Patients and visitors
Wharfedale Hospital
Newall Carr Road,
Otley,
West Yorkshire,
LS21 2LY.
(01943) 465522
Number of beds: 78
Services
Breast clinic, cardiology, chemical pathology and metabolic medicine, clinical haematology, cytogenetics laboratory, dermatology, diabetes and endocrinology, dietetics and nutrition, elderly services, ENT (ear, nose and throat), gastro-intestinal medicine, gastro-intestinal surgery, gynaecology, minor injuries unit, occupational therapy, ophthalmology, physiotherapy, radiology, urology.
Background and History
The now demolished Otley Hospital, to the side of what is now the modern Wharfedale Hospital building, began life in 1873 as a workhouse. An infirmary to hold 70 beds was added in 1907.
Until 1930 the workhouse was administered by the Wharfedale Board of Guardians, but in 1930 the Local Government Act gave County Councils the power to appropriate Poor Law institutions as hospitals.
In 1931 Otley was recorded as one of the only four hospitals in the Wharfedale area to have an operating theatre. However, it did not officially become a hospital until wartime and was still known as Otley Workhouse. In fact by 1938 the hospital was taken over by the Council and became known as Otley County Hospital.
As the second world war unfolded the use of the institution changed as local inmates were removed to other institutions to make way for evacuees from the Leeds Hospitals.
At the end of the war the management of hospitals was taken over by the new Regional Hospital Boards and there was a general re-equipping and upgrading of West Riding Hospitals as post wartime restrictions permitted. New buildings were recorded in 1956/7.