Building begins for state of the art MediCinema in Alder Hey Children’s Hospital

Building has started inside Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, Liverpool, UK to create a brand-new state of the art MediCinema for its patients and their families.

The specially designed in-hospital cinema, due to open later this year, will be funded exclusively by Alder Hey Children’s Charity and the MediCinema charity and will be the only one in a solely paediatric hospital in the UK and the first in the North West. The colourful cinema will accommodate beds, wheelchairs, and medical equipment and show the latest movies for free to transform the hospital experience for children and young people at Alder Hey.

The construction of the cinema will consist of the conversion of a lecture theatre on the first floor of the hospital overlooking the main atrium.  It will accommodate 29 regular cinema seats, two specialist reclining chairs and room for up to three hospital beds or four wheelchairs.

The project is a partnership between the MediCinema charity, Alder Hey Children’s Charity and Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust. The construction of the MediCinema has already been fully funded, including significant grants from The Julia and Hans Rausing Trust and The Kentown Wizard Foundation alongside The Walt Disney Company UK and Ireland, Skiddle Ltd, and Members of the Institute of Travel and Tourism. It will show the latest movies for free to transform the hospital experience for thousands of children and young people at Alder Hey every year. Ongoing annual running costs will then be funded by Alder Hey Children’s Charity through kind donations made to its MediCinema Appeal.

The charity MediCinema already operates successfully in five major NHS Trusts and Health Boards across the UK, boosting patient and family wellbeing with the magic of film during hospital stays.  With a 24-year track record, their cinema-based programmes improve the emotional, psychological, and physical health of patients. This includes reducing feelings of isolation, stress, and anxiety while enhancing patient resilience and supporting recovery. 

A Cinema Manager for this new facility is currently being recruited.  They will work alongside the hospital team to recruit specialist trained volunteers who will also be joined by nurses working for MediCinema.

These teams will accompany patients and families to screenings, making it possible for them to enjoy the latest films just like many cinemagoers whilst still receiving any care that they need.   

According to MediCinema’s ongoing research, 86% of MediCinema attendees find that the experience supports their mental health and helps them cope. An impressive 94% say it reduces the isolation they feel in the hospital, and 93% report a reduction in stress and anxiety. Moreover, 55% of patients surveyed shared that their MediCinema experience helps alleviate pain.

Nathan Askew, Chief Nurse at Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust said: 

“We are so excited that work is about to start on building a cinema for our children and young people. Being in hospital can be challenging, and they can miss out on so many aspects of a normal childhood, so having a cinema within our hospital means we can give those children and young people who can’t normally go the opportunity to still have that magical movie experience. It will make a massive difference to everyone here.”

Colin Lawrence, Chief Executive Officer at MediCinema said:

“We are very proud to be building our newest MediCinema at the Alder Hey Children’s Hospital.  We can’t wait to see the space transformed from a lecture theatre to a state-of-the-art bright and welcoming MediCinema to support the many patients and their families at the hospital.”

Fiona Ashcroft, Chief Executive at Alder Hey Children’s Charity said:

“We are delighted to be supporting this amazing project at Alder Hey now and in the years to come. Our appeal for the ongoing annual running costs has definitely struck a chord with donors and will remain open indefinitely.”

Find out more information about the cinema on the Alder Hey website.

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