"The Wellington Hospital, St Johns Wood, London"

An Article taken from the Union-Castle Line's "Seafari" (1975 edition) on board courtesy magazine

When Sir Nicholas Cayzer's British & Commonwealth Shipping Group decided to build a private hospital it was not such an unusual venture as it might at first have seemed. The group is accustomed to looking after people in its Union-Castle ships - their flagship, Windsor Castle, is known to many - and in its hotels of which theSan Antonio in Lanzarote, one of the Canary Islands, is the newest. A medical department was already established at Cayzer House, to look after the surgical and nursing requirements of the group's ships and, in many ways, a hospital was an extension of some of the group's existing activities.

It was just over four years ago when Dr Arthur Levin, medical advisor to the group and now medical director of The Wellington Hospital, suggested to the company that there was a need in London for a first class private hospital which, together with the best in medical and nursing care, incorporated accommodation and service normally associated with a luxury hotel. Dr Levin knew that this would entail much research, especially in selecting the most modern and suitable equipment for a hospital designed to undertake general surgery.

Now standing grandly in Wellington Road and alongside Lord's Cricket Ground is the hospital which is often thought to have been designed to look like a cruise liner.

When Yorke Rosenberg Mardall, architects of many hospitals, undertook the design of the hospital they had to consider planning restrictions and at the same time obtain the maximum light for each room. The resulting stepped shape building provides a balcony for all except eight of its 98 patient's rooms.

As one parks in the forecourt one is faced with an exterior of unfilled and unpolished travertine marble. After passing through the electronically operated doors it is as though one is entering a beautifully appointed hotel.

Highly polished creamy fawn travertine marble lines the walls and pillars of the entrance hall and the floor is of filled marble. Through this entrance come patients, visitors and members of the medical profession. They are greeted and, where necessary, assisted by the head porter, or by the receptionist who sits at a low, spacious walnut desk. Elsewhere in the hospital the wood is Indian laurel.

Also in the hall is the hospital boutique which boasts a service that can provide patients' needs, however unusual, at very short notice. Its shelves are lined not only with the most tempting perfumes and cosmetics but also the important day to day items such as tooth brushes and toothpastes, so easily forgotten when going into a hospital or hotel. From this boutique is organised a service to all patients' rooms and the provision of newspapers and journals in any language.

Apart from a similarly furnished area where out-patients wait, and also the treatment areas, the whole of the hospital is carpeted. In the corridors the carpet has a circle design in medium and dark brown colours and for the patients' rooms two colours were selected, green for north facing rooms and blue for the south rooms. There are two areas carpeted in pale blue and a patients lounge where a two tone carpet has been used.

An atmosphere of quiet and calm hs been created but there is, of course, professionalism as well, provided, in particular, by the nursing staff.

Uniforms have been specially designed for all The Wellington Hospital staff and for the nurses there is a practical but essentially traditional uniform which ranges through three shades of blue and a delicate lilac according to the nurses' rank. The Director of Nursing wears a dress of royal blue with a blue and white spotted silk bow at the neck and a cap of layered white lace threaded with fine blue ribbon. One gains the impression that patients and nurses still prefer a uniform that sets the nurses slightly apart in their role of caring for people. Attractive print uniforms have been designed for the stewardesses who serve patients with all their meals thus relieving nurses of all except nursing duties.

The Wellington Hospital can take 98 patients, in 96 rooms and two suites. The suites have an adjoining sitting room, beautifully furnished with gold brocade and sweeping , floor length curtains. The brocade covered sofa can, however, be quickly converted into a bed for a relative, or possibly a nanny or companion, who wishes to be close to the patient. These sitting rooms, like most of the rooms, open out on to balconies where one ususally finds an array of colourful flowers.

It is difficult not to describe all the rooms as suites because each is entered from a beautifully equipped panelled lobby where nothing seems to have been overlooked and ususual extras have been provided. There is, of course, a bathroom with bath, a bidet and controlled shower, and facilities for obtaining assistance should it be required. Also in the lobby one finds a discreet but compact refrigerator, a spacious wardrobe, and a hot-box trolley from which the patient is served with meals at the correct temperature. The rooms contain everything that you would expect in a luxury hotel, such as colour television, radio and push button telephones, all controlled from the bedside console.

This is, however, a hospital and one is reminded that the purpose of one's stay is to receive the maximum care and attention. On the walls are connections for oxygen and suction and an emergency call button for use by nursing staff in the event of cardiac arrest or any other emergency. Built into the bedside locker is a nurse call system from which, at the touch of a button, the patient can talk direct to the nurse who is in attendance at a nearby desk. Electric beds in all the rooms can be operated by the patient or a nurse, into any position which is required either for comfort or for examination and the bed tables, which contain a vanity compartment, move upwards when the bed is raised so that there is no pressure on the patient.

When a patient, one expects certain dietary restrictions and this has been taken into account in the hospital menu. There is a complete section for diabetics, for those requiring a low sodium diet, and all types of therapeutic diet. There is an extensive a la carte section for those whose food is unrestricted and there is a wine list which should meet the needs of the most discriminating connoisseur. Attention has also been paid to the special requirements of overseas patients.

It would be wrong to omit mentioning the exquisitely furnished lounge on the fifth floor where patients and their guests can sit and talk, watch television or, perhaps, play bridge. They might even watch cricket from the balcony which overlooks Lord's Cricket Ground. In this room hangs a most interesting collection of prints and reproductions representing famous cricketing personalities and occasions.

The Wellington Hospital is licenced so that refreshments can be served when required, but one is reminded that this is always subject to medical supervision.

This is, after all, a hospital and Dr Leven expects most patients to stay for an average of from eight to fourteen days and to come from many overseas countries as well as the UK. He feels that it should gain an international reputation especially as British medicine is so highly thought of abroad.

This is a general private hospital in which the diagnostic departments and operating theatres have been equipped to a very high standard.

There are three large x-ray rooms, examination rooms for audiometry, lung function, electrocardiography and ophthalmology, and an extensive pathology department. There is also a physiotherapy department to meet all requirements either in the hospital or in patients' homes. Consultants suites with adjoining examination rooms are available for consultations at the hospital.

The three operating theatres, each with its own anaesthetic room, are on the lower ground floor and they are adjacent to a post-operative recovery area to which all patients go after leaving the theatre and before returning to their rooms. There is an extensively equipped intensive care unit for six patients where maximum observation and attention is given.

To obtain first class treatment, comfort and privacy at The Wellington Hospital is more costly than at most hospitals but one would not expect otherwise after seeing the facilities which are provided for patients, and having experienced the atmosphere of kindness and friendliness which one meets on visiting the hospital.