Care system Public NHS Address Elgin IV30 1SN, UK Number of beds 185 | Hospital type District General Phone +44 345 456 6000 Founded 1819 | |
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Location Elgin, Moray, Scotland, United Kingdom Affiliated university University of Aberdeen
Robert Gordon University
University of the Highlands and Islands Emergency department Yes Accident & Emergency Website Dr Gray's Hospital webpage Hours Open today · Open 24 hoursSaturdayOpen 24 hoursSundayOpen 24 hoursMondayOpen 24 hoursTuesdayOpen 24 hoursWednesdayOpen 24 hoursThursdayOpen 24 hoursFridayOpen 24 hours Affiliated universities University of Aberdeen, Robert Gordon University, University of the Highlands and Islands Similar Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, Royal Aberdeen Children, Royal Cornhill Hospital, Woodend Hospital, Aberdeen Maternity Hospital Profiles | ||
Dr. Gray's Hospital is the smallest District General Hospital in Scotland. It is in Elgin, Moray, and is part of NHS Grampian. It is also part of the Moray Community Health and Social Care Partnership (MCHSP).
Contents
Current services
It provides secondary care for the Moray and some of North Aberdeenshire.
Dr Gray's Hospital has 185 inpatient beds.
It has consultants in general surgery, urology, orthopaedics, ENT, ophthalmology, Accident & Emergency, anaesthetics, radiology, general medicine, geriatric medicine, gastroenterology, cardiology, oncology, paediatrics, obstetrics and gynaecology, and psychiatry. Junior doctors mostly rotate from Aberdeen, but other trainee doctors are attracted from all over the world. Dr Gray's is recognised for the excellence of training it offers to junior doctors, medical students, trainee radiographers, student nurses, and other Allied Healthcare Professionals.
The hospital has approximately 1100 births per year has full accreditation as baby friendly, since May 2012.
History
The hospital was founded as a result of a bequest by Dr Alexander Gray (d. 1807), who was born in Elgin but worked as a surgeon for the East India Company. His will was contested by his family, but eventually his bequest of £20,000 'for the establishment of a hospital in the town of Elgin for the sick and poor of the county of Murray (Moray)' was proven in the Court of Chancery, and work on building the hospital at the western end of the town's High Street took place between 1815 and 1818.
The hospital was designed by James Gillespie Graham, 1815-19, featuring a large classical block with giant Doric columns that supported a portico and was topped with drum tower and dome. The hospital opened on 1 January 1819, providing 30 beds that could be used for any parishioner of Moray who could produce a note of recommendation from their local minister of the established church. Often those of the Episcopalian or Catholic faith were turned away, causing conflict with the Burgh council on a number of occasions. Some patients who required urgent assistance were sent home critically ill lacking the paperwork from the Kirk minister, ultimately causing their death.
A £22m. redevelopment of the hospital took place between 1992 and 1997 and included extensive refurbishment of existing facilities. The first stage, completed in May 1995, brought a new complex for obstetrics, gynaecology and paediatric services, three new operating theatres, five new lifts. In January 1997 the second stage of redevelopment was completed, adding a new acute psychiatric ward and new accident and emergency building.
A sensory garden was opened in 2010 to provide patients, visitors and staff with an attractive place to relax.
In 2012 a further £3 million redevelopment project got underway that was expected to take 16 months to complete. The work included a new reception area, a rehabilitation ward, children's outpatient area and discharge lounge.