Inverclyde Royal Hospital

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Inverclyde Royal Hospital NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Hospital Trust
Location
Place	Greenock, Inverclyde, Scotland, (UK)
Organisation
Care System	Public NHS
Hospital Type	General Hospital
Affiliated University	University of West of Scotland
Services
Emergency Dept.	Yes Accident & Emergency
Beds	360 [1]
History
Founded	Unknown
Links
Website	Homepage
See also	Hospitals in the United Kingdom

Inverclyde Royal Hospital is the main hospital in Greenock which serves a large population area of 125 000 consisting of Inverclyde (including Greenock), Largs, Isle of Bute and Cowal Peninsula. ^[2] Inverclyde is one of three main hospitals in the South Clyde area, alongside Vale of Leven Hospital in Alexandria and Royal Alexandria Hospital in Paisley and is both owned and run by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, previously NHS Argyll and Clyde.

Contents 1 Facilities 2 Inverclyde Downgrade 3 South Clyde Acute Hospitals Review 4 Hospital Radio 5 References 6 External Links

[edit] Facilities

Inverclyde provides many facilities for the catchment area including an A&E department; general medical and surgical specialists; orthopaedics; ophthalmology and inpatient beds. There is even a library on the hospital grounds. ^[3] However there is no maternity unit located at the hospital, since this has been dealt at the Royal Alexandria Hospital in Paisley since 2003.

[edit] Inverclyde Downgrade

Inverclyde initially were going to face a big downgrade with the loss of their A&E department and surgical needs being re-located again to the Royal Alexandria Hospital in Paisley which was to save as much as £40 million by the NHS Argyll & Clyde health board. Many criticised the plans complaining that the Inverclyde was being seen as nothing more than a large health centre; being allowed to run down and close and accessibility problems trying to get to the Royal Alexandria which would have been better suited at the Southern General if the go-ahead was given. ^[4]

[edit] South Clyde Acute Hospitals Review

When the boundaries were redrawn, NHS Argyll & Clyde amalgamated into the new NHS board known as Greater Glasgow and Clyde.^[5] A review undertaken by the new board wanted to retain the A&E department and core inpatient services, including trauma and emergency medical receiving at Inverclyde to remain open and this was submitted to the Scottish Government for approval.^[6]

Another plan was to encourage Inverclyde as a base for acute services to preserve the future of the hospital site suggested by the Scottish Health Minister, Andy Kerr.^[7] Many people in the Inverclyde have been satisfied with this and have supported these plans.^[8]

However, some services such as the ENT (Ear, Nose and Throat) Unit; Ophthalmology; dermatology and urology were re-located. This was outlined in the ‘A Safe and Sustainable Future for Hospital Services in Inverclyde and Renfrewshire’ document. ^[9] Four of these services: dermatology; ENT (Ear, Nose and Throat) Unit; urology and Vascularly surgery went to the Southern General in Glasgow between August and October in 2007. A gradual process of moving the ophthalmology will occur over five years to a Glasgow site, possibly the Southern General but has been undecided yet. ^[10]

[edit] Hospital Radio

Inverclyde Hospital Radio Voluntary Service, since the early 90s, has been catering for both the patients and staff of Inverclyde Royal Hospital, when Paisley Hospital Broadcasting Services ceased to exist. They are acknowledged as both a Scottish registered charity and by OSCR (Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator). The hospital radio broadcasts as much as 44 hours of live programming, a sustaining service where necessary and also commentary for the local senior team, Greenock Morton, who are also a major sponsor.^[11]

[edit] References

[edit] External Links

Inverclyde Hospital Radio Scotland.gov.uk