Forest Hospital

From Lost Hospitals of London: https://ezitis.myzen.co.uk/forest.html

The Forest Hospital for Buckhurst Hill, Loughton, Chigwell, Abridge, High Beech, Chingford and Sewardstonebury opened in 1913 with 21 beds. The Lord Mayor of London had laid the foundation stone in 1912, and the costs of the building had been donated by a local family. The new Hospital replaced the Village Hospital and the Medical Provident House in Buckhurst Hill, which both closed.

The Hospital joined the NHS in 1948 as a general hospital with 44 beds. It came under the control of the Forest Group Hospital Management Committee, part of the North East Metropolitan Regional Health Board.

In 1974, following a reorganisation of the NHS, it came under the auspices of the Redbridge and Waltham Forest Area Health Authority, part of the North East Thames Regional Health Authority. It had 42 beds.

By 1977 it faced the threat of closure.

In 1982 it had 40 beds. After another NHS reorganisation, it became part of the Waltham Forest District Health Authority, who managed it ex-territorially as the Hospital lay physically within the area of the West Essex Health Authority.

By 1985 it had become a small, well-run General Practioner hospital with 35 beds, a Physiotherapy Department, and a busy X-ray Department. It had a Day Centre with 20 places which provided companionship to elderly patients and a few hours' relief for their carers. But, again, it was threatened with closure and this time it did not survive. It closed in 1986.

Roebuck Lane, Buckhurst Hill, Essex IG9 5QN