Brief History of Heatherwood
Hospital 1922 – 2007

A Step Back In Time

Heatherwood Hospital was built in the 1920's and the first patients were admitted in May 1922. The hospital was officially opened in May 1923 by the Duke of Connaught to accommodate 136 patients. Annual Report 1923

The hospital funded by United Services Fund and was built for the benefit of the children of ex-servicemen from the 1914 -18 war. These children were suffering from surgical tuberculosis and other orthopaedic diseases.

The original hospital had three wards ( currently 1,2,3 ) one for children of both sexes under the age of seven and the other two provided one ward each for older boys & Girls.

Vegetable gardens were developed to produce most of the vegetables and fruit needed for the hospital.

The hospital was handed over to the London county council in 1934 who after two years built additional wards and a new wing to the nurse's home, By 1937 under the management of the London county council , Heatherwood had 250 beds and was considered a specialist hospital for young people with surgical TB. Patients spent a lot of time outside in the fresh air. It was believed that the pine woods which surrounded Heatherwood had a beneficial effect upon patients.

Heatherwood had it's own school, which was recognized by the board of education and there were active boy scout and girl guide troops for the invalid children. Heatherwood Hospital School.

Five years after Heatherwood had been taken over by the London County Council the second world war commenced. It was decided that the hospital should be used to take adult patients evacuated from London. The wards were modified to cater for patients of all ages. Heatherwood played a very useful role during the war, and was fortunate to escape with only minimal damage from air raids.

The introduction of the National Health Service in 1948 included the hospital in the north west metropolitan region and responsibility for the management was in the hands of the Windsor group hospital management committee.

Advances in antibiotics in the 1950's meant a decline in TB cases and a rise in normal orthopaedic patients. After continuing to function as an orthopaedic hospital, it was redeveloped as a district general hospital.

In 1961 the accident and out-patient department was opened along with an enlarged operating suite and improved physiotherapy facilities with a hydrotherapy pool. This was officiated by the Princess Royal. This was followed by improvements to the children's department.

In April 1972 a new maternity department was opened with 75 beds  50 for obstetric and 25 for gynaecological and 15 special care baby cots.

Since the early 1980's much building and restoration has taken place on the Heatherwood site.

In January 1983 ward 10 was opened.

In the late 1980’s the mental health unit and elderly unit was built and was officially opened by HRH Princess Anne in 1988.

In 1994 the hospital lost it's children's ward and the status was changed to a day unit only.

As the 1990’s draw to a close the special care baby unit was closed and the buildings are converted into the new diagnostic centre incorporating x-ray from the old original buildings.

In 2001 the minor injuries unit is moved to the ground floor of the maternity unit along with the South East Berks Doctors On Call unit.

2002 An additional temporary ward is added to the site behind ward three( Ward 16 ).

2004 Ward 8 is closed to Gynae patients and a new ward is added as an annex to ward 1. This is ward 1G. At the end of 2004 ward 3 is closed and patients are moved to the vacated ward 8. The walkways between wards 4 and 5 are altered and windows are built into the open sections of the walkways.

2005 The installation of an MRI scanner is completed in the diagnostics unit formerly special care baby unit.

2006 July A new discharge Lounge is opened on ward 10. Funding for this provided by the League of Friends. Local schools provide artwork which is displayed at various points around the hospital. This is very well received by visitors and staff.

2007 A number of cosmetic changes have been taking place within the grounds including the provision of a a safety rail around the sunken garden. The day nursery has moved into forest lodge along with the training school.