Timeline highlights our momentous milestones
To celebrate the 75th birthday of our fabulous NHS, we look back at significant Royal Surrey milestones.
The timeline kicks off on 5 July 1948 as Royal Surrey’s 228-bed hospital, then based in Farnham Road, comes under state control with the birth of the NHS.
Nine years on, Elizabeth II visits the hospital as part of celebrations to mark Guildford’s 700th anniversary of becoming Surrey’s county town. In 1981 Elizabeth II returns to officially open the Trust’s new home in Egerton Road and in 1997 she opened St Luke’s Cancer Centre.
The Royal Family have continued their connection with Royal Surrey over the past 75 years, happily reinforcing the Royal in Royal Surrey.
Royal visits aside, the Trust’s timeline of events from the last 75 years reveals a fascinating series of achievements and momentous milestones. Take a peek to find out more and reflect on our amazing Trust and national treasure that is the NHS.
Timeline of Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust:
- 1866 The original Royal Surrey County Hospital in Farnham Road, Guildford, opens in April. Queen Victoria granted the hospital royal patronage in memory of her husband, Albert, and made a donation of £105
- 5 July 1948 Royal Surrey County Hospital, then in Farnham Road and St Luke's Hospital on Warren Road, comes under state control with the birth of the NHS
- 1957 Elizabeth II, accompanied by Prince Philip, visits the hospital on Farnham Road as part of celebrations to mark the 700th Anniversary of the charter confirming Guildford as the county town of Surrey.
- 1967 The first discussions take place around plans to build a new hospital in Egerton Road, Guildford
- 1972 Tree planted by then Health Minister, Sir Keith Joseph, to mark the start of work to build a new hospital in Egerton Road, Guildford
- 1980 The first patient is admitted to the new £10 million 353 bed Royal Surrey County Hospital, which included a new Accident and Emergency Department
- 1981 Elizabeth II officially opens the Trust’s home on Egerton Road
- 1986 A multi-disciplinary education centre opens, which includes a post graduate medical education centre
- 1991 St Luke’s Hospital and the Royal Surrey becomes a joint self-governing trust in the NHS. Departments and services begin to move to the Royal Surrey site
- 1993 The Trust becomes one of three centres in the UK designated to train surgeons in keyhole surgery
- 1995 Royal Surrey Charity launches, funding projects over and above those covered by the NHS
- 1997 Elizabeth II opens Royal Surrey’s St Luke’s Cancer Centre on Egerton Road
- 1998 The Fountain Centre launches, providing counselling and complimentary therapies for Royal Surrey cancer patients
- 2004 After nearly five years, Royal Surrey Charity’s Abracadabra Appeal achieves its target to raise £1million to create a new Children’s Ward
- 2005 The Duchess of Edinburgh opens The Haste Wing diagnostic unit
- 2009 Royal Surrey is given NHS Foundation Trust status
- 2014 Radiotherapy satellite centre opens at East Surrey Hospital
- 2016 The Trust is named UK’s first epicentre for training in robotic surgery
- 2018 Haslemere Community Hospital, Cranleigh Village Hospital and Milford Hospital become part of the Royal Surrey family after the Trust, in conjunction with Procare GP Federation, are awarded the contract to deliver adult community services in Guildford and Waverley
- 2019 Stokes Centre for Urology is opened by the Duke of Kent
- 2020 A dedicated 20-bed isolation ward opens in response to the global pandemic. The building of the Guildford Ward is the quickest in the hospital’s history
- 2021 Launch of Varian Ethos machine, using artificial intelligence to deliver radiotherapy, targeting tumours with extreme precision
- 2022 Catherine, Princess of Wales visits our award-winning maternity unit
- 2023 Work gets underway for a new community diagnostic centre at Milford Community Hospital