The facility has its origins in the St Pancras Union Infirmary, which was designed by Giles and Biven and opened in 1866.

[1][2] Florence Nightingale advised the architects on the design of the building and later commented that it was "by far the best of any workhouse infirmary we have"[3] and indeed "the finest metropolitan hospital".

[6] Edith Cavell served as night superintendent from 1901 to 1904, when she was the only trained nurse on duty.

[1][7] Latterly a psychiatric hospital, in 2004, the Highgate Wing was chosen by Camden and Islington Community NHS Trust as the site for Highgate Mental Health Centre and the consolidation and development of community mental health and adult social care services.

[8] Between 1883 and 1924 many of the senior nursing staff at the infirmary had trained or worked at The London Hospital under Matron Eva Luckes.