 The hospital has its origins in an infirmary which was built for the South Shields Poor Law Union and which opened in 1880.The infirmary became known as the Harton Institution and General Hospital by 1930 and, after joining the National Health Service in 1948, became the South Shields General Hospital.After services were transferred from the Ingham Infirmary at Westoe, the new Ingram Wing was built and the enlarged facilities became known as South Tyneside District Hospital in April 1993.