The Main Ward Block in 1988

1988 was 13 years since the Main Ward Block was first opened. This year steps were made into building the 2nd General Hospital for the Norwich area to ease the MWB and other areas of the current hospital of the pressures they were under with overcrowding and waiting lists. September 1988 was 13 years since the first usage of the MWB.

The Main Ward Block was not yet 15 years old when a public enquiry into a new Second District General Hospital at Colney was made in early April 1988.

See the gallery below for screenshots of the model of the Norfolk And Norwich Hospital in early February 1988, just before St Valentine's Day. Early February 1988 had quite mild weather.

Events relating to the building in 1988

 * In February 1988 it was announced that a public inquiry into the 2nd new hospital was to take place in April. Deliberations were still being made over whether to have the hospital at Colney or Hellesdon. The new hospital was needed to ease the pressure on the current N&N site, and to accommodate the patients coming to the current N&N for treatment from other major hospitals in Norfolk and Suffolk such as The James Paget Hospital in Gorleston and The Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Kings Lynn.
 * Early that month, nurses threatened to strike over wages. Two nurses posed for a photo outside the Main Ward Block on the 3rd February 1988.
 * Also in February 1988, government officials at Whitehall in London pushed the Norwich Health Authority and the local MP's to decide on a new site, either Hellesdon or Colney.
 * In March 1988, the N&N Hospital was made a No Smoking Hospital apart from a few designated areas. The Main Ward Block had no smoking in any areas. Football legend Duncan Forbes, hospital manager Julie Thornby and Norwich City goalkeeper David Williams were photographed outside the Main Ward Block holding up a "No Smoking Areas" sign on the 9th March 1988.
 * In April 1988 a public enquiry was made into the siting and access to the proposed Second District Hospital for the Norwich area.
 * On the 11th May 1988, Princess Diana visited the N&N and visited the Acle Ward of the Main Ward Block.
 * The Norwich Health Authority hoped to have work on the new Norwich Second District Hospital start at the end of 1989 and to be built in 3 stages, finished in 1995.

Prev year in existence - The Main Ward Block in 1987

Next year in existence - The Main Ward Block in 1989

Night time tour of the Norfolk And Norwich Hospital in early February 1988
It is the night of the 4th February 1988. 7:30pm. A local doctor who works at the hospital, is finishing his shift and wants to walk round the hospital.