Annex A > Chapter 9 - The Split Service > Introduction > Location of relevant Bristol Hospitals during the period of the Inquiry's Terms of Reference

Location of relevant Bristol Hospitals during the period of the Inquiry's Terms of Reference

Bristol Royal Infirmary departmental relationships during the period of the Inquiry's Terms of Reference

2 Before, during, and since the period 1984-1995, Bristol has been served by a group of hospitals, including the BRI and the BRHSC. Prior to 1 April 1991 this group was the United Bristol Hospitals (UBH) [1] and, following Trust status, the United Bristol Healthcare (NHS) Trust (UBHT). [2]

3 For the purposes of the Inquiry, the term `split service' refers to the fact that, throughout the period of the Terms of Reference, until October 1995, the paediatric cardiac surgery service was split between the BRHSC and the BRI. The cardiologists were based at the BRHSC, as was the performance of closed-heart surgery. Open-heart surgery was performed at the BRI. [3] The service was united in one building on 16 October 1995 when open-heart surgery was moved to the BRHSC. Until then, different facilities existed for children at the BRI and the BRHSC respectively. The Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the BRI served both child and adult patients.

4 This chapter sets out the evidence relating to the effects of the split site and the consequent split service, and efforts made to address them.

5 Differences in the nursing care at the two sites are described in Chapter 13 - Pre-operative Care and Chapter 15 - Post-operative Care as are the effects of the split site and consequent split site service on the cardiologists.

6 The organisation of counselling and bereavement services over the two sites is described in Chapter 16 - Support and Counselling.

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Footnotes

[1] The Bristol Royal Infirmary, Bristol Royal Hospital for Sick Children, formerly the Bristol Royal Children's Hospital a.k.a. Bristol Children's Hospital, Bristol Eye Hospital, Bristol Maternity Hospital, Bristol General Hospital, University of Bristol Dental Hospital; between 1960 and 1974 they were joined by: Bristol Homeopathic Hospital and Farleigh Hospital (Mental Handicap)

[2] The Bristol Royal Infirmary, Bristol Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Bristol Eye Hospital, Bristol General Hospital, Dental Hospital, Barrow Hospital, Keynsham Hospital, St Michael's Hospital, Bristol Oncology Centre

[3] The Inquiry heard that as a result of the split service, children who received treatment on both sites would have two sets of medical records