It is operated by the East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust along with the New QEII Hospital in Welwyn Garden City.

Prior to 1972 there was a Lister Hospital in Hitchin.

[1] Like the present hospital, it was named in honour of Joseph Lister, 1st Baron Lister, a British surgeon known as the pioneer of aseptic surgery,[2] The new hospital was opened by Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother in 1972.

[3] With an investment of around £150 million, the Lister hospital was transformed in October 2014.

[4] The Lister Hospital currently has 730 beds and is a general hospital, which includes accident and emergency, urology and renal dialysis units.