National Women's Hospital
| National Women's Hospital | |
|---|---|
 National Women's buildings in 2023 - hospital building (left) nurse's home (right) | |
 | |
| Geography | |
| Location | Greenlane, Auckland, New Zealand |
| Coordinates | 36°53′43″S 174°46′46″E / 36.895194°S 174.779436°E |
| Organisation | |
| Funding | Public hospital |
| Type | Specialist |
| Services | |
| Speciality | Obstetrics and gynaecology |
| History | |
| Opened | 1964 |
| Closed | 2004 |
| Links | |
| Website | www.adhb.health.nz |
| Lists | Hospitals in New Zealand |
National Women's Hospital, founded in 1955, was a public hospital specialising in obstetrics and gynaecology in Auckland, New Zealand. Initially located in Cornwall Hospital it moved to a purpose built building adjacent to Green Lane Hospital (now Greenlane Clinical Centre) and Cornwall Park from 1964. In 2004 its services moved to Auckland City Hospital.
History[edit]
In the 1940s a group of prominent doctors campaigned to establish an obstetrical and gynaecological hospital in Auckland which could also offer post-graduate teaching in these specialties. These doctors included Doris Gordon, Douglas Robb, John Stallworthy and Robert Macintosh.[1][2] Up until that time St Helens Hospital had provided maternity services since 1906.[2] More maternity beds were required and fundraising took place for new facilities and an academic chair in Obstetrics and Gynaecology.[3][4] The Obstetrical and Gynaecological Hospital opened at Cornwall Hospital in 1946 and the first baby was born there on 9 June 1946.[5] The hospital was renamed National Women's Hospital in 1955.[5]
Although the government had approved the construction of an obstetric hospital in 1943 it was subject to post-war delays and construction of a new building and a nurse's home adjacent to Green Lane Hospital did not commence until 1958.[4][5] The government financed two thirds of the cost recognising that the hospital would provide a national service.[4]
The hospital was opened in 1964 in two separate ceremonies.[5] On 2 February the hospital was blessed by the Bishop of Auckland, the Rt. Rev. E.A. Gowing, followed by an official opening on 14 February by the Governor General Sir Bernard Fergusson.[4][5] The opening was to have been performed by Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother but she was unable to attend due to illness.[4]
The building was 12 storeys high with 162 obstetric beds, 74 gynaecological beds, and isolation block, facilities to care for 54 premature babies and a research unit.[5]
A research centre for the Auckland University Post-graduate School of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at National Women's opened in 1990.[4]
In 1990 all the services provided at St Helens were moved to National Women's where obstetric and gynaecological services were separated.[3]
The hospital closed in 2004 when all services were moved to Auckland City Hospital.[3] The buildings are now part of the Greenlane Clinical Centre.
Cartwright Inquiry[edit]
From 1987 to 1988 an inquiry was carried out by judge Silvia Cartwright into the management and treatment of women with cervical cancer at the hospital.[4]
Achievements[edit]
William Liley carried out the first pre-birth blood transfusion of Rh negative blood to Rh positive babies with Rh negative mothers.[4] The first In vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment in New Zealand was carried out at National Women's in 1983.[4]
The Liggins Institute at the University of Auckland is named after medical scientist Graham Liggins.[6]
Notable staff[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ Gordon, Doris (1958). Doctor down under. London: Faber and Faber. pp. 114–117. OCLC 3444266.
- ^ a b Wakely, Gerald (1963). For the women of New Zealand: the story of the National Women's Hospital: the background, the idea, the chair, the building. Auckland, N.Z.: Auckland Hospital Board. pp. 4–5.
- ^ a b c Bryder, Linda (2018). "Maternity, women's and children's hospitals". Te Ara. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Auckland District Health Board. "History of National Women's Hospital" (PDF). Retrieved 8 July 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f Dow, Derek A. (2005). Auckland's hospitals: a pictorial history 1847-2004. [Auckland, N.Z.]: Auckland District Health Board. pp. 37–41. ISBN 0476014107. OCLC 156777585.
- ^ "History of the Liggins Institute". www.auckland.ac.nz. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
Further reading[edit]
- Bryder, Linda (2014). The Rise and Fall of National Women's Hospital: a history. Auckland: Auckland University Press. ISBN 978-1-86940-809-1. OCLC 864755943.
- Review of The rise and fall of National Women's Hospital: a history in New Zealand Journal of History, 49, 1 (2015).