The name of the new building at the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton has been revealed: the Louisa Martindale Building.
The decision honours a woman who was a pioneer in medicine, surgery and primary care, and was a key figure in developing healthcare services for people in Sussex.
Louisa Martindale was the first female GP in Brighton, and had a long and illustrious career, with a focus on improving care of women and children in particular.
Her name was one of 690 suggestions submitted during the selection process, when University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust asked people to put forward ideas to name the new building, which is due to open in Spring 2023.
The 11-storey building will provide a significantly improved hospital environment for patients, families and staff. Some of the services which will be provided in the Louisa Martindale Building will be moved in from the neighbouring Barry Building, which dates back to 1828.
Karen Geoghegan, chief finance officer at the Trust, said:
"I'm really delighted that we can recognise Louisa Martindale in this way - she was a pioneer in medicine, in surgery, and in primary care, and a local figure that we can be hugely proud of in Sussex.
"The consultation process produced a large number of brilliant suggestions, including honouring many people who have achieved amazing things in the field of healthcare, but we felt that Louisa Martindale was a truly deserving figure, and we are so proud that our fantastic new building can honour her work and her life."
The Louisa Martindale Building is scheduled to be ready to begin delivering patient care next spring, but there is a huge amount of work to be done before then.
Further work is still required to finish preparing the building itself, and then about 16,000 items of equipment and furniture must be moved in, the building must be thoroughly cleaned, staff training and orientation must be completed, and the extensive testing of the building's systems be finalised.
Peter Larsen-Disney, the clinical lead for the building project, added:
"We all understand just how much work remains to be done before we can start moving patients and staff into the Louisa Martindale Building, but we can also see how fantastic this facility will be. Patients and staff have waited many years for this, and it will mean better care, and a better experience, for patients and visitors and a transformed working environment for staff."
Louisa Martindale factfile:
- Louisa Martindale was born on 30 October, 1872, and died 5 February, 1966
- She was born in Essex and her family moved to Brighton in 1885
- She was the first female GP in Brighton
- She was instrumental in the setting up of the New Sussex Hospital for Women in Brighton
- Louisa Martindale pioneerd the therapeutic use of deep x-ray
- She spent time in France as a surgeon in WWI, and worked as a surgeon in London in WWII
- She was a world-renowned gynaecologist, and a leader in the use of radium to treat gynaecological cancers
- Louisa Martindale was made CBE in 1931 for her services to medical education for women
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