The Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh
| Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh | |
|---|---|
| NHS Lothian | |
| Geography | |
| Location | Edinburgh, Scotland |
| Organisation | |
| Care system | NHS Scotland |
| Hospital type | Teaching Hospital |
| Affiliated university | University of Edinburgh Medical School |
| Services | |
| Emergency department | Yes |
| Beds | >900 |
| History | |
| Founded | 1729 |
| Links | |
| Website | Website |
| Lists | Hospitals in Scotland |
Coordinates: 55°55′22″N 3°08′12″W / 55.922853°N 3.136642°W
The Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, or RIE, often (but incorrectly) known as the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, or ERI, was established in 1729 and is the oldest voluntary hospital in Scotland. The new buildings of 1879 were claimed to be the largest voluntary hospital in the United Kingdom, and later on, the Empire. The hospital moved to a new 900 bed site in 2003 in Little France. It is the site of clinical medicine teaching as well as a teaching hospital for the University of Edinburgh Medical School. It is currently run by NHS Lothian. In 1960, the first kidney transplant performed in the UK was performed at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh by surgeon Michael Woodruff. In 1964, the world's first coronary care unit was established at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh by Dr. Desmond Julian. It is the only site for liver, pancreas and pancreatic islet cell transplantation and one of two sites for kidney transplantation in Scotland. It is currently the only site for TAVI in Scotland. In 2012 the Emergency Department had 113,000 patient attendances, the highest number in Scotland. On 16 November 2014, the University announced the Royal Infirmary as the location of Scotland's first PET-MRI Scanner.
John Munro, President of the Incorporation of Surgeons in 1712, set in motion a project to establish a "Seminary of Medical Education" in Edinburgh, of which a General Hospital was an integral part. His son, Alexander Monro primus, by then Professor of Anatomy, circulated an anonymous pamphlet in 1721 on the necessity and advantage of erecting a Hospital for the Sick Poor. In 1725 the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh wrote to the stock-holders of the Fishery Company, which was about to be wound up, suggesting that they assign their shares for the purpose of such a hospital. Other donors included many wealthy citizens, most of the physicians and several surgeons, numerous Church of Scotland parishes (at the urging of their Assembly) and the Episcopal meeting houses in Edinburgh. The committee set up by the donors leased "a house of small rent" near the College from the University for 19 years.
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