Founded in 1847 as the Worcester County Pauper and Lunatic Asylum, it was designed by architects J. R. Hamilton and J. M. Medland of Gloucester and opened in August 1852.

[1] The doctors at the Asylum in the 1870s showed a remarkably enlightened attitude when they instituted a series of orchestral concerts there, as well as the Friday night dances for the inmates.

[1] In 1952 during a trip to Switzerland and visiting Sandoz, the consultant psychiatrist at Powick, Ronald Sandison, came in contact with Albert Hofmann, who had discovered the hallucinogenic drug LSD by accident.

[4][3][1] A government funded purpose-built LSD treatment unit, the first of its kind in the world, was established at the hospital in 1958 in which Dr. Sandison administered his therapy until he left the institution in 1964.

[1] Medical Superintendent Dr. Arthur Spencer continued the programme until Sandoz abruptly withdrew supplies of the drug in 1965, due to the problems of illicit recreational use.

In the World in Action programme, Dr Spencer speaks of having to take the decision, as Medical Superintendent, to spend the limited funds available on acute rather than chronic care.

The shocking revelations of the Ward F13 programme contributed to Powick being amongst the first wave of mental hospitals selected for closure in favour of community care developments.