New urgent and emergency care facility opens in Wirral
A new urgent and emergency care facility designed to transform the experience of patients needing urgent and emergency care has officially opened at Arrowe Park Hospital.
The £40m development includes a complete redevelopment of the Emergency Department for adults and children and the Urgent Treatment Centre. It is the biggest capital investment at Arrowe Park Hospital since it first opened in 1982.
The adult Emergency Department run by Wirral University Teaching Hospital (WTUH) and Urgent Treatment Centre run by Wirral Community Health and Care (WCHC) have been reconfigured into one space with a single point of entry, to offer responsive and clinically effective care for patients.
Children requiring urgent or emergency care will access a dedicated Children's Emergency Department through the same main entrance, providing a significantly improved environment designed to meet the needs of young patients and their families.
The opening also marks an important milestone in the closer integration of services provided by WUTH and WCHC as the organisations work towards becoming a single Trust in 2027.
The Urgent and Emergency Care Upgrade Programme was established by WUTH, WCHC and partners across the local health and care system to transform urgent and emergency care services for local people. Delivered in four phases, the project was completed while emergency and urgent care services remained fully operational. Tilbury Douglas served as principal contractor, with architectural design support provided by Day Architectural Ltd.
An official opening was held today attended by Sir David Henshaw, Chair of NHS Cheshire and Merseyside; Liz Bishop, Chief Executive of NHS Cheshire and Merseyside and Kathy Cowell, Regional Chair of NHS England.
Janelle Holmes, Joint Chief Executive at WUTH and WCHC said: “This fantastic facility will transform urgent and emergency care for the people of Wirral when they need it most. By bringing services together in one location, we will be able to provide a more seamless experience for patients and ensure people who need surgent or emergency support receive the right care, at the right time and in the right setting.
“I would like to thank everyone who has been involved in bringing this development to completion. This project is a testament to what can be achieved when organisations work together with a shared vision, delivering tangible benefits for patients, staff and the communities we serve.”
Dr Nikki Stevenson, Joint Chief Medical Officer and Deputy Chief Executive at WUTH and WCHC, added: “We always aim to provide the best care we can for our patients and this new development, with its vastly improved clinical facilities, will help us to achieve that for those who require urgent or emergency care. It will create a much better experience for patients, who will be assessed and directed to the healthcare professional or service that best meets their needs.”
The facility is expected to benefit thousands of patients each year and provides a modern environment that supports staff to deliver safe, high-quality care for the communities of Wirral now and into the future.
People are reminded that the Emergency Department is for life-threatening emergencies and people in the greatest need are prioritised. For people who do not have an emergency, lots of help is available and they are asked to use NHS 111, contact their GP, visit a Walk-in Centre or Urgent Treatment Centre, or seek expert advice from a local pharmacy.
Photo captions:
Small group photo (left to right): Dr Nikki Stevenson, Chief Medical Officer and Deputy Chief Executive at Wirral University Teaching Hospital; Steve Igoe, Chair at Wirral University Teaching Hospital; Janelle Holmes, Chief Executive at Wirral University Teaching Hospital; Kathy Cowell, Regional Chair for NHS England North West; Dr Liz Bishop, Interim Chief Executive of NHS Cheshire and Merseyside and Sir David Henshaw, Interim Chair of Cheshire and Merseyside pictured outside the new urgent and emergency care facility.
Large group photo: Colleagues from Wirral University Teaching Hospital, NHS England North West and NHS Cheshire and Merseyside pictured outside the new urgent and emergency care facility.