Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability

Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability (RHN)
Registered Charity Number: 205907
Main buildings fronting West Hill
Geography
Location	Putney, London, England, United Kingdom
Organisation
Care system	Charitable
Hospital type	Specialist
Patron	HM Queen Elizabeth II
Services
Emergency department	No Accident & Emergency
Beds	260
Speciality	Neuro-disability
History
Founded	1854
Links
Website	http://www.rhn.org.uk/
Lists	Hospitals in England

The Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability, in Putney, South West London, is an independent medical charity that provides rehabilitation and long term care to people with complex neurological disabilities caused by damage to the brain or other parts of the nervous system. This damage is often caused by traffic accidents and progressive neurological conditions such as Huntington's disease and multiple sclerosis. It is one of the 200 largest UK charitable organisations ranked by annual expenditure. The Chief Executive is Paul Allen.

The Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability (RHN) was established in July 1854 at a meeting held at the Mansion House, chaired by the Lord Mayor of London. The hospital's founder, Andrew Reed, had a record as a practical philanthropist, having previously set up four other charities, and Charles Dickens, the celebrated author, was one of the first high-profile figures to show his support by helping Reed raise funds for it.

The RHN was originally known as the Hospital for Incurables. It was based in a converted workhouse in Carshalton, Surrey, but as demand for its services grew, larger premises were required, and in 1857 it moved to a more spacious house in Putney. Just a few years later, even more space was needed and so in 1863 the hospital relocated to its permanent home, Melrose Hall on West Hill, in Putney.

Melrose Hall had originally been designed for John Anthony Rucker by the architect Jesse Gibson. It came with 24 acres (97,000 m2) of land on which, until the 1960s, the hospital ran a working farm, supplying fresh produce for patients’ meals. The Hall also had extensive gardens, parts of which had been landscaped by Lancelot “Capability” Brown. Although much of the land has now been developed, the RHN's patients, residents, relatives and employees still benefit from using the hospital's large landscaped gardens. Fundraising events are also held there. The hospital contains stained glass windows and two fireplaces by William Morris.