Altnagelvin Area Hospital

Altnagelvin Area Hospital
Western Health and Social Care Trust
The tower block at Altnagelvin Area Hospital
Location in Derry
Geography
Location	Glenshane Road, Derry, Northern Ireland
Coordinates	54.985°N 7.295°W / 54.985; -7.295
Organisation
Care system	Health and Social Care in Northern Ireland
Type	General
Affiliated university	Queen's University Belfast National University of Ireland, Galway Ulster University
Services
Emergency department	Yes
Beds	500
History
Opened	1960
Links
Website	westerntrust.hscni.net/hospitals/altnagelvin-area-hospital/

Altnagelvin Area Hospital is the main hospital for the North West of Northern Ireland. It is located in Waterside, Derry. It provides services to the city of Derry and County Londonderry, but also some specialist and acute services for parts of neighbouring County Donegal, County Tyrone, County Antrim and County Fermanagh. It is managed by the Western Health and Social Care Trust.

History

Altnagelvin Area Hospital was the first major hospital built in the United Kingdom after the Second World War and opened in 1960.^[1]

In February 2003 the hospital was designated as one of the nine acute hospitals in the acute hospital network of Northern Ireland on which healthcare would be focused under the government health policy 'Developing Better Services'.^[2]

A new renal hemodialysis unit was completed in 2005^[3] and a new laboratory and pharmacy centre, procured under a private finance initiative contract, opened in 2007.^[4] A new south wing, designed by HLM Architects and built at a cost of £45 million, was completed in 2010.^[5]

In January 2011, it was revealed that 18,500 xrays taken in 2009 and 2010 in Altnagelvin's Medical Imaging Department had not been examined by a radiologist. As a result, four patients with cancer had their diagnosis delayed by several months.^[6]

In March 2011 a political row developed when Health Minister Michael McGimpsey announced the postponement of plans to develop a regional radiotherapy unit at the hospital.^[7]

University affiliations

The hospital is a teaching hospital, and has research and teaching links with Queen's University Belfast, the National University of Ireland, Galway and Ulster University.^[8]

References

1. "Altnagelvin Hospital staff reunite on 50th anniversary". Derry Journal. 22 February 2010. Archived from the original on 3 April 2019. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
2. Department of Health NI. "Developing Better Health Services (Topic: Health policy)". Department of Health NI. Archived from the original on 27 March 2019. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
3. "Arson attack wrecks NI hospital renal unit". Irish Times. 30 March 2005. Archived from the original on 3 April 2019. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
4. "Developers net millions from hospital 'lab' project". Londonderry Sentinel. 16 August 2012. Archived from the original on 3 April 2019. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
5. "New Hospital Building in Derry". e-Architect. Archived from the original on 3 April 2019. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
6. "Late X-ray hospital 'short-staffed'". Belfast Telegraph. 3 February 2011. Archived from the original on 19 October 2012. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
7. "Will cancer unit go ahead? Dublin and McGuinness say yes, McGimpsey says no". Belfast Telegraph. 26 March 2011. Archived from the original on 23 September 2021. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
8. "General information guide for undergraduate medical student placement in Altnagelvin hospital" (PDF). Western Health and Social Care Trust. August 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 September 2012. Retrieved 14 April 2012.

External links

• Official website
• Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority inspection reports