When I went to see David Wright, what immediately struck me were his wider interests. The honey cakes I was offered led me to find out more about his beekeeping. So, it seemed fitting that when it was time to take a portrait photo, we did this in his garden, preferably in front of his … Continue reading Different Perspectives | The WGH Wildlife Walk
The Western from the Sky
I've been told about the tennis courts, the football pitch, the nurses residency, the social centre and the doctor's houses, so I was delighted to come across this aerial photograph of the Western. Apparently the Western came into being in the early 1930's as the Edinburgh Town Council took over Craigleith Hospital among others as … Continue reading The Western from the Sky
A Living Organism | Brian Slawson
When I met Brian he had just finished a stint as a quiet surrogate patient for 4th year medical student exams at the Western. Tomorrow his script was to be a nervous patient, which he was quite looking forward to. He confided that he found it much more difficult to act as a belligerent patient, … Continue reading A Living Organism | Brian Slawson
A Small Gesture | Frances Priest
I had arranged to meet Frances in a café on the Lothian Road. I had just sat myself down with a latte and she rushed in apologising that a chance meeting with one of my colleagues on the other side of town had delayed her a bit. Knowing the person concerned I was pretty impressed … Continue reading A Small Gesture | Frances Priest
NHS 70 parkrun at Silverknowes
Does anyone fancy doing a Western General parkrun on 9th June to celebrate 70 years of the NHS? The Silverknowes parkrun would seem the logical one to do as its in our area (and is the biggest and best of the local parkruns). It’s free. It’s very non-elitist – any standard of jogger/runner/walker can do … Continue reading NHS 70 parkrun at Silverknowes
Transforming Spaces | Wilma Jack
Wilma is a Senior Research Fellow working within the Breast Unit at the Western. She has a long association with cancer care starting her career in 1973 in the Radiotherapy Unit WGH, now called the Edinburgh Cancer Centre, and from 1988 onwards with the Edinburgh Breast Unit previously at Longmore Hospital in Newington- now Longmore … Continue reading Transforming Spaces | Wilma Jack
Coffee, honey cakes and ICU | David Wright
We met David Wright at his house not that far from the Western General Hospital. A generous welcome included freshly brewed coffee and equally delicious honey cakes baked the evening before. The honey for the cakes is produced by the bees that David and his wife, Bron, keep in their garden. He was slightly worried … Continue reading Coffee, honey cakes and ICU | David Wright
All in the Mind BBC Radio 4
Claudia hears from Fiona who nominated the nurse who gave her treatment for bladder cancer for the 2018 All in the Mind Awards. Fiona explains why her experience of childhood trauma re-surfaced when she realised what her treatment for bladder cancer would involve. And why Western nurse Tanya went the extra mile to manage her … Continue reading All in the Mind BBC Radio 4
Builder finds time capsule
A time capsule containing documents from 1913 was found during the demolition of the former Paderewski Hospital building in 2010. The contents included minutes from the meeting at which planning permission was granted, a map of Edinburgh, copies of the Evening News and the Scotsman, a signed diary and a photograph of the leader of … Continue reading Builder finds time capsule
Norman Dott Pioneer Neurosurgeon
Professor Norman McOmish Dott (1897-1973) was born in Edinburgh to art dealer Peter McOmish Dott and his wife, Rebecca, and was the third of five children. Norman showed considerable flair for design and engineering and was apprenticed to the local engineering firm of McTaggart Scott & Co after he left George Heriot’s School. However, a … Continue reading Norman Dott Pioneer Neurosurgeon