Hospital celebrates 60 years of caring for the community

Collage of photos showing the main entrance to the hospital today and two photos from the official opening in 1965

The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust (PAHT) is proud to mark its 60th anniversary today (27 April), celebrating six decades of dedicated service to the communities of west Essex and east Hertfordshire.

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, it has cared for generations of families, with its 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 at PAHT has since received funding from the government for a new CT scanner, which was installed in 2020, just after the hospital’s 65^th anniversary. PAHT performed over 38,000 CT investigations last year (2024), aiding early diagnosis and treatment of various conditions for its 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.

The trust continues 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 Patient Record (EPR) 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.

Thom Lafferty, chief executive of PAHT, said: “As we celebrate 60 years of The Princess Alexandra Hospital, 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.

“As PAHT marks this special occasion, we invite our community to join us in celebrating our hospital’s rich history and bright future.”

The official opening ceremony: Photo credits for the five photos below are to Mr George Taylor.