Royal Albert Edward Infirmary
British hospital
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Royal Albert Edward Infirmary, also known as the Wigan Infirmary, is a health facility in Wigan Lane, Wigan, Greater Manchester, England. It is managed by the Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust.
| Royal Albert Edward Infirmary | |
|---|---|
| Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust | |
Royal Albert Edward Infirmary | |
  Shown in Greater Manchester | |
| Geography | |
| Location | Wigan Lane, Wigan, Greater Manchester, England, United Kingdom |
| Coordinates | 53.5581°N 2.6296°W |
| Organisation | |
| Public NHS | |
| Type | General hospital |
| Services | |
| Yes Accident & Emergency | |
| History | |
| Founded | 1796 |
| Links | |
| Website | www |
| Lists | Hospitals in England |
History
The facility has its origins in the Wigan Dispensary which was established in King Street in 1796.[1] The foundation stone for the current facility in Wigan Lane was laid by the Earl of Crawford in 1870.[2] General Sir James Lindsay, who had seen action in the Red River Rebellion, was in attendance for the ceremony.[2] The new building, which was designed by Thomas Worthington and Joseph Hanson, was opened by the Prince and Princess of Wales in 1873.[2] A children's ward was added in 1877 and it joined the National Health Service in 1948.[1] A major extension, in the same architectural style as the original building, was completed in 2004.[3] In September 2019 the trust announced that an extra ward might be created to respond to growing demand for beds.[4]
In May 2020, a new ward dedicated to treating COVID-19 patients was opened in the hospital. The Bryn Ward has 50 beds with 27 of those being used for intensive care.[5] The modular unit was built in the Infirmary's car park.[6]
In 2021, a new £7.6 million community assessment unit, with 21 beds, was opened in the Infirmary.[7]