The Richardson Hospital

Until early 2007, the Richardson Hospital stood at the corner of John Street and Victoria Road in Barnard Castle.  It  was originally the Starlings, a private house, owned by Robert Taylor Richardson, who also owned large areas of land in the surrounding streets.

In 1932 Mr Richardson bequeathed The Starlings to provide hospital facilities in the town and it was used as military hospital during the Second World War complete with operating theatre and X-Ray unit.  Following the war the building became a convalescent home called the Richardson Hospital.

The Richardson Hospital now forms part of the NHS County Durham Primary Care Trust and is regarded as a valuable resource for providing high quality health care to residents of Barnard Castle and the Durham Dales.

Building work began in 2005. The hospital was funded through Care Partnership 25 Ltd a company owned by the private and public sector and is part of the government’s LIFT programme which was set up to deliver investment in new and improved Primary Care and Community Healthcare facilities.     The new Richardson Community Hospital provides access to a whole range of services ranging from out-patients and rehabilitation to therapy services and palliative care.   The new £10 million building brings increased provision of locally based services in a modern facility. It also brings together skilled, integrated staff teams delivering a wider range of services for local people than ever before. Working together in this way will also mean improved communication between the Health and Social Care professionals involved in patient care.