Since its official opening on 27 April 1965 by Her Royal Highness Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy (pictured), the hospital has remained at the heart of healthcare in the region. Over the past 60 years, we have cared for generations of families, with our hard-working staff delivering care, treatment and support to patients.
Following this momentous day in 1965, the hospital saw the implementation of many procedures and treatments that are now a mainstay of the work of a modern acute hospital. This includes computerised tomography (CT) scanners, which were first used in the UK in 1972. They continued to be used at the hospital from the 1970s, and in September 1998, HRH Princess Alexandra revisited the hospital to officially open the new CT scanner suite in the X-ray Department.
The Radiology Department has since received funding from the government for a new CT scanner, which was installed in 2020, just after the hospital’s 65th anniversary. We performed over 38,000 CT investigations last year (2024), aiding early diagnosis and treatment of various conditions for patients.
The hospital was established as The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust in April 1995, providing services at The Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow, the Herts and Essex Hospital in Bishop’s Stortford, and St Margaret’s Hospital in Epping.
In the years since the hospital first opened, it has undergone modernisation and development to meet the increased demand for hospital services, including recent additions such as the renovations in the majority of inpatient wards and the development of the Same Day Emergency Care Unit and Urgent Treatment Centre.
We continue to invest in new facilities and digital transformation to enhance patient care, with recent developments including:
- A new Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC) to open at St Margaret’s Hospital – providing faster access to vital tests and scans for local people, helping with earlier diagnosis and better health outcomes
- A modern Electronic Healthcare Record (EHR) system introduced – improving the way we deliver care and integrating with the NHS App, making it easier for patients to manage their healthcare
- Confirmed funding for a New Hospital Programme – to deliver a state-of-the-art hospital in Harlow, designed to meet the needs of the growing community for generations to come
Celebrating the 60th anniversary in 2025, Thom Lafferty, chief executive, said: “We are incredibly proud of our history and, most importantly, our people. Our teams have worked with unwavering dedication, professionalism, and compassion, ensuring that we continue to provide high-quality care to our patients.
“This significant milestone is not only a chance to reflect on the past but also to look forward with excitement. Our investment in new facilities, digital technology, and the future new hospital means we are well placed to continue providing excellent healthcare services for the next 60 years and beyond.
“We invite our community to join us in celebrating our hospital’s rich history and bright future.”