New hospital building plans unveiled
Plans for the redevelopment of Leeds General Infirmary have been published, ahead of formal submission.
Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (LTHT) plans to transform the hospital and build a state-of-the-art healthcare building on the site of the old LGI nurses home – opposite Millenium Square.
LTHT says this will enable the trust to continue to innovate and develop services in order to be at the forefront of healthcare innovations for many years to come.
The plans will also see the Children’s Hospital in Clarendon Wing developed and remodelled to provide a dedicated and bespoke child friendly environment for young patients.
Linda Pollard, Trust Chair said: “Our thanks go to everyone who has generously given their advice and time to help with this project. It is fantastic to see the rich history of the LGI displayed for our patients, staff and visitors and we look forward to unveiling more of our ambitious plans for the future of the hospital, which will enable us to continue to provide outstanding services for future generations into the 21st century.”
This week, the hospital is celebrating its 250th anniversary. Its original purpose was a hospital ‘for the relief of the sick and poor’ and since then the LGI has grown to become one of the foremost healthcare providers in the country.
By far the longest-established of the City’s hospitals, it dates back to October 1767 and was set up in a private house in Kirkgate, close to where Leeds Market is today.
Its first purpose-built home was opened in 1771 close to City Square and then there was a move to a new site on Great George Street in 1869. This included a Winter Garden, designed on the advice of Florence Nightingale by renowned architect Sir George Gilbert Scott, famed for St Pancras Station and London’s Albert Memorial.
In a timeline created to mark the hospital’s history, details across the centuries show the extensions and the addition of several wings including Clarendon, which was built in 1984 and replaced the old Women’s and Children’s Hospital, which was connected to the main site for many years by a long corridor on stilts.
In 1998 the newest wing linked up the different parts of the site and was named Jubilee Wing to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the NHS. The timeline, funded by the Leeds Hospital Charitable Foundation, is displayed along the blue bridge in Jubilee wing..
David Welch, chief executive of the Leeds Hospitals Charitable Foundation, said: “We’re delighted to be a part of this highly prestigious event launching what promises to be a very exciting year of celebrations for the Trust. Philanthropy has a huge part to play in our fundraising which is why it’s a fantastic opportunity for everyone to reflect on the rich history of philanthropic giving which has made the Leeds General Infirmary the respected icon that it is today.”
