Musgrove Park Hospital

Musgrove Park Hospital is a large NHS hospital located in Taunton, Somerset. Originally a US Army General Hospital during the Second World War, it became an NHS hospital in 1949.

About the hospital
Musgrove Park is the the major hospital in Somerset, which serves Taunton and its surrounding areas. It is often known by the abbreviation MPH by the local South Western Ambulance Service. It serves a population of 340,000 - primarily living in the area served by NHS South West. Each year over 40,000 patients are admitted as emergencies; 10,000 patients are admitted for elective surgery; 28,000 are seen for day case surgery; 197,000 patients attend outpatient clinics; 45,000 attend Accident and Emergency, 3,000 babies are born in the Maternity Department and 170,000 diagnostics tests are carried out each year.

The hospital has an annual budget of £152 million; over 700 beds as well as 15 operating theatres. Musgrove Park is also home to an Intensive Care and High Dependency Unit, a Medical Admissions Unit, a fully equipped Diagnostic Imaging department and a specialised Children’s Department including a Paediatric High Dependency Bay. The Trust also provides Neonatal Intensive Care for all of Somerset. The Trust employs about 4,000 staff.

The Trust’s mission statement is: "To provide a high level of service and quality previously unknown in this country"

In October 2006, a new multi-storey car park was opened, provided under a 25 year Public-private partnership (PPP). The Cedars car park has 736 spaces and is operated by Dutch company Q-Park. This was built together with the addition of the new Cardiac Extension to the hospital.

Musgrove Park has a hospital radio station called Apple AM, presented by volunteers. The station is broadcast to all patients and staff and can be listened externally on 1431 KHz medium wave.

Buildings
Musgrove Park is spread over the following buildings, 2 with Royal names:


 * Duchess Building
 * CCU - Coronary Care
 * Coleridge Ward - Acute/Respiratory
 * Day Hospital
 * Dunkery Ward - Acute Stroke
 * Eliot Ward - Diabetes & Endocrinology
 * Fielding Ward - Cardiology
 * General Outpatients
 * Medical Assessment Unit (MAU)- Emergency Admissions Only
 * Mendip Ward - Acute/Gastroenterology
 * Sedgemoor Ward Acute Medical & Care of the Elderly
 * Triscombe Ward - Rehabilitation/Care of the Elderly/Community
 * Wordsworth Ward - Dermatology/Neurology/Rheumatology
 * X-Ray
 * Queens Building
 * Accident & Emergency
 * Blake Ward - Ophthalmology
 * Conservators Ward - Orthopaedic/Short Stay
 * Endoscopy Unit
 * Gould Ward - Orthopaedics
 * Physiotherapy
 * Portman Ward - Spinal & Orthopaedics
 * Sheppard Ward - Trauma & Orthopaedics
 * Old Building
 * Haematology & Oncology Day Unit
 * Pathology
 * ITU - Intensive Care
 * Parkside Private Wing
 * Surgical Outpatients
 * Wards 1,2 & 4 - General Surgery
 * Ward 3 - Urology
 * Ward 5 - Gynaecology
 * Ward 9 - Surgical/Palliative Care
 * Ward 11 - ENT/Oral Surgery
 * Ward 16 - (Yellow/Purple Teams) - Children's Unit
 * Ward 18 - (Blue/Red Teams) - Children's Unit
 * Day Surgery Centre
 * Maternity Unit
 * Bracken Ward
 * Labour Ward
 * Willow Ward
 * Somerset Neonatal Unit
 * Alfred Morris House (Due to close in the near future)
 * Diabetic Nurses

Site Map of Musgrove Park Hospital

History
The 67th General Hospital was authorised on 3 March 1941, and activated 1 September 1942 as an American Army Hospital and occupied by the U.S. Army Medical Corps.

After the war, it continued in use as a Ministry of Pensions Hospital and only became a General Hospital within the National Health Service in 1951. An Oregon Pine tree was planted in front of the Old Building by the Americans and can still be seen standing proudly today.

Many events took place over the years that affected staff and patients in unusual ways. Two of these took place in 1978, which was eventful for many and gained considerable publicity – the great snow of February 1978 and the Taunton train fire of July 1978.

The helicopter became a familiar sight during the snow siege – the first landed at very short notice, bringing a patient with a head injury – an unusual group of staff carried him from the helicopter to the hospital through deep snowdrifts. After a few days, these flights became routine, bringing in mothers in labour and taking out supplies to smaller hospitals.

Musgrove Park has had two of many memorable Royal visits. These were by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother in 1959; and by H.R.H. Princess Anne in 1970, when she opened the Intensive Therapy Unit.

Future Plans
The Trust has exciting plans to improve and transform the hospital. These include the current development of the new Cancer Centre and a Cardiology Extension, as well as the replacement of part of the World War II Old Building with a state-of-the-art Surgical Centre within the next few years.

Television
The A&E department of Musgrove has twice been the subject of of a TV fly-on-the-wall series known as "Emergency Medics". Currently, the 8 part documentary is being shown on ITV Westcountry and is filmed 6 months in advance.