Tag: Western General Hospital

Health Secretary opens Royal Victoria

Health Secretary Alex Neil officially opened the new Royal Victoria building within the Western General Hospital this morning. The £43.6 state of the art facility replaces the Royal Victoria Hospital on Craigleith Road which closed last year.

The new building is all single-bed rooms – the government set out an aim in 2008 that single rooms would become the norm for new and refurbished hospitals.

Health Secretary Alex Neil said there are substantial financial and health benefits to single rooms. He said: “You have to look over the life cycle of the hospital, the building, what is going to be the savings made for example by reducing the incidence of hospital acquired infection. It’s not just the financial cost of that, what’s most important is the benefit to the patient. I think most people would want to be in an environment where the risk of hospital acquired infection was kept to the absolute minimum.”

RVopening

Woman dies in road accident outside Western

hospAn 81-year-old woman has died after being hit by a car as she crossed Porterfield Road outside the Western General Hospital yesterday (Tuesday) afternoon. The woman was treated at the scene, but died from her injuries.

The driver of the vehicle assisted police with their inquiries at the scene, and police are seeking witnesses to the accident, which happened at around 4pm.

A Lothian and Borders Police spokesman said: “We are keen to speak with anyone who witnessed the collision, which happened close to the Anne Ferguson Building.”

If you have any information please call Lothian and Borders Police on 0131 311 3131.

Jewellery theft at Western General

Lothian and Borders Police are appealing for witnesses following the theft of two rings worth £10,000 at the Western General Hospital last week.

The incident happened around 3.15pm last Tuesday (23 October). A 33-year-old woman was in one of the bathrooms and took off her wedding ring and eternity ring off to wash her hands. After leaving the bathroom, she realised she’d left her rings inside and when she returned to retrieve them, she found they were gone. Neither item was handed in to security, so the woman has contacted police to report them stolen.

The wedding ring is a platinum band with a single one carat diamond while the eternity ring is platinum with around 24 diamonds around the circumference. The rings (pictured below) have a combined value of around£10,000.

A police spokesman said: “The woman has been left devastated at the loss of her rings and is desperate to have them returned to her as soon as possible. Anyone who comes into possession of the rings is asked to hand them in to their local police station. We would also ask that anyone who can assist with our enquiries into this theft contacts police immediately.”

Anyone with information can contact Lothian and Borders Police on 0131 311 3131, or the charity Crimestoppers in confidence and complete anonymity on 0800 555 111.

Western gardener is NHS Lothian Staff Member of the Year

The outstanding achievements of individual staff members and teams from a diverse range of NHS Lothian services received recognition in the organisation’s annual ‘Celebrating Success Awards’ last week – and top of the list was the Western General’s gardening supervisor Ronald Fraser.

The winners were announced at an awards ceremony at the Edinburgh Corn Exchange on Thursday 25 October which was attended by over 200 staff. The evening, hosted by radio personality Arlene Stuart, recognised the inspiring and truly amazing work that takes place across NHS Lothian every day.

This year’s ceremony featured ten categories, including volunteer of the year, staff member of the year and team of the year.

Tim Davison, Chief Executive, NHS Lothian said: “The Celebrating Success Awards are about recognising the very best of NHS Lothian. This is not about being the best for its own sake – it is about delivering the best for the patients in our care and the communities we serve. By involving the public in this event we hope to recognise the staff that our patients tell us are the best.”

Ronald Fraser, Gardening Supervisor at the Western General Hospital, was named Staff Member of the Year at the awards ceremony. Click on the link below to see why …

Watch the Staff Member of the Year video.

Maggie’s to host weekly open door events

Ever wondered what goes on in your local Maggie’s Centre?  Well now is your chance to find out! All Maggie’s Centres – including Maggie’s Edinburgh at the Western General – will now host weekly Maggie’s Welcome Experiences.

Anyone interested in Maggie’s – or who is interested in supporting Maggie’s – can simply drop in to experiences a typical Maggie’s welcome, have a look around our unique centres and speak to our fundraising teams.

It will also be an opportunity to hear first hand, from our inspirational centre users, how Maggie’s has helped give them the clarity they need to begin to make a diagnosis of cancer more manageable within a community of people who have been through or are going though the same thing.

Maggie’s Edinburgh fundraiser Marion Taylor said: “Everyone at Maggie’s is incredibly excited about our new Maggie’s Welcome Experience. We are aware that it can sometimes be difficult for people to fully appreciate what a Maggie’s Centre is like until it has been experienced first hand. Now anyone can simply pop in during our welcome event to get a sense of Maggie’s special atmosphere and to gain an understanding of what a Maggie’s welcome is all about.”

Anyone interested in coming along to visit our fantastic Maggie’s Edinburgh at Western General Hospital just pop in between 4.30 – 5.30pm on Thursdays and we will have the kettle ready to welcome you – as always in Maggie’s teas, coffees and refreshments will be available!

For more information on Maggie’s Welcome Experience please feel free to contact Shona Langlands on 0131 537 3135 or shona.langlands@maggiescentres.org.

Maggie’s Centre

Sun comes out for Victoria’s fun day

 

Scotland rugby legend Gavin Hastings joined in the fun and games when he formally opened  Royal Victoria Hospital’s Open Day yesterday – and after days of miserable weather the sun was a very welcome visitor too!

The Open Day was a final opportunity to have a look round the old hospital on Craigleith Road – services are transferred to a new state-of-the-art Royal Victoria Building at the nearby Western General Hospital next month.

There was a fascinating photo and exhibits display inside the hospital while out in the grounds there was a magician, disco, football, stalls, bouncy castle, face painting and even some birds of prey.

If you missed yesterday’s event, don’t despair – there will be another one at the new Royal Victoria Building at the Western in a fortnight’s time! It’s a chance to see the magnificent new facilities there – can’t promise any sunshine, though!

Gavin Hastings to open closing hospital’s open day!

Last chance to visit the old Royal Victoria Hospital 

Scots rugby legend Gavin Hastings will kick off an open day at the Royal Victoria Hospital (RVH) on Craigleith Road tomorrow. Saturday’s event has been organised to celebrate the history of the landmark hospital which has provided healthcare services to the local community for over 128 years.

Saturday’s event takes place before services at the hospital are relocated to the new Royal Victoria Building at the Western General and will be a chance for the local community to bid a fond farewell.

The RVH, established in 1894 by Sir Robert William Philip, was originally created as a tuberculosis sanatorium before it evolved into a care of the elderly hospital. A special display of memorabilia and photographs taken throughout the ages will take centre stage during the day, along with attractions including a magician, bouncy castle, tombola with prizes and even a falconry display.

The event takes place on Saturday from 10 – 4pm, with the official opening by Gavin Hastings at midday.

Gavin, who won 61 Scottish caps during an outstanding rugby career, said: “The Royal Victoria Hospital has held a special place in the hearts of the local community for a long time. Being part of this community myself, it is a great opportunity for me to get involved and I would encourage everyone to come and celebrate the history of this landmark hospital.”

The new Royal Victoria Building, built nearby on the Western General Hospital site, has been designed to provide the highest quality healthcare services in a modern setting. It will become a new landmark in healthcare history when it opens, as the first of its kind in Scotland to have all the patient accommodation being single en-suite rooms.

Construction company Laing O’Rourke, who are responsible for the construction of the new Royal Victoria Building, will also provide a display for the open day to show the future of healthcare services for the elderly.

The new building was officially handed over to NHS Lothian last month and the first patients are expected to arrive in June. A second open day will be held to give local residents and interested groups an opportunity to see the facilities in the new Royal Victoria Building.

The Royal Victoria Hospital site will be put on the market this summer.

Relatives sought following Crewe Road fatality

A pedestrian who was seriously injured in a road collision on Crewe Road South earlier this month has died.

Alan Dowling, (64), of Muirhouse View, passed away this morning at the Western General Hospital, where he was being treated for serious injuries he sustained in the collision with a cement mixer lorry on Thursday 5 April.

There are no suspicious circumstances surrounding his death, and a report has been sent to the Procurator Fiscal.

Police are appealing for assistance in tracing relatives of Mr Dowling, and anyone with any information that can help is asked to contact Lothian and Borders Police on (0131) 311 3131.

Patient dies following hospital fire

A patient has died following a Fire in the Western General Hospital. North Edinburgh News understands that the male patient had gone to the toilet on his ward to have a cigarette when the fire started.

The Fire Brigade were called to extinguish the fire.

A spokesperson for Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service said “We attended a call at the Western General Hospital on Wednesday to deal with a Fire.  We understand the male had been taken for treatment prior to our arrival, this is now one the Police will deal with following the subsequent death”

Despite this NHS Lothian remain tight-lipped and are keen to separate the Fire at the Hospital from the patients death, Chief Operating officer, Jackie Sansbury said “A small fire broke out in a ward at the Western General Hospital. Thanks to the quick response from staff, all patients were evacuated and returned to the ward”

Sansbury added, “Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service were called to put out the fire and are investigating the cause”