20th Century Farnham
By the 1930s the workhouse had become a more caring environment and in July 1939 – St James’ replaced the old institutional regime.
The previous ‘inmates’ were now called ‘residents!’ The new home cost £33,531
Built in the late 1960s early 1970s two additional buildings were completed over a 7 year period, stage 1 (£525.000)
and stage 2 (£332,500) and included wards, a kitchen, a restaurant and day hospital.
At the same time refurbishment took place in Middle Block to provide an enlarged maternity department and
an additional operating theatre and a new x-ray department
The beginning of a move from a DGH to a Community Hospital
In 1974 the NHS was reorganised and the Hospital Management Committee was dissolved and the group renamed West Surrey and North East Hampshire Health District. Also in 1974 Frimley Park Hospital was opened to provide improved services for the area and also to serve the increased local population.
At this time Farnham Hospital took on a change of role to become the main supporting acute hospital to the District General Hospital (FPH) with casualty and maternity services moving to Frimley Park Hospital. Over successive years other services were reviewed the outcome of which saw Farnham’s theatres close in the early 1990s. Continuing Care patients moved into community nursing and residential homes and with the closure of Weybourne and Crondall Wards in the mid 1990s, the number of available inpatient beds became reduced.
Land cleared during the 1990s. Middle Block and the two buildings built in the 1960/70s
Timeline
- After 1930, the former workhouse became Farnham Institution and then Farnham Hospital. The main workhouse was demolished but the two later infirmary blocks survived until the complete redevelopment of the hospital site in 2001-2003
- In 1948 the National Health Service (NHS) Act became effective
- Regional Hospital Board (1948-74) South West Metropolitan
- Hospital Management Committee (1948-74) Farnham and Brookwood Group
- Regional Health Authority (1974-82) South West Thames
- District Health Authority (1974-82) West Surrey/North East Hampshire
- District Health Authority (1982- ) Mid-Surrey
- 1974 – Frimley Park Hospital opens and accident & emergency services transfer from Farnham.
- Primary Care Trust status from April 1993:
- 1993 North Downs Community Health Trust
- 1998 Surrey Hampshire Borders NHS Trust
- 1998 Publication of the “Right Balance” document outlining the needs of the local community
- 2002 Guildford and Waverley Primary Care Trust
- 2006 Surrey Community Health
- 2012 Virgin Care