St Andrew's Healthcare

For other hospitals of this name, see St Andrew's Hospital (Dollis Hill) and St. Andrew's Hospital in Beijing.
Engraving of Northampton General Lunatic Asylum, 1849

St Andrew's Healthcare is a Charitable organisation providing psychiatric services in England. Its headquarters is at St Andrew's Hospital in Northampton. The charity dates back to before the hospital opened in 1838. It is by far the largest mental health facility in UK, providing national specialist services for adolescents, men, women and older people with mental illness, learning disability, brain injury, autism and dementia. The charity caters for patients requiring open, locked, low or medium-secure accommodation and has a primary focus on rehabilitation pathways and recovery. St Andrew's also has hospitals in Essex, Birmingham and Nottinghamshire.

As of 2013, St Andrew's Healthcare employs over 4,000 people across the United Kingdom and receives over 95% of its revenue (and patients) from the National Health Service through referrals from NHS commissioners. St Andrew's has the capacity to cater for around 1,000 patients across its various sites, having grown rapidly since 2000. Its charitable accounts show turnover of £187.5million in 2013/14.[1] Awards include 2011 Third Sector Provider of the Year and 2012 Mental Health Provider of the Year. Professor Philip Sugarman, the then Chief Executive was paid £653,000 in 2012/13, an increase of more than 18 per cent on his previous year's pay of £552,000.[2] In February 2014 Prof. Sugarman brought forward his planned retirement for health reasons.[3]

In December 2013 the hospital was inspected by the Care Quality Commission who will be re-inspecting during 2016. Dr Philip Sugarman the Chief Executive said there was a national shortage of qualified staff.[4] A later inspection of the facility by CQC inspectors in August 2014 found that staffing levels were acceptable.[5]

History

The Northampton General Lunatic Asylum, founded by public subscription, opened to "private and pauper lunatics" on 1 August 1838. The hospital was built on land once owned by the Cluniac Priory of St Andrew's. Donations were given for the establishment of a building for the "care of the insane" including from the funds of the disbanded Northamptonshire Yeomanry and a gift from Earl Spencer.

Thomas Octavius Prichard was appointed as the hospital’s first medical superintendent: he was one of the pioneers of "moral management", the humane treatment of the mentally ill. The asylum was originally intended to house 70 patients and was made a charitable trust. By the mid-1840s St Andrew's was caring for over 260 people; by 1860 this had risen to 317 and five years later to 414; in 1869 there were 40 nurses and attendants caring for 450 patients.

In 1876, a separate County Lunatic Asylum for pauper patients was opened in Northampton and the original General Lunatic Asylum changed its name to Northampton General Lunatic Asylum for the Middle and Upper Classes. It was renamed St Andrew's Hospital for mental diseases in 1887.

At the foundation of the National Health Service, St Andrew's sought exemption and was one of four Registered Psychiatric Hospitals allowed to function outside the NHS, maintaining its charitable status.

Many of the hospital buildings enjoy Listed Building status including the Hospital Chapel which was designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott and opened in 1863.

Notable patients

See also

References

  1. http://wck2.companieshouse.gov.uk//compdetails
  2. "Charity chief's £653,000 pay reignites row". Independent (London). 20 October 2013. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
  3. "Hospital chief executive steps down due to 'health'" Northampton Chronicle, 14 February 2014
  4. "St Andrews boss blames critical inspection on lack of trained mental health nurses". Northampton Chronicle and Echo. 13 December 2013. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
  5. "Josef Hassid". psychosurgery.org. July 2005. Retrieved 2012-08-08.
  6. Sean O'Hagan (16 May 2004). "''The Observer'' Private dancer, 16 May 2004". London: Books.guardian.co.uk. Retrieved 2012-08-08.
  7. Jonathan Glancey (9 December 2002). "''The Guardian'' The man between". London: Arts.guardian.co.uk. Retrieved 2012-08-08.

External links

Coordinates: 52°14′17″N 0°52′26″W / 52.238°N 0.874°W / 52.238; -0.874

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