The Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust is one of the largest general hospitals in East Anglia, providing healthcare services to nearly half a million people. With some 3,500 staff, more than 400 volunteers and a total daily population of some 8,000 people, the site covers 46 acres – the size of a small town. A centre of excellence, the hospital is proud of its achievements, has applied for Foundation status and has recently taken control of the Garrett Anderson Centre – a state-of-the-art unit offering critical, emergency and elective care. Elizabeth Garrett Anderson, the world-famous physician, had many local links and was elected Mayor of Aldeburgh in 1908 – the unit was named for her in a celebration of the centenary of her election.