Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital

The Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital (also known as RVEE or RVEEH) is a public teaching hospital in Dublin, Ireland. The Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital in Dublin was founded in 1897 and is the National Referral Centre for both Eye and Ear, Nose & Throat disorders. It is a Public Voluntary Hospital, known affectionately by generations of Dubliners as the Eye and Ear. The hospital treats over 6,000 inpatients a year in its 90 beds, and over 80,000 outpatients, including attendances at Accident & Emergency. It houses the National Ophthalmic Pathology Laboratory and Registry of Ireland.^[1] It is funded by the Irish Government's Health Service Executive and provides specialist care in ophthalmology and ear, nose and throat disease.

History

The 1897 Dublin Eye and Ear Hospital Act established the hospital by amalgamating the National Eye Hospital (founded in 1814 by Isaac Ryall) and St. Mark’s Ophthalmic Hospital for Diseases of the Eye and Ear (founded by Sir William Wilde in 1844). Along with the decision to merge the hospitals, the law provided for expansion. In 1899 a site was purchased on Adelaide Road, where the current hospital was constructed. On 18 February 1904, all patients were transferred from the National Eye Hospital and St. Mark’s Hospital.^[2] Dr. Kathleen Lynn was the first female doctor to work at the hospital when she was appointed in 1910. Lynn went on to establish Saint Ultan's Children's Hospital and became an activist and politician noted for her involvement in the 1916 Easter Rising.

Design and construction

RVEEH was designed by architects Carroll & Batchelor^[3][4] who had previously worked on the Hardwicke Fever Hospital,^[5] the Richmond Surgical Hospital,^[6] St. Mark's Ophthalmic Hospital,^[7] St. Edmundsbury Hospital, Lucan,^[8] Whitworth Fever Hospital (Drumcondra Hospital),^[9] and the Royal Hospital for Incurables (Royal Hospital Donnybook).^[10] The symmetrical building features Queen Anne style architecture.^[11] The cost of the original building was £41,862.^[4]

The hospital was expanded in 1907-1908 and again in 1912, including the addition of an outpatients department, sanitary block, new wing, and expansion of the west wing.^[4]

A private ward with 9 single rooms was built in 1925. The construction was funded by a donation from Jane Isabella Lewis. The ward was named the Harvey Lewis Wing in memory of her late husband, the politcian and lawyer John Harvey Lewis.^[12]

In 1915, a bronze relief by Albert Power of ophthalmologist Sir Henry Rosborough Swanzy, father of artist Mary Swanzy, was added to the stair hall.^[4][13][14]

In 1932, improvements were carried out at a cost of £57,000. In 1937 and 1939, further works were undertaken on the drainage system, entrance drive, gates, railings, and other additions and alterations. The Graham Audiology Clinic opened in 1961.^[4]

Management

The hospital is a registered charity governed by a President, Council and Hospital Management Group. The Management Group consist of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Director of Strategy and Corporate Affairs, Director of Finance and Organisation Services, Director of Nursing, Director of Operations and Human Resources, Medical Director and Director of Education and Research. Its current CEO is Danny Dunne.^[15] The hospital's annual core budget is approximately €24 million.^[16] It forms part of the Ireland East Hospital Group.^[17]

Presidents of RVEEH

Services

The hospital provides 80 beds, of which 60 are in-patient and the remaining 20 located in the day care unit. 10 beds are reserved for paediatric patients. Two-thirds of beds are designated for ophthalmology patients, with the remaining third for ear, nose and throat patients.^[18] Service is provided to over 90,000 patients annually, including more than 7,000 in-patients, 40,000 out-patients, and 40,000 emergency department attendees.^[2][16] The hospital employs 12 ophthalmology consultants, 5 ear, nose, and throat consultants, and 6 consultant anaesthetists.

View from Adelaide Road

Education

RVEEH is the main teaching hospital for trainee ophthalmologists on the Irish College of Ophthalmologists and Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland training scheme. It is the only centre which provides postgraduate examinations for the qualification Membership of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (MRCSI (Ophth)). Undergraduate medical students from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and Trinity College Dublin also attend for rotations in ophthalmology and ear, nose, and throat surgery. In June 2011, Taoiseach Enda Kenny opened a €1.3 million Education and Conference Centre.^[19]

Research

Several MD and PhD students are attached to the hospital. Trainees can receive funding from the Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital Research Foundation. The Eithne Walls Research Fund was established in memory of ophthalmology trainee Dr. Eithne Walls who was lost in the Air France Flight 447 crash.

References

External links

• Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital website

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Coordinates: 53°19′58″N 6°15′22″W / 53.332762°N 6.256049°W / 53.332762; -6.256049