The hospital was built in stages between 1975 and 1983; it was officially opened by the Princess of Wales on 1 June 1983.

[1] On 9 August 2016, the 6th Duke of Westminster died in Royal Preston Hospital after suffering a heart attack at his Abbeystead estate.

[7] Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust responded to the report stating that the COVID-19 backlog was responsible for a number of their ratings falling below the previous levels.

[8][9] A new extension to the hospital was also announced in the same month, to provide additional services for Day-of-Surgery Admissions patients.

[13] The decision to locate the new hospital in South Ribble has been criticised by some local politicians including Preston City Council Leader Matthew Brown who said that "out of the three authorities, Preston has higher levels of ill health"[14]