Hospital to celebrate 40 years with 40 stories

The 40th anniversary of County Hospital will be marked with week-long celebrations

University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust (UHNM) are marking the 40^th anniversary of County Hospital, Stafford, with a week-long celebration of the staff who work there.

Forty stories for 40 years will showcase just some of the excellent patient care that takes place at the hospital, as well as profiling its staff and improvements made to facilities. 

The work of UHNM Charity in improving patient care and experience will also be featured as part of the celebrations.

County Hospital was opened in 1983 on the site of Coton Hill private psychiatric hospital which opened in 1854 and was demolished in 1976.

Only four original buildings from the original Coton Hill hospital remain- the privately-owned main lodge and villas, the old chapel which now forms part of the Postgraduate Medical Centre and rear gardener’s lodge which houses Hospital Radio Stafford.  

The new hospital worked in tandem with the old Staffordshire General Infirmary until its closure in 1996.

UHNM was created on 1 November 2014 following the integration of Stafford Hospital (part of the former Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust) with University Hospital of North Staffordshire.

A number of multi-million pound investments have been made by UHNM in areas such as; 

• A new and expanded Renal Unit
• Multiple improvements to Theatres
• A new Chemotherapy Unit
• Refurbishments to multiple wards including Elderly Care, Elective Orthopaedics and Respiratory 

This year the hospital has also seen the opening of the new Staffordshire Treatment Suite and North Midlands Hand Centre.

Tracy Bullock, UHNM Chief Executive said: “I would like to congratulate all our staff at County Hospital for their incredible hard work and dedication over the years.”

“Along with the recently opened Staffordshire Treatment Suite and North Midlands Hand Centre, I hope people are starting to see the major investments that have been made at County Hospital. Ophthalmology, breast care, bariatrics and orthopaedics have also all been heavily invested in over the past 18 months, as we develop our services here at County Hospital so it has a sure and sustainable future and is part of our long-term strategy as an organisation.”

The anniversary celebrations will also see the unveiling of a special plaque to mark the hospital’s 40 years. 

Sam Eaton, Ward Manager, said: “I was born prematurely at County in 1985 and was in the Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) for at least a month. I always wanted to be a nurse, it’s my vocation to be a nurse in some form. I joined UHNM as it was in 2008 as a Staff Nurse and have risen through the ranks, having been a Ward Manager for the last five years.”

“I’m County through-and-through- if I was a stick of rock I’d say UHNM in the middle. Even my two sons, Matthew, 12, and Joseph, nine, were born here. County is like a family, we all know each other. We all greet each other with a smile and we always have, we’re a proper little family. County for me is home and I would love to stay here and progress my career.”

40 stories for 40 years will be available on UHNM’s social media and online.