Scottish Blog

The Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh is the oldest voluntary hospital in Scotland.

The Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh was opened in 1729. The primary purpose envisaged for the hospital was treatment of the poor of Edinburgh. In its early years the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh was referred to as “Hospital for the Sick and Poor”, “Physicians Hospital” or “Little House”. In its first year of service the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh served thirty five patients. Of these, records show that nineteen were cured, five recovered and the rest were either dismissed as incurables with one dying at the hospital. The majority of the patients came from Edinburgh, although there are a number of patients who are recorded as being from other areas of Scotland, like the first patient who was from Caithness.

The idea for the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh arose in 1712 when John Munro had set in motion his plan to establish a “seminary of medical education”, as part of the plan a general hospital was essential. In 1721 a pamphlet was circulated anonymously advocating the need for a hospital as outlined by john Munro. Within years, with the support of various factions like the Church of Scotland and wealthy Edinburgh doctors.

Due to its rapid expansion, the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh was forced to move and expand a number of times. By 1879 it had expanded to become the biggest voluntary hospital in the United Kingdom. Since 2001 the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh has stood in the Edinburgh suburb of Little France.