Cascade Summer/Autumn 2012 - Plymouth Hospitals

cascade_summer_2012_1.5:Cascade_Winter_2011 23/10/2012 13:49 Page 28
As preparations and plans gain momentum ahead of the Royal Eye Infirmary moving from its
current facilties in Mutley to brand new state of the art facilities at Derriford Hospital we pause to
take a look back at the history of Eye Services in Plymouth.
Then and now... at the Royal Eye Infirmary
Doctor John Butter conceived of the idea of
a hospital to treat eye diseases and on
December 25th 1821, the Plymouth Eye
Dispensary was opened in a house in
Cornwall Street, Plymouth. In 1828 the
HRH the Duke of Clarence, later King
William IV, became its Patron and it
became the Plymouth Royal Eye Infirmary.
Initially there were only four beds for
inpatients and the hospital was moved to a
house in Millbay Road – on the site of the
present Continental Hotel.
The Royal Eye Infirmary, as it stands today,
was opened by Lady Mary Parker on
Wednesday October 30th 1901. His
Majesty King Edward VII consented to
continue the Royal Patronage. It had cost
£12,015 to erect the building and a further £1,680 to furnish it. The
total expenditure came to £18,613 15s 4d. The building was
designed in the later Renaissance style by Mr Charles King, the
oldest member of the management committee, with the help of a Mr
Lister. It was built of bright red brick with Doulton stone dressings,
the roofs being covered with Brosely tiles.
The western wing contained the nurses' dining room, grocery
and linen stores, and kitchen. The eastern wing held the
dispensary, out-patients' waiting room, doctors' consulting room,
a small operating room, an ophthalmoscopic room and steward's
room were all in the eastern wing, with entrance and exit lobbies
for out-patients. Over the main entrance was the main operating
theatre, well lit with natural light. There were two wards on the
first floor of each of the wings, one each for men and women.
Each ward could accommodate fifteen patients. On the second
floor was an isolation wing for patients with infectious diseases,
and bedrooms for staff and servants.
Just before the Second World War the accommodation was
increased by means of an extension on the east side for outpatients
with wards above for private patients. Accommodation for
nurses was provided in the roof.
The shape of things to come...
To take a look at the current facilties and those being built at Derriford Hospital visit
www.plymouthhospitals.nhs.uk/ourorganisation/DevelopingOurHospitals/