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HOSPITALS

DERRIFORD HOSPITAL

Updated:  04 April 2011 

The first turf was cut by the Lord Mayor, Clifford Porter, on December 7th 1973.  Built by Messrs Higgs & Hill (Builders) Ltd of New Malden, Surrey.  Conducted tours started June 26th 1980.   Sterilisation centre opened the week of January 16th 1981.  The hospital was opened unexpectedly around February 27th 1981 when a boiler broke down at Plympton's Gables Hospital. 

Official opening was June 9th 1981 when the first patients were Mrs Shirley Jenkins followed by Mr Fred Hobbs.

The following plaque from the Greenbank Hospital is now in the Greenbank Restaurant at Derriford Hospital:

The Prince of Wales Hospital
Plymouth
records with gratitude
the receipt during 1941 of $6,700
and gifts of equipment
from
Bundles for Britain Inc.
New York City, USA
----------
Our American friends thus provided
comforts and necessities for the
many victims of enemy air raids
treated at this hospital

Hospital Radio Plymouth transferred from the old Freedom Fields Hospital to Derriford Hospital in 1994.  [1]

On April 12th 1995 the Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshall Sir John Willis KCB CBE RAF, opened the Royal Naval Hospital Unit, otherwise known as Stonehouse Ward.  This replaced the Royal Naval Hospital at Stonehouse and is manned by doctors and nurses from the military services.  [2]

Sources (incomplete):

[1]  See Broadcasting - Hospital Radio Plymouth.

[2]  "Military ward is opened", Western Morning News, Plymouth, April 13th 1995.

©  Brian Moseley, Plymouth, UK

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