Manchester Royal Infirmary (MRI) was formed in 1752. It had 12 beds and began in a small house in the city centre.
We are now a large teaching hospital for Manchester University's Medical School, and a specialist regional centre for kidney and pancreas transplants, haematology and sickle cell disease. Our Heart Centre is a major provider of cardiac services in the region, specialising in cardiothoracic surgery and cardiology.
The Accident & Emergency Department sees around 145,000 patients each year.
We are proud at the MRI to boast many medical breakthroughs, the most recent being the first in the UK to carry out 1,000 cochlear implants. The Manchester Diabetes Centre was established in April 1988 and was the first of its kind in the UK and we were also the first centre to host a dedicated Blackout Clinic.
This year the Manchester Heart Centre was pleased to announce that they undertook the first percutaneous (through the skin) valve procedure by cardiologists in the North West. It also boasts a new Rapid Access Blackouts Triage clinic, believed to be the first in the world.
The MRI, together with Royal Manchester Children's Hospital are the only hospitals in the region which undertake kidney transplantation and in 2008 the MRI celebrated 4000 transplants over 40 years of service.
In May 2008, the Manchester Centre for Sexual Health moved to new premises on our site on Hathersage Road, providing easier access and better facilities.
In August 2008, a number of our services moved into a new wing of the Manchester Royal Infirmary including our renal Inpatient wards, Haematology Unit, Short Stay Ward and two of our Acute Medicine wards.
