The trust was established as the
West London Mental Health NHS Trust on 1 October 2000, and took its current name on 31 August 2018. •
Middlesex County Asylum, Hanwell (1831–1889) • London County Asylum, Hanwell (1889–1917) • London County Mental Hospital (1918–1928) • Hanwell Mental Hospital (1929–1937) •
St Bernard's Hospital (1938–1980) • Psychiatric Unit (1980–1992) – part of a re-organised complex of divisions on same site and called Ealing General Hospital with a central corporate body. • West London Mental Healthcare (NHS) Trust. (1992–1999) See: Statutory Instrument 1992 No. 2539. The West London Healthcare National Health Service Trust (Establishment) Order 1992. • Ealing, Hammersmith & Fulham Mental Health (NHS) Trust (1999–2001) • West London Mental Health NHS Trust (2001–24 September 2018) • West London NHS Trust (25 September 2018 – present) Some of the trust's services based at
St Bernard's Hospital, Hanwell. Here the first superintendent Dr (later Sir) William & Mrs Mildred Ellis who were so much impressed with
Moral therapy and humane treatment they saw offered to people suffering
Mental disorders at the
Quaker Asylum in York that they both imposed these methods on the staff at Hanwell. This was as such the very first large scale experiment. The second superintendent brought mechanical restraints – as a form of treatment – back. The third superintendent Dr
John Conolly against stiff opposition backed up with much vitriol, took the example further, and did away with all mechanical restraints. To the surprise and disbelief of many he found, like the Ellises before, that bedlam diminished, behaviour became less defensive and cooperation improved dramatically, and many recovered or much improved. This event added to his other pioneering work such as developing proper diets and conditions for his patients and battles to set up regular training lecture specialising in mental health, for doctor training, all led to him receiving worldwide recognition.
Broadmoor high secure hospital: In order to end the isolation suffered by the high secure services from the rest of the NHS, the Health Act 1999 was passed, allowing NHS Trusts to provide for these. After a three-month consultation in the early part of the following year it was agreed that the high secure services based at Broadmoor Hospital and those provided by the Ealing, Hammersmith and Fulham Mental Health NHS Trust should be combined into one organisation. This created the West London Mental Health NHS Trust, which took over governance in 2001; the Trust then changed its name to West London NHS Trust on 25 September 2018. ==Local services division==