Gilbert Bain Hospital
Shetlopedia - The Shetland Encyclopaedia
New Gilbert Bain Hospital
Lerwick's New Gilbert Bain Hospital is a general hospital, built 1958 to 1960, on the junction of South Road and Cairnfield Road to replace an older building of the same name which had become too small for the needs of the day.
The foundation stone was laid by Robert Ollason, Chairman of the "Board of Shetland Hospitals" on April 21st 1959.
It was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother on the 8th of August 1961.
It is Shetland's main hospital and is run by NHS Shetland.
The campaign for a new Shetland hospital had been long and hard-fought. As early as 1927 the Department of Health had been approached about a grant for an extension to the Old Gilbert Bain Hospital. The response was that it would be impossible to adapt the building to meet the county's requirements.
A decade later local contributions were raised, and, following the approval of plans in 1938-9, the Department of Health promised a grant. However, war resulted in the cancellation of the project after tenders had been received.
With the advent of the National Health Service in 1948, the North-Eastern Hospital Board became responsible for planning the organisation of medical services in Shetland. The Regional Hospital Board supported the case for building a completely new hospital in Lerwick. After lengthy discuissions with the Department of Health the scheme was included in the National Building Programme. Work began in October 1957, and the main building contracts were let in 1958.
The main facilities at the hospital today include:
- Ward 1 - 26 acute surgical beds
- Day Surgery - 8 day case beds
- Rehabilitation - 8 rehabilitation beds
- Ward 3 - 20 acute medical beds
- Maternity - labour suite and 6 maternity beds
- Renal Dialysis - two stations
- Dental Suite
- Theatre Suite
- Outpatients Department
- Accident and Emergency Department
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 |  Photo from Shetland Museum and Archives. |  Photo from Shetland Museum and Archives. |
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Photo from Shetland Museum and Archives.
Old Gilbert Bain Hospital
The original Gilbert Bain hospital, at the junction of South Road and King Harald Street was opened on 20th August 1902. At that stage it comprised four female and four male beds. During the following decades two extensions were made: one in stone with funds provided by the fish trade, and a balcony provided with grant-in-aid from the Scottish Board of Health.
In 1920 1 x-ray and electric light plants were installed. The first qualifiied radiographer was appointed in 1947: hitherto the work had been done by a local clergyman and the ambulance driver.
The first surgeon-consultant, R.H. Rose-Innes was appointed in 1924, with help from the Scottish Board of Health. The unit thus became a surgical hospital with an ever-increasing number of occupied beds.
In 1946 a move was made by Zetland County Council to provide accommodation for maternity patients, but owing to building and other difficulties the best that could be achieved was the conversion of war-time service huts at Midgarth. This unit, familiarly called 'The Annexe', was administered by the Gilbert Bain Hospital Trust on behalf of the Council.
Gilbert Bain
Gilbert Bain was born in Lerwick on April 29th 1809, and died in Edinburgh on March 23rd 1886.
He was a son of James and Andrina Bain. James Bain was a joiner and auctioneer, born at Ocraquoy. James owned property at the South End of Commercial Street. "Bain's Beach", (next to the Queens Hotel), is named after this family.
Gilbert spent his working life in India and Singapore, where he made his fortune. He was unmarried and his sisters inherited his estate. They, Enga and Isabella, were the source of most of the money (approx £5000) it cost to build, equip and endow the hospital in memory of their brother.
 |  |  Photo from Shetland Museum and Archives. |
