Plans unveiled for A&E and Urgent Care Upgrade

Plans have been submitted to the local council for urgent and emergency care facility at Arrowe Park Hospital

A state-of-the-art £28 million urgent and emergency care facility that is set to be built at Arrowe Park Hospital has moved a step closer.

The planning application for the new facility has been submitted to Wirral Council and demolition and enabling works on the current site are now set to begin. The Emergency Department and Urgent Treatment Centres will still be open during the works. Patients will be able to use all the normal hospital services- and plans are in place to minimise any impact on patients attending the hospital.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of Arrowe Park Hospital and the scheme will be the biggest investment since it opened. It will transform urgent care on the Wirral and will include a complete redevelopment of the current A&E at Arrowe Park Hospital, run by Wirral University Teaching Hospital and the Urgent Treatment Centre, which is currently based next door on the same site, run by Wirral Community Health and Care Trust (WCHC).

Janelle Holmes, Chief Executive of Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, which operates Arrowe Park Hospital, said:

“This is a significant step forward for this project which will completely transform urgent and emergency care on the Wirral. Arrowe Park Hospital is the only acute and emergency care facility in the locality and it’s vital that our patients can access the best treatment and care.

It is fantastic that work will be underway as we celebrate the hospital’s 40th anniversary year.”

The proposal for the new facility will see patients that are attending either the Emergency Department or the Urgent Treatment Centre enter at a single point and be efficiently directed to the correct place for their care.

The works will also see a creation of a new Children’s Emergency Department Facility and full internal refurbishment.

The construction will be two storeys in height and will include an extension to the Emergency Department end of the current hospital building.

A new, larger ambulance set down area will be built at the side of the facility allowing up to eight ambulances at a time.

Day Architectural are the architects for the project, which will be completed in 2024.

The design of the exterior of the new facility has been inspired by the geological elements found naturally in the local area such as sandstone. It has also been especially designed to be aesthetically in keeping with the surrounding landscape.

The front of the building will also feature a landscaped pedestrian area, relocating the current ambulance bays, which will improve traffic flow through the site.  A new, dedicated ambulance entrance has been designed to give patients enhanced privacy.

Clinicians have been involved in significant clinical engagement sessions to determine the design and layout of the building to ensure it meets the needs of patients and promotes patient flow.

Dr Nikki Stevenson, Medical Director and Deputy Chief Executive at Wirral University Teaching Hospital said:

“It is important that our patients and clinicians have been involved in the design and planning of this upgrade. This new facility will ensure that we can continue to provide the best care for our patients through a simpler process which will improve our patient’s experience when they visit our urgent and emergency care facilities.

We have also been able to design the latest infection prevention and control measures into the building from the outset and I am particularly pleased that we’ll have brand new facilities for caring for children and their families attending the Emergency Department”

Early enablement works are due to begin at the hospital with main construction set to start in September 2022.

Karen Howell, Chief Executive at Wirral Community Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust said:

“Access to urgent care for those in most need should be as easy and accessible as possible and in an environment that reflects the quality of the care we give. The new facility will enable this to happen and ensure people get the right care at the right time and in the right place. We are proud to be a partner in this exciting development in Wirral bringing together urgent care services around the needs of our shared communities.”

Nicole Roe, director of Eden, planners for this project said:

‘‘The work that we undertake at Eden throughout the planning process is fundamental to the end goal in delivering a successful scheme. Being part of the team delivering such a positive solution for a much-needed vital healthcare provision, makes it a rewarding collaboration for all.”