Royal Hospital development given go-ahead

Artist's impression of new hospital; Hospital's current look (Flickr: liverpool jim and val)

A £454 million development for the Royal Liverpool Hospital has been given the go-ahead.

The ‘new royal’ will replace the current Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospital on Prescot Street.
Each patient at the new hospital will have their own room and private bathroom. It is hoped that this will reduce infections and give patients more privacy.

Health Secretary, Andy Burnham said: “This investment will help Liverpool lead the way in providing state-of-the-art high-quality services for patients in the North-West.” Construction is expected to start in 2012 and to be finished sometime in 2016.

NHS Trust chair, Judith Greensmith praised the input of staff and patients at the hospital for their contributions to the new hospital’s design.

She said: “The people of Merseyside told us that they wanted a
new hospital and we can now deliver the best possible building
and services for them well into the future.”

The hospital will have a “more welcoming and modern building”
in order to provide much more natural light than the hospital
currently provides. Along with improved public transportation
access, a public park will be built for use by patients and the
local community.

Tony Bell, chief executive for the hospital said: “It will allow us
to provide healthcare in a 21st century building, with improved standards for clinical research facilities.” Bell hopes that this will allow for the development of a biomedical campus on site in order to create a hub for health science research in the north-west.

The trust must now take on the task of securing a construction partner for the project, a process that could take up to two years.

Burnham said: “The NHS is having to look at new ways to best provide healthcare in the future.”
The Liverpool trust has said that views and suggestions can be submitted via a message system on their website at www.rlbuht.nhs.uk.

What the Hospital entrance may look like