Hospital in Angus, Scotland. Established as a wartime Emergency Hospital Service facility, it became a District General Hospital and, since 2005 has been the site of the Scottish Regional Treatment Centre.

History

Stracathro Hospital was established in 1939 in the grounds of Stracathro House.[1] It was designed as an Emergency Medical Services Hospital, for military casualties of World War II. The single-storey wards could accommodate up to 1000 patients and the mansion house provided accommodation for staff.[1] The first patients were victims of an air raid on Montrose in 1940. These were followed by civilian casualties from English cities, including London, Birmingham and Coventry, and later by soldiers from all theatres of the war.[1] Long trains would deliver the wounded to Brechin station.[2]

The hospital subsequently became a teaching hospital and later a rural general hospital, serving a population of about 110,230,[3] with specialised departments including orthopaedic surgery and a high-tech surgical appliance unit.

In 1998, almost overnight, emergency general surgery was moved to Ninewells Hospital.[3] This threatened the future of the hospital, and led to speculation over its closure. The Tayside Acute Services Review in 2001 recommended a new hospital in Angus.[3] An external review recommended continuation of some local services. The closure of the coronary care unit led to a paramedic-led thrombolysis service in the community.[3] Stracathro continues as a rural General Hospital for Angus, part of NHS Tayside.

In 2005, the Scottish Regional Treatment Centre was developed at Stracathro.[4] This is a joint venture between the NHS and the private sector and included £15 million funding from the Scottish Executive.[1] The SRTC caters for NHS patients from Grampian, Tayside and Fife Health Boards.[3]

Stracathro House was sold in 2003 and has reverted to a private residence.[1]

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Last modified on 4 January 2013, at 20:50