** Our History **
The James Paget University Hospital celebrated its 25th birthday in 2007. Here’s a little bit of history about the hospital and who it was named after.
Building and opening the new James Paget District General Hospital
Although the Department of Health approved a new hospital on the Norfolk coast, it was six years before it opened. The building took three years to erect. It was based on the ‘best buy’ design and was built in two phases. The first had 248 beds across seven wards, plus day beds, and the second increasing the beds to over 500 and transferring maternity services from Northgate Hospital.
On completion, the hospital held visits and open days during December 1981, and over 5,000 people came to see the new building. After waiting so long for their new hospital, the local population were very keen to have a look around.
Staff moved into the hospital with military precision over Christmas and New Year 1981 to minimise disruption to patients.
The new hospital was officially opened on 21st July 1982. It was a gloomy day, and the mood in the hospital reflected this as the whole country was in the grip of a national strike. The Mayor of Great Yarmouth refused to attend the opening because he would not cross a picket line! There were no refreshments for the opening ceremony, but Dr Back, Consultant Pediatrician, made sure there was a kettle on hand in the children’s ward to make a cup of tea for the guest of honour, Professor Dorothy Crowfoot, who opened the hospital. She was one of the outstanding scientists of the century, discovering the structure of penicillin, vitamin B12 and insulin.
