Leeds General Infirmary

History

The first hospital known as Leeds Infirmary was opened in 1771 on what is now the site of the former Yorkshire Bank in Infirmary Street off City Square, Leeds. Notably, the founding five physicians at the infirmary were all graduates of the University of Edinburgh Medical School. Construction of the current hospital on its new site in Great George Street started in 1863 to the designs of Sir George Gilbert Scott.

Before drawing up the plans Gilbert Scott and the Infirmary's Chief Physician, Dr Charles Chadwick, visited many of the great contemporary hospitals of Europe. They were particularly impressed by hospitals based on the pavilion plan recommended by Miss Florence Nightingale, and adopted this for the new Infirmary. It featured the latest innovations, with plentiful baths and lavatories throughout, and a system of hydraulic hoists to reduce the labours of attendants and nurses.

The building was officially opened on 19 May 1869 by HRH The Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) although for the first year it actually housed a temporary loan exhibition (‘National Exhibition of Works of Art’), held to raise funds for the new building and allow time for services to be moved from the old Infirmary. The new building, which cost £100,000 to construct, became fully functional in May 1869.

Extensions

The original Grade I listed building has been extended several times since then, notably by George Corson in 1891–92; by the addition of the Brotherton Wing (opened in 1940) which now faces Millennium Square; by the addition of the Martin and Wellcome Wings in the 1960s and the Clarendon Wing in the 1980s; and by the addition of the Jubilee Wing, opened in 1998 and named in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the National Health Service, which provides new Emergency Department services as well as housing regional cardiothoracic and neurosurgery facilities. The associated Leeds Dental Institute is in the 1979 Worsley Building, the upper floors of which accommodate the Leeds School of Medicine. (History of the hospital)

Facilities

LGI is one of the leading centres in the UK for neurosurgery, and one of 10 centres in the UK for Paediatric cardiology. It has a rooftop landing pad for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance Service.

In 2010, all children's emergency services were moved to a dedicated children's emergency department at LGI, which has meant that the emergency department at St James' Hospital is now only for adults.

The Care Quality Commission (the successor to the Healthcare Commission) rated Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Fair for 'Quality of Resources' and Fair for the 'Use of Resources'.

Famous and infamous people associated with the hospital

Between 20 September 2006 and 28 September 2006 the Top Gear presenter Richard Hammond was treated at the hospital after suffering critical injuries as a result of a jet power car crash whilst filming at the airfield at ex-RAF Elvington near York. He was then moved to a BUPA hospital in Clifton, Bristol. He has now fully recovered and returned to Top Gear in February 2007.

Former Countdown host Richard Whiteley was treated at the hospital and died on 26 June 2005 following heart problems two days after an unsuccessful operation for endocarditis.

It has also been alleged that Jimmy Savile sexually abused individuals at the hospital, as well as performing sex acts on dead bodies in the hospital mortuary.

Labour Party MP Jo Cox died at the hospital on 16 June 2016 following an attack after meeting with constituents in the nearby village of Birstall, where she was shot and stabbed.