Salford Royal’s ambition to improve care for some of the sickest patients in Greater Manchester took a step closer today (February 22, 2021) with the start of building work at Salford Royal’s new £68million hospital.
Northern Care Alliance NHS Group Chief Executive Raj Jain and BAM Construction Manager Rob Bailey were joined by Dr Sheila Tose, Consultant Neuroanaesthetist, on the construction site to formally launch the building programme.
The facility, which will be called the James Potter Building, will support Salford Royal – part of the Northern Care Alliance NHS Group - in its role as the major trauma centre for Greater Manchester and the hub site for emergency General Surgery for the North West of Greater Manchester.
Salford Royal has appointed BAM to lead the construction of the new hospital – the scheme is also part of the Government’s Health Infrastructure Plan, the biggest hospital building programme in a generation which will deliver 48 hospitals across the country by 2030. The James Potter Building will welcome its first patients in the summer of 2023.
The facility is set to receive 90% of all major trauma patients in Greater Manchester, for example, people who have been involved in a serious road traffic accident or life-changing fall. It will also be the hub site for high risk emergency general surgery across Bolton, Salford and Wigan. This means that any high risk patients from these areas who require surgical or non-surgical intervention will be brought to Salford for their care.
Raj said: “We are delighted to be bringing these fantastic new facilities to our site for the benefit of patients across Greater Manchester. If you receive a major trauma injury and live in the Greater Manchester area or you live in Salford, Bolton and Wigan and require an emergency procedure for a serious abdominal injury or condition, then it’s likely you will be cared for at the James Potter Building.
“The facility will be purpose-built for the sickest patients – whom for many time is of the essence in relation to their care and treatment. Features include a resuscitation area, five emergency theatres, inpatient beds, and diagnostic imaging, and a helipad. The building has been designed by architects working alongside our clinicians to ensure every detail is captured, for example, extra large lifts to accommodate those patients that are being moved around the building on beds alongside numerous pieces of life-saving equipment and with a full team of clinicians accompanying them.”
Dr Tose, who is also Clinical Lead for Major Trauma, said “As one of the clinicians who will have the privilege of working in this building and treating patients here, I am really excited to see building work start. Whilst the building will be impressive in appearance, it’s important to say that what will be inside the building is just as amazing. This building will be home to the UK’s first hybrid trauma theatre for patients who have multiple serious injuries. This means that in one place, clinicians will be able to work on and treat someone who has, for example, internal bleeding and also requires surgery for a head injury. Previously they would have to be addressed separately.”
Rob Bailey, BAM’s Construction Manager, said: “Our team are buzzing with the excitement of creating these new facilities right in the heart of our own city. It is always special when you get the chance to shape the places you live in, work in, learn in and recover in. There’s no more special or important place than a hospital and we’re so pleased to be working with our friends in the NHS who are savings lives each day in such extraordinary circumstances. Every day we are helping them is a good one.”
Minister for Health Edward Argar said: “We are backing the NHS to build back better and throughout the pandemic we have continued to plan and invest in the future of our NHS buildings. I’m pleased work is now getting underway on this major development to provide state of the art new facilities and ensure patients can access specialised, life-saving treatment.
“The £68 million new hospital at Salford Royal will be one of the 48 hospitals which we’re backing to deliver by 2030 as part of the biggest hospital building programme in a generation and strategic long-term investment in the future of our NHS.”
For more on the Government’s New Hospital Programme go to www.gov.uk/ournhsbuildings