Stratheden hospital and Kinross district asylum
The first chief physician, Dr Tuke, was regarded highly as a doctor who changed the traditional methods of mental health care and helped pioneer the "open door" policy of the hospital. The reporting commissioner was impressed by this and noted that not one of the patients had abused it, including an inmate from Perth Prison who had been transferred to the hospital. The patients health benefited greatly from this advancement in treatment and it was noted by the reporting commissioner that this led to the patients becoming "more contented and less destructive."
Further examples of pioneering health care can be seen in the employment of the patients. Patients would do simple jobs, such as teasing hair out of chairs and upholstery, which was paid for. Another note of interest is that a bolt of lightning caused a large fire in 1888, which fortunately resulted in no fatalities.
In 1896 the hospital underwent a vast extension programme in order to ease overcrowding. It was described by the reporting commissioner as "a valuable and instructive advance in asylum administration". Over £20,000 was spent, in order to increase the capacity of the hospital to 600. In 1900 the Springfield estate was completely purchased, and by 1905 two new hospital wings had been opened, to accommodate the large influx of in-patients seen by the hospital at the time.
The proceeding years following Dr Turnbull's resignation followed as stabley as the era would allow. When, in 1947 the National Health Service was created, the hospital system was completely re-organised. The NHS Act 1947 brought in new measures and organisational structures throughout the country, and Fife was no exception. The Springfield Mental Hospital Group, which was the governing body for the surrounding local mental health hospitals, was changed to the Fife Mental Hospital Board of Management. The NHS Act was implemented fully by 5th July 1948. On the 7th July 1948, just two days later, it was decided that Fife and Kinross District Asylum was to also undergo a name change. Implemented in January 1949, Fife and Kinross District Asylum was changed to what is now known as Stratheden Hospital.
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Over the years this place has lost many of things it used to have and it’s slowly ending up pretty gutted. It was still a pretty great explore, being able see what’s left of the building and taking the famous hoover/floor cleaners photo for myself
so all in all a very good explore!
This was the first room we got to see/entered through. Most of the left over items and furniture from the hospital was all crammed into this room:-
This pharmacy, with the power still working!:-
Many of the rooms, wards and hallways were full of decay and slowly becoming more empty of over the years:-
The old shop:-
The hospitals gym:-
Some sort of sitting down weighing scales:-
‘The room with all the stuff’ this small room was full of photos and someone’s personal belongings:-
And finally one of the last rooms we went into was a room full of floor cleaners lined up, this is normally the photo to get when you come to Stratheden Hospital! :-
This place was an amazing explore and is definitely worth the visit if you’re in Scotland!
Some history:-
Stratheden Hospital, or Fife and Kinross District Asylum as it was first known, opened on July 1st 1866. Purpose built to accommodate up to 200 mental health patients, the initial patient roster was 159.
The first chief physician, Dr Tuke, was regarded highly as a doctor who changed the traditional methods of mental health care and helped pioneer the "open door" policy of the hospital. The reporting commissioner was impressed by this and noted that not one of the patients had abused it, including an inmate from Perth Prison who had been transferred to the hospital. The patients health benefited greatly from this advancement in treatment and it was noted by the reporting commissioner that this led to the patients becoming "more contented and less destructive."
Further examples of pioneering health care can be seen in the employment of the patients. Patients would do simple jobs, such as teasing hair out of chairs and upholstery, which was paid for. Another note of interest is that a bolt of lightning caused a large fire in 1888, which fortunately resulted in no fatalities.
In 1896 the hospital underwent a vast extension programme in order to ease overcrowding. It was described by the reporting commissioner as "a valuable and instructive advance in asylum administration". Over £20,000 was spent, in order to increase the capacity of the hospital to 600. In 1900 the Springfield estate was completely purchased, and by 1905 two new hospital wings had been opened, to accommodate the large influx of in-patients seen by the hospital at the time.
The proceeding years following Dr Turnbull's resignation followed as stabley as the era would allow. When, in 1947 the National Health Service was created, the hospital system was completely re-organised. The NHS Act 1947 brought in new measures and organisational structures throughout the country, and Fife was no exception. The Springfield Mental Hospital Group, which was the governing body for the surrounding local mental health hospitals, was changed to the Fife Mental Hospital Board of Management. The NHS Act was implemented fully by 5th July 1948. On the 7th July 1948, just two days later, it was decided that Fife and Kinross District Asylum was to also undergo a name change. Implemented in January 1949, Fife and Kinross District Asylum was changed to what is now known as Stratheden Hospital.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Over the years this place has lost many of things it used to have and it’s slowly ending up pretty gutted. It was still a pretty great explore, being able see what’s left of the building and taking the famous hoover/floor cleaners photo for myself
so all in all a very good explore!Photos :-
Outside of the Stratheden Hospital:-
Outside of the Stratheden Hospital:-
This was the first room we got to see/entered through. Most of the left over items and furniture from the hospital was all crammed into this room:-
This pharmacy, with the power still working!:-
Many of the rooms, wards and hallways were full of decay and slowly becoming more empty of over the years:-
‘The room with all the stuff’ this small room was full of photos and someone’s personal belongings:-
This place was an amazing explore and is definitely worth the visit if you’re in Scotland!
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