AGY-6857 | Ryde District Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital (1930-1974) Ryde Hospital (1974- )

Full description

In 1913, Denistone House, Eastwood, was purchased by the Government to be used as a convalescent home for males, taking in patients from August 1914. (1) In March 1928, it was announced that the house and grounds would be used for the development of a general hospital. (2)

Although yet to be built, on 17 January 1930 the Ryde District Soldiers' Memorial Hospital was added to the Second Schedule of the Public Hospitals Act 1929. (3) This was confirmed by a further gazettal in May the following year. (4) In the first report of the Hospitals Commission, in 1930, Ryde was listed as a new hospital which could be commenced as soon as funds were available. (5)

By 1933, construction of the Hospital had commenced. The works comprised a main hospital group of buildings and the conversion of Denistone House into quarters for nurses and domestic staff. (6) The new hospital was opened on 14 May 1934. (7) In its first full year of operation it treated 1229 in-patients, had 5764 out-patient attendances and a bed capacity of 62. (8)

In 1937, plans and specifications were developed to convert Denistone House into a maternity block. (9) The Works Department described the old building with its 'severe Georgian lines' as having a 'certain historical interest', stating that care would be exercised so as not to 'mar its architectural proportions and feeling'. (10) At the same time, plans were developed for the construction of a new 30-bed private and intermediate ('paying') block. (11) The paying and maternity units, and a new home for nurses, were completed by June 1939. (12) Mainly as a result of these developments, the reported bed capacity increased from 69 in June 1938 (13) to 139 in June the following year. (14) 157 babies were born during the year to June 1939. (15)

In January 1937, Ryde District Soldiers' Memorial Hospital, Eastwood, was listed in the General Hospitals category as a training school recognised by the Nurses' Registration Board of New South Wales. (16) In the 1943 list, the Hospital was also recognised as a Midwifery Hospital (17) and, in December 1967, it was approved as a training school for nursing aides. (18) In July 1972, the Hospital was accepted by Sydney University as an Affiliated Hospital. (19) The system of Affiliated Hospitals, which were in addition to the existing Teaching Hospitals, was established by the University in 1971. (20)

In February 1974, the Hospital was renamed The Ryde Hospital. (21)

In 2016, Ryde Hospital was part of the Northern Sydney Local Health District and fully associated with Sydney University’s Northern Clinical School which was headquartered at the Royal North Shore Hospital. It had a bed capacity of 212. (22)

Endnotes
1. C. J. Cummins, A History of Medical Administration in NSW 1788-1973 2nd Edition, NSW Department of Health, October 2003, p.202.
2. 'New Hospital, Ryde-Eastwood District' in Sydney Morning Herald, 16 March 1928, p.6 http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/16449653 (accessed 12 April 2016).
3. NSW Government Gazette No. 6, 17 January 1930, p.173.
4. NSW Government Gazette No.65, 29 May 1931, p.1877.
5. Annual Report of the Hospitals Commission of New South Wales for the year ended 30th June 1930, p.3 in NSW Parliamentary Papers 1930-31-32 Vol.1, p.629.
6. Report of the Department of Public Works for the year ended 30th June 1933, p.36 in NSW Parliamentary Papers 1934-35 Vol.3, p.1.
7. Report of the Hospitals Commission of New South Wales for the years ended 30 June 1934, 30th June 1935 and 30th June 1936, p.18 in NSW Parliamentary Papers 1938-39-40 Vol.5, p.663.
8. Ibid., p.29.
9. Report of the Department of Works and Local Government for the year ended 30 June 1937, p.34 in NSW Parliamentary Papers 1938-39-40 Vol.6, p.393.
10. Loc. cit.
11. Loc. cit.
12. Report of the Department of Works and Local Government for the year ended 30 June 1939, p.45 in NSW Parliamentary Papers 1938-39-40 Vol.6, p.619.
13. Report of the Hospitals Commission of New South Wales for the years ended 30 June 1937 and 30th June 1938, p.28 in NSW Parliamentary Papers 1938-39-40 Vol.5, p.723.
14. Report of the Hospitals Commission of New South Wales for the year ended 30 June 1939, p.11 in NSW Parliamentary Papers 1938-39-40 Vol.5, p.761.
15. Loc. cit.
16. List of Hospitals Recognised as Training Schools by the Nurses' Registration Board of New South Wales, 22 January 1937 in NSW Government Gazette No.9, 22 January 1937, p.298.
17. List of Hospitals Recognised as Training Schools by the Nurses' Registration Board of New South Wales, 17 February 1943 in NSW Government Gazette No.25, 26 February 1943, pp.382-83.
18. NSW Government Gazette No.133, 1 December 1967, p.4450.
19. Report of the University of Sydney for the year ended 31st December 1972, p.9 in NSW Parliamentary Papers 1974-75 vol.2, p.1541.
20. Report of the University of Sydney for 1971, p.10 in NSW Parliamentary Papers 1973 vol.2, p.1163.
21. NSW Government Gazette No.35, 14 February 1975, p.481.
22. Northern Clinical School About Us - Ryde Hospital http://sydney.edu.au/medicine/northern/about/hospitals/ryde.php (accessed 12 April 2016).