The West Suffolk Hospital
Hardwick Lane, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk IP33 2QZ
Tel: 01284 713000

The West Suffolk General Hospital was founded in 1832, moving to its new site in Hardwick Lane in 1973. It was the first of a new design of hospital to open known as the “Best Buy” hospitals. This was the first standard design to combine a compact and economical hospital to meet modern purposes, of which there are now three more in East Anglia (at Hinchinbrooke in Huntingdon, James Paget in Great Yarmouth and Queen Elizabeth II at King’s Lynn).

A major extension providing facilities for elderly patients opened in 1977 and a Day Surgery Unit opened in 1994. There are a total of 680 beds. Mental Health Services are managed by the Local Health Partnerships NHS Trust within the Wedgewood Unit.

Set in a 19-hectare parkland site on the edge of Bury St Edmunds, the hospital has scope for expansion to meet the developing health care needs of the people of West Suffolk.

Note: NHS Trusts were introduced as part of the NHS Reforms in 1991, when providers of health services (e.g. hospitals or community services) could choose to become self-managing Trusts as part of the NHS. The West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust elected to go for Trust Status in the third year, becoming a Trust on 1^st April 1993.

Facilities

The hospital has a shops complex and a cafeteria is available to staff, patients and visitors. The canteen offers a variety of good value meals in a relaxed environment. The Education Centre houses the hospital library which has a wide range of resources, books, journals and computers to facilitate literature search and helpful librarians.

There is a National Westminster bank in the hospital which is available for all staff to use.

The hospital offers temporary accommodation on the West Suffolk Hospital site.