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Saint Mary’s Hospital was founded in 1790 and, over the years, has successfully developed a wide range of world-class medical services for women and babies as well as a comprehensive Genomics Centre and an internationally recognised teaching and research portfolio. Each year, our teams deliver over 13,000 babies, carry out 1,400 surgical procedures, support 120,000 outpatient and antenatal appointments and provide intensive care for 2,600 sick newborn babies.
Our History
St. Mary’s was established in 1790 by Doctor Charles White as a charity, in a house in Old Bridge Street, Salford. In 1795, it moved to the Bath Inn, Salford, with the unwieldy name of “Manchester Lying-in Hospital and Charity for the delivery of poor women at their own habitations.”
Charles White gave lectures to the midwives of the charity and to pupils. It was one of the first hospitals in England to undertake the training of midwives.
In the early nineteenth century, the hospital was also involved in smallpox vaccination.
In 1854, the name was changed to ‘St Mary’s Hospital and Dispensary for the Diseases peculiar to Women and also for the diseases of Children under six years of age’, in reference to the nearby church.
Medical education at St Mary’s was consolidated in 1883 when Owens College awarded a lectureship to Dr Lloyd Roberts. Midwives who trained at the hospital were awarded a certificate for attending lectures and passing examinations and, in 1905, St Mary’s became an approved school for the training of midwives.
St. Mary’s moved location several more times: first to Quay Street and then to a purpose-built establishment on the corner of Oxford Street and Whitworth Street in 1901.
In 1919, a clinic for the treatment of venereal disease was commenced at St Mary’s, and 1923 saw the establishment of ante-natal clinics.
During the Second World War, most patients were moved, as St. Mary’s was a likely bombing target.
In 1970, a new building was added on Hathersage Road. It was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth in 1971.
Old Saint Mary’s Hospital was designated a Grade II listed building in 1994 and in 2009 paediatric (excluding neonatal) services from St Mary’s Hospital were transferred to the newly re-built Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital.
In 2009, we moved into our brand new, state-of-the-art hospital, alongside the other Manchester University Hospitals on Oxford Road.
Our Services
Our leading edge services are tailored to meet both the needs of the local population in Manchester and those of patients with complex medical conditions referred from other areas in the Greater Manchester conurbation, the North West and beyond.
The Sexual Assault Referral Centre, based at the Oxford Road Campus, represents a unique collaboration between Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust and the Greater Manchester Police Authority. The Centre accepts emergency or self-referrals from adults who have been raped or sexually assaulted.
Location
Saint Mary’s Hospital is located across three main sites: Oxford Road Campus, Wythenshawe Hospital and Trafford General Hospital. This enables us to offer patients a choice about where they want to receive care and treatment, to reduce travel time and speed up access to surgery or other treatment.
Saint Mary’s also runs a general antenatal clinic Lance Burn Health Centre for women who live in the Salford area.
Wherever you are treated, the Saint Mary’s team is proud to provide the highest standards of care for patients and their families from the North West and beyond.
For more details about how to get here, visit our Getting Here page.
Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT)
Saint Mary’s Hospital is part of Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT). Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust was formed on 1 October 2017 and is responsible for running a family of ten hospitals across seven separate sites. It provides a wide range of services from comprehensive local general hospital care through to highly specialised regional and national services.
Our Values
Saint Mary’s Hospital is proud to align itself with the shared values of Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust.
We are compassionate
- Care about people, focusing on the needs of all our patients and staff
- Reduce our impact on the environment.
- Support local people and the local economy in our role as a large local employer and consumer.
We are curious
- Use digital technology and other innovations to improve the way we work for patients and our colleagues.
- Use data, insight and evidence to inform the way we deliver services and make decisions.
We are collaborative
- Involve patients and our communities in the planning and delivery our services.
- Work together as one team across MFT.
- Work together with partners across Greater Manchester.
- Use our influence locally and nationally to the benefit of our patients, our communities and our partners.
We are open and honest
- Listen and respond to feedback from staff, patients, communities and partners.
- Celebrate our successes.
- Be honest about where things can be better and share learning to make improvements.
We are inclusive
- Address health inequalities, ensuring everyone can get the care they need and the best possible outcomes whatever their identity or background.
- Build a diverse workforce at all levels in which everyone can belong, and which reflects the people who use our services, helping us to deliver better care and build trust with our communities.