St Thomas' Hospital

St Thomas' Hospital is a major NHS Foundation Trust hospital located in London, England, and is part of the Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust. The hospital has a long and rich history, dating back to the 12th century, and has been associated with many famous figures, including Florence Nightingale, who established the Nightingale School of Nursing at the hospital in 1860, and Charles Dickens, who wrote about the hospital in his novel Oliver Twist. The hospital has also been involved in many significant medical breakthroughs, including the development of penicillin by Alexander Fleming at St Mary's Hospital, London, and the discovery of the structure of DNA by James Watson and Francis Crick at Cambridge University. The hospital's proximity to Westminster Bridge and The Shard makes it a prominent landmark in the London Borough of Lambeth.

● History

The hospital was founded in the 12th century by Richard de Lucy, Justiciar of England, and was originally located in the Borough area of Southwark. In 1215, the hospital was granted a Royal Charter by King John, and in 1220, it was relocated to its current site in Lambeth. The hospital has been rebuilt and expanded several times over the centuries, including a major reconstruction in the 18th century, which was overseen by Architect Nicholas Hawksmoor, who also designed Christ Church, Spitalfields and St George's, Bloomsbury. The hospital has also been involved in many significant events, including the English Civil War, during which it was used as a Parliamentarian hospital, and the Napoleonic Wars, during which it was used to treat wounded soldiers from the Battle of Waterloo. The hospital's history is also closely tied to that of King's College London, which was founded in 1829, and The London School of Medicine for Women, which was founded in 1874 by Sophia Jex-Blake.

● Architecture

The hospital's current building was designed by Architect Henry Currey, who also designed The Royal Marsden Hospital and The Middlesex Hospital, and was completed in 1871. The building features a distinctive Gothic Revival style, with a large clock tower and a grand entrance hall. The hospital's design was influenced by the work of Florence Nightingale, who believed in the importance of ventilation and natural light in hospital design, and was also influenced by the design of The Crystal Palace, which was built for the Great Exhibition of 1851. The hospital's architecture is also similar to that of St Bartholomew's Hospital, which was designed by James Gibbs, and The Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, which was designed by David Bryce. The hospital's building has been extended and modified several times over the years, including the addition of a new Accident and Emergency Department in 1990, which was designed by Architect Norman Foster, and a new Cancer Centre in 2009, which was designed by Architect Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners.

● Services

The hospital provides a wide range of medical services, including Accident and Emergency, Surgery, Medicine, Paediatrics, and Obstetrics and Gynaecology. The hospital is also a major centre for Cardiology and Cardiothoracic Surgery, and has a large Intensive Care Unit. The hospital is affiliated with King's College London and The University of London, and is a major centre for medical research, including research into Cancer, Infectious Diseases, and Genetics. The hospital's services are also closely tied to those of Guy's Hospital, which is located nearby, and The Evelina London Children's Hospital, which is a specialist children's hospital located within the Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust. The hospital's services are also supported by The British Red Cross, The Salvation Army, and The NHS Blood and Transplant.

● Notable_people

Many famous people have been treated at the hospital, including Winston Churchill, who was treated for a fractured hip in 1962, and Princess Diana, who gave birth to Prince William, Duke of Cambridge at the hospital in 1982. The hospital has also been associated with many famous medical figures, including Joseph Lister, who developed the use of antiseptics in surgery, and Alexander Fleming, who discovered penicillin. The hospital has also been involved in the treatment of many notable patients, including Nelson Mandela, who was treated for a lung infection in 2011, and Stephen Hawking, who was treated for a motor neuron disease at the hospital. The hospital's staff have also included many notable figures, including Christine Beasley, who was the Chief Nursing Officer for England, and Sir Bruce Keogh, who was the Medical Director of the NHS.

● Location

The hospital is located in the London Borough of Lambeth, near to Westminster Bridge and The Shard. The hospital is easily accessible by public transport, with several London Bus routes and a London Underground station nearby. The hospital is also close to several other major hospitals, including Guy's Hospital and The Evelina London Children's Hospital, and is part of the Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust. The hospital's location makes it a prominent landmark in the South Bank area of London, and it is close to several major attractions, including the Tate Modern, the National Theatre, and the British Museum.

● Redevelopment

The hospital is currently undergoing a major redevelopment, which includes the construction of a new Cancer Centre and a new Accident and Emergency Department. The redevelopment is being carried out by The Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, in partnership with The Department of Health and Social Care and The NHS England. The redevelopment is expected to be completed in 2025, and will provide the hospital with state-of-the-art facilities and equipment, including a new Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scanner and a new Computed Tomography (CT) scanner. The redevelopment is also expected to improve the hospital's Sustainability and Energy Efficiency, and will include the installation of Solar Panels and a new Combined Heat and Power (CHP) system. The hospital's redevelopment is also closely tied to the redevelopment of the surrounding area, including the South Bank and The Shard, and is expected to have a major impact on the local Economy and Community.