Reference
BHD226-254
Title
Priory Hospital (Dunstable and District Joint Isolation Hospital): ledgers and correspondence
Date free text
1904-1950
Production date
From: 1904 To: 1950
Admin/biog history
The Hospital opened in 1906 (at the site of Highfield House, Kensworth) and was first known as Dunstable and District Joint Isolation Hospital. The Hospital served patients in Dunstable, Leighton Buzzard and the surrounding villages. Patient fees were payable by their town or rural district authority. The Hospital was managed by a Committee of 12 men drawn from local authorities, and admitted mostly children suffering from scarlet fever and diptheria. Other infectious conditions were also reported e.g. typhoid, wooping cough, ring worm, chicken pox, measles.
Not long after the Hospital opened, another smaller block was added. In 1938, another block opened to help isolate cases of diphtheria and in the same year other improvements were made. The facility was connected to mains water and electric lighting was installed.
After the inception of the National Health Service in 1948, the Hospital was taken over by Luton and Hitchin Group Hospital Management Committee. The Hospital became known as The Priory Hospital in 1949 and admitted elderly, pre-surgical and chronic sick patients. In 1976, it was solely a hospital for the elderly needing specialist care and administered by St Mary's Hospital in Luton.
Scope and Content
Please also see HoDU and other records mentioned under 'allied materials'.
Exent
30 items
Reference
Level of description
series