Diggers on site at Alder Hey as work begins on groundbreaking new unit

Main construction is underway on a new facility at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital which will feature both a unique Surgical Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and a Same Day Emergency Care Centre. 

The brand-new state of the art Surgical NICU at Alder Hey will be the first of its kind in the country, providing family integrated care and a safer service for babies.

It will feature 22 neonatal cots and 18 individual family rooms where parents can stay alongside their poorly babies whilst they’re receiving expert care. 

Underneath the NICU on the ground floor of the facility will be the Same Day Emergency Care Centre, bringing together the skills and expertise of paediatricians, emergency care clinicians, advance clinical practitioners, primary care and family support workers. It will be a 24 bed unit with four rooms for urgent care consultations.

The Unit will enable Alder Hey to expand its waiting area, see patients requiring urgent care quicker and reduce pressure on the Emergency Department that can focus on delivering emergency and trauma care.

The bespoke family-friendly unit will provide a unique ‘one stop shop’ model, enabling children to be assessed quickly by the most appropriate clinical team and return home safely as soon as possible, ideally on the same day as admission. 

The facility has been designed by construction company Gilling Dod Architects under the project management of the Trust development team and in close consultation with hospital staff, patients and families. Morgan Sindall has been appointed to build the facility with expected completion in 2025.

Simon Arnott, Managing Director of Morgan Sindall in the North, said:

“Alder Hey Hospital has been an invaluable asset to the local communities in Liverpool and the wider North West region for over 100 years. Its dedication to improving the lives of young people with health difficulties and their families is unmatched.

“It is therefore an immense privilege for us to play a part in the next stage of the hospital’s history. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with the staff at Alder Hey, our partners, and service users to deliver a new facility that will help the Trust continue its vital work in improving health outcomes for children.”

Alder Hey Children’s Charity has recently raised £3million for the Surgical NICU to provide ‘over and above’ enhancements and equipment for both the clinical space and family areas.

It is currently looking to raise £1.5m towards the new Same Day Emergency Care Centre and continues to raise much needed funds for projects and initiatives across the Hospital.

Jen Deeney, Head of Nursing for the Liverpool Neonatal Partnership said:

“Today marks an important milestone for everyone involved in this momentous project Without their hard work, we wouldn’t be here. We’re so excited that soon we’ll be able to see our vision and dreams coming to life.” 

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