Salisbury District Hospital celebrates 30 years
The site became fully operational in 1993
Salisbury District Hospital is celebrating 30 years since the hospital became fully operational in late January 1993.
It came following the closure of the Salisbury General Infirmary on Fisherton Street.
The move saw patients, staff, equipment and services transferred to the new building from the Infirmary.
Newbridge Hospital and the School of Nursing also made the move.
Gwyn Blenkinsop was the District Planning Nurse, and in1987 became a member of the SDH design team and then the Project lead for the move.
Gwyn says, “I remember vividly the Open Days for visits to the new building in December between Christmas and the New Year in 1992, in which over two days, 1,700 people came through the doors. We had advertised this event in the local papers, on local radio and on public transport and offered free transport to and from Salisbury for the occasion Under the headline, Would you like to spend some time in hospital this Christmas?.
“Another memory was, following the transfer of the Accident & Emergency service from the Infirmary to the new hospital, we had our first opportunity to test the major fire alarm protocol when at 7:35am I was alerted that the department’s fire alarm had been activated. Upon my arrival, followed quickly by members of the fire service, we found that a member of staff making their breakfast had positioned the toaster immediately below a smoke detector.”
The hospital will also be celebrating their hospital radio turning 70 this year and 75 years of the NHS in July.