The specialist team at the HTD provide the UK with diagnoses and treatment of all tropical diseases including: malaria, leprosy, chagas, parasites and diseases of the skin, eye, and gut. Find all our services here.
HTD also provides clinical infectious disease services for UCLH. It houses the National Travel Health Network and Centre and the Find and Treat service.
The Hospital accepts direct referrals from GPs or referrals and transfers from other hospitals, and also has an emergency self-referral service. HTD runs a Travel Clinic to help keep people safe when travelling. HTD outpatients also offers clinics for a range of tropical, rare and imported infections and conditions.
Outpatient services are at Mortimer Market. Inpatient services are at UCH.
Infection services are provided across UCLH sites. Read more about HTD services.
History
On the 8th March 1821, the first meeting of the committee of management of the Seamans Hospital Society took place at the "City of London Tavern" where it was agreed to establish by public voluntary subscription a floating hospital, for the relief of sick and helpless seamen, under the patronage of His Majesty the King. (King George IV) This date has become known as "Founders Day", the birth of Tropical Medicine.
The first Hospital was established on-board the ex-naval ship HMS Grampus. After moving ships twice other ex navel warships. 1821-1831 HMS Grampus, 1831-1857 HMS Dreadnought, 1857-1870 HMS Caledonia (renamed Dreadnought) the Hospital gained its land legs when it moved into part of Royal Greenwich Hospital, in 1870, this became known as the Dreadnought Hospital, (named after its last floating home).
The Lancet – May 1919. "A Hospital dedicated to the treatment of patients suffering from Tropical Diseases will be opened shortly by the Seamans Hospital Society, in the Endsleigh Palace Hotel – near Euston Square". The Endsleigh Palace Hotel, 25 Gordon Street, was at the time being used by the Red Cross as a hospital.
25 Gordon Street was evacuated at the start of the 2nd World War, and the HTD was temporarily relocated back at the Dreadnought Hospital in Greenwich, where it remained throughout the war years. Gordon Street was subsequently damaged during the blitz of London and at end of hostilities the HTD moved into another temporary home at 23 Devonshire Street.
The Hospital for Tropical Diseases, London. This hospital, which was closed during the war, has now reopened at 23 Devonshire Street. The Hospital is open to all patients suffering from tropical Diseases.The Lancet 4/1/1947
In 1948 on being asked what his plans were for tropical diseases in London, the then Secretary of State for Health Aneurin Bevan stated "It is proposed to develop a tropical diseases centre as a unit of the University College of London Hospital group. The Colonial Secretary and I are most anxious to ensure that the development shall be worthy of the object in view." After much discussion the decision was eventually made in 1949, by University College, to offer the vacant St Pancras Hospital as the site for the new hospital.
The Hospital moved in to its new home in 1951, which was officially opened by the Duchess of Kent on the 24th May (Empire Day). The opening of the new hospital which was now part of the newly establish National Health Service, effectively ended the 130 year association with the Seamans Hospital Society. The Dean of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine expressed the hope:
that the new Hospital would put London once again in the forefront as a teaching and research centre in tropical medicine.BMJ 1949
A contributor wrote:
The (new) Hospital should be planned on broad lines and should have enough beds to provide ample material in clinical instruction in Tropical Medicine, bearing in mind likely future developments in this rapidly expanding field of medicine.The Lancet 1949
The newly refurbished St Pancras hospital was home to HTD from 1951 until 1998, its longest stay at any site in its long history, when the hospital once again moved in to new purpose built premises within UCLH. The new Hospital for Tropical Diseases was opened on the 29th June 1999, by Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal, thus maintaining the Hospital's long tradition of Royal Patronage.
In July 2004 the hospital moved once more, this time to its current home in the tower of the new UCLH on Euston Road.
The speciality of Tropical Medicine remains in the twenty first century an expanding field of medicine as it did in 1821 when the first Hospital for Tropical Diseases was established on board HMS Grampus. The Hospital for Tropical Diseases remains the only dedicated hospital of its kind within the NHS, providing specialist clinical treatment and diagnostic services to those with tropical and travel related diseases.
Celebrating 100 years
Due to the teams heavy involvement in the COVID response, we were unable to celebrate the HTD centenary in November 2020, the anniversary of the opening of HTD's first purpose built hospital. However, we have organised a series of seminars through 2022. Join one of the seminars or catch up on a previous events by click the button below.
To celebrate 100 yrs the HTD is sharing learning about clinical management of tropical medicine and imported and emerging infections.
On the fourth Thursday of each month at 6-7pm the CPD sessions are free to health professionals and students. Find out more at: https://
Video from previous seminars
* Training and the Next Generation - Phil Gothard
* Malaria: When the tests & the drugs don't work
* Introducing the new HTD Leishmaniasis MDT
* Monkeypox, Imported Fever Service, HCIDs, virtual wards & partnership working
* Surveillance for emerging infections
* Insights and pearls from The Infectious & Tropical Histopathology MDT
* Fungi and the Future Tropical Fungal Infection at the HTD
* Chagas disease – shining a light on a hidden disease and community
The team at the HTD has participated in many thousands of research studies relating to tropical disease and infection.
A wide range of papers and research listing can be found in this document which is organised thematically as indicated below.
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1. |
Key papers from the HTD experience |
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2. |
Brucellosis |
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3. |
Chagas |
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4. |
Child Health and Nutrition, Maternal Health |
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5. |
Covid-19 |
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6. |
Diagnosis |
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7. |
Diarrhoeal Diseases |
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8. |
Epidemics and Outbreaks |
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9. |
Eye Disorders |
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10. |
Helminths |
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11. |
HIV / AIDS |
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12. |
Immunology |
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13. |
Leishmaniasis |
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14. |
Leprosy (Hansen's Disease) |
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15. |
Malaria |
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16. |
Medical Practice |
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17. |
Migrant Health |
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18. |
Neglected Tropical Diseases |
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19. |
Other |
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20. |
Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy (OPAT) |
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21. |
Schistosomiasis |
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22. |
Sexually Transmitted Infections |
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23. |
Strongyloides |
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24. |
Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) |
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25. |
Travellers' Health |
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26. |
Tropical Skins |
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27. |
Tuberculosis (TB) |
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28. |
Viral Infections |
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29. |
Additional recommended reading |
Address
Mortimer Market
Capper Street (off Tottenham Court Road)
London
WC1E 6JB
Telephone
020 3447 5959
Travelling to the Hospital for Tropical Diseases
By bus:
Bus stops around University College Hospital are changing as a result of the West End Project. Southbound buses will move from Gower Street to Tottenham Court Road.
Buses 14, 24, 73, 134 and 390 will serve Tottenham Court Road north and southbound. The 73 (toward Oxford Circus) and the 390 (to Victoria) will stop outside University College Hospital on Euston Road.
View a local map of bus and tube stops. Please note: You can travel on buses and trams using an Oyster or contactless payment card with pay as you go credit, or you can add a Travelcard or Bus & Tram pass to your Oyster card. You are no longer able to use cash to pay for your bus fare.
Nearest tube stations are:
Warren Street (Northern / Victoria Lines)
Euston Square (Circle / Hammersmith & City / Metropolitan Lines).
If you cycle to any of our hospitals you can check available local cycle parking here. (Please enter postcode WC1 6JB for the Hospital for Tropical Diseases.)
We have a cycle parking area for our patents and visitors surrounding the outside of Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Wing on Grafton Way and Gower Street. There is capacity for 52 bicycles under cover and behind railings. General security monitoring is carried out, but entry and exit to this area is open at all times and so it is essential to bring a suitable lock with you if you plan to use it.
Camden Council is currently implementing a scheme called the West End Project, which aims to reduce motor traffic congestion, air pollution and provide new green spaces and safer provisions for cyclists. You can find maps on their website at https://
Patient transport drop off and collection at the UCH campus
Patient Transport Services [PTS], London Ambulance Services [LAS] and private ambulances drop off and collect patients at the front of University College Hospital [UCH] on Euston Road.
Access should only be from Euston Road and not from Hampstead or Tottenham Court Road. Private vehicles are not permitted to drop off or collect patients from this area nor are they allowed to cross the solid white line into the PTS area, passing across the solid white line in an attempt to turn into the ambulance bay from the west is a dangerous manoeuvre and is an offence prohibited under Regulations 10 and 26 of the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions (TSRGD) 2012.
The TSRGD specifies traffic signs and their associated meanings, as well as the regulations associated with them, if breached, Transport for London [TfL] may issue a Penalty Charge Notice [PCN] to unauthorised vehicles.
We are currently working with Transport for London to find out if we can make the current drop off and collection areas bigger and easier to access.
Private vehicles drop off and collection at the UCH campus
Private vehicles can drop off and collect from Beaumont Place at the rear of UCH, parking will not be permitted, only drop off and collection. There are very limited drop off points for other car users. However, when the blue badge/disabled spaces are empty, they can be used by non-blue badge holders for drop off and collection to the University College Hospital. There are no other patient or visitor car parking facilities at UCLH.
Car parking at University College Hospital
Please note:
Unfortunately car parking (other than patients with Blue Badges who are attending hospital outpatient appointments, day cases and the Emergency Department) is not available at University College Hospital.
For information on parking in the surrounding areas please visit http://
Blue badge/disabled car parking and drop off at University College Hospital
Download a map which shows disabled car parking and drop-off areas.
View the Parking for Blue Badge holders patient information leaflet.
What is a the parking dispensation scheme?
It is Camden Council’s parking scheme for patients with Blue Badges attending University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (UCLH). Areas in Camden, south of Euston Road, are not covered by the national Blue Badge disabled parking scheme. If you want to park near, or in, UCLH disabled parking bays, you will need to apply for a parking dispensation to use with your Blue Badge. A parking dispensation is required for parking in and around:
University College Hospital at 235 Euston Road
Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Wing at 25 Grafton Way
University College Hospital Macmillan Cancer Centre at Huntley Street
Hospital for Tropical Diseases at Mortimer Market
Institute of Sport, Exercise and Health at 170 Tottenham Court Road
Royal National ENT and Eastman Dental Hospitals at Huntley Street
University College Hospital Grafton Way Building (opening soon).
Parking dispensations are not required for the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, the Royal London Hospital for Integrated Medicine, or our Westmoreland Street hospital.
How to apply for a parking dispensation
When you arrive for your appointment at University College Hospital (UCH), the UCH Macmillan Cancer Centre, the Royal National ENT and Eastman Dental Hospital, or UCH Grafton Way Building, park your car and ask for a parking dispensation at the ground floor reception desk. You will need to bring the following:
- Your Blue Badge
- Your vehicle registration number
- Proof of hospital attendance showing appointment time and date, e.g. clinic appointment letter.
If you are given a follow-up appointment while at the hospital you can return to the ground floor reception desk before you leave to obtain a parking dispensation to take away with you for your next appointment.
Please note: Parking dispensations are only issued to UCLH patients with Blue Badges who are attending hospital outpatient appointments, day cases and the Emergency Department. They are not issued to carers, relatives, visitors or friends who are Blue Badge holders bringing a non-Blue Badge holder patient to an appointment. Parking dispensations are not issued to inpatients; overnight parking is not permitted.
If you have a question about disabled parking, or would like to apply for a parking dispensation in advance please email your query to uclh.
Important information
No other car parking is available.
For information on parking in the areas surrounding our hospitals please visit http://
Other information
Patient transport
To book transport please contact The patient transport service
If you need assistance to plan or make a journey the National Rail Enquiries website provides information on the support available.
The page provides a summary of the services available including a list of train companies and their access information.
It is recommended that you book help 24 hours before you travel. This enables staff to give you as much information as possible before your travel; make alternative arrangements for you if the station is not step free or not staffed at the time you wish to travel; and ensure that there are enough staff for all the assistance requests at a station.
Reclaiming transport fares
If you are in receipt of benefits you may be entitled to reclaim transport fares when visiting the hospital for an inpatient or outpatient appointment. Please ask the clinic staff for an attendance form and take this to the appropriate hospital's Cashiers Office. Reimbursement can be made at the time of your visit if you can produce your benefit book.
Websites
National Rail Enquiries: 08457 48 49 50
London Travel Information: 020 7222 1234
Patient information leaflets
Hospital for Tropical Diseases
Services at The HTD
Related services
National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC)
HIV Services please contact CNWL at the Bloomsbury Clinic:
