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Merseyside’s specialist neuroscience hospital The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust welcomed hundreds of visitors at an open day.

The event included the official opening of a newly expanded and refurbished ward, by Walton MP Steve Rotheram.

Jefferson Ward, previously for day patients only, has been rebuilt and doubled in size and now offers facilities for minor operations and short stay admissions.

Mr Rotheram said: “It is fantastic to have this centre of excellence on our doorstep in Liverpool, serving the North West and beyond. I know about the effects of neurological conditions on patients and how it impacts on the whole family, which is why I am delighted to officially open this fabulous, newly expanded ward.”

Young visitors were invited to have a go at brain surgery during career presentations by consultant neurosurgeon Mr Andrew Brodbelt. Displays and demonstrations included x-ray quizzes, coiling surgery, pain management, therapies, medical education and psychology.

Legendary Liverpool poet Levi Tafari entertained groups of visitors with performances of his poetry; and dozens of students were given information and talks about a wide range of job opportunities in the NHS.

The Walton Centre’s chief executive Dr Liz Mear said: “I was very proud to show off our wonderful staff and hospital to visitors and I think everyone who came was fascinated to learn about what goes on in our specialist hospital.”

 

Read Rebuilt ward launched during open day at The Walton Centre…

Work has now begun on a new three-storey building at The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust.

Demolition of the former Elm and Magnolia Wards on the site is under way; once they have been cleared building will begin. The new building will be completed by the end of next year.

Within the existing hospital building a programme of work has already taken place, which will finish in September with the completion of the expansion of extra beds and facilities in the Jefferson Day Ward.

The building is part of the specialist neuroscience Trust’s major expansion, which will house an expanded rehabilitation unit, the Trust’s pioneering Pain Management Programme, together with relatives’ accommodation supported by the Trust’s Home from Home fundraising appeal.

The new centre is a key part of a five year plan to provide more services to more patients with brain and spine conditions. It will enable the Trust to meet key targets and provide a shorter waiting time for its increasing number of patients.

Chief Executive Liz Mear said: “I am delighted that the work has started on the new building. It will enable us to provide first class services to more patients, with extra beds and new facilities.”

 

Read Building gets under way…

Major trauma services at Aintree University Hospital and The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust have been boosted with the completion of a new link bridge connecting the hospitals.

The bridge, constructed by VINCI Construction UK, enables the seamless transfer of seriously ill patients with head injuries from the Emergency Department at Aintree University Hospital, to specialists at The Walton Centre.

Other patients will also benefit from easier and quicker transfer between hospitals for specialist treatment. Until now, patients were transferred by ambulance between the two adjacent buildings.

The increased movement of staff between the hospitals will lead to a stronger working relationship between the two NHS Trusts. And visitors using the multi storey car park will have a weather-proof walkway into both hospitals/The Walton Centre (is Aintree promoting access to visitors via the bridge?)

Dr Liz Mear, Chief Executive of the Walton Centre, said: “There are immediate benefits to patients with this new link bridge as they can be brought to us without any delay; without doubt our joint provision of major trauma services has been significantly advanced with this new bridge.”

The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust is the UK’s only dedicated centre for neurology and neurosurgery, and patients requiring its treatment come from across Cheshire, Merseyside and North Wales.

Mark Thomas, Regional Director, VINCI Construction UK, Building Division – North West, said:

“With the completion of the new link-bridge the two hospitals can provide more efficient healthcare services, increasing patient recovery. Having an abundance of expertise in healthcare delivery we worked closely with the two hospitals to construct the link-bridge to the highest standard.”

The £2 million contract started in February 2012 and successfully competed in August 2012.

 

Read Trauma service boosted with completion of new link bridge between two Trusts…

A new building at The Walton Centre was given a Royal launch by staff and patients.

The Lord Lieutenant of Merseyside, Dame Lorna Muirhead, performed an official ribbon cutting of Jubilee House, named to mark the Queen’s diamond year.

The event was an important milestone in a major expansion of the specialist neuroscience Trust. Jubilee House contains five teams of staff, including the internationally acclaimed Pain Management Progamme and Neuropsychology, who have moved out of the main hospital to make room for new wards and theatres.

Former Pain Management Programme patient Gemma Potts paid tribute to staff.

“The Walton Centre’s pain management programme saved my life. Six months ago I was in severe pain and very depressed; I was on lots of medication and I found it impossible to plan ahead as my life seemed to be over at the age of 22.

“Now my life has changed completely; I am off all medication, I exercise every day – and I have passed a fitness test to join the army, something I have always wanted to do but thought would never happen.”

Jubilee House also contains the Trust’s Patient Access Centre, Integrated Governance and Quality teams. Eventually they will move into a new building, which will also house an expanded, specialist rehabilitation unit.

The Walton Centre’s Pain Management Programme treats 400 patients each year and is the largest and longest running pain management programme in the UK. It is an international leader and has evolved and expanded over 28 years.

 

Read Royal launch for new building at The Walton Centre…

A major expansion of The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust has been given the go-ahead.

Planning consent has been granted for a new, three-storey building to house an expanded Neuro Rehabilitation Unit and the Trust’s pioneering Pain Management Programme.

The new centre is a key part of a five year plan to provide more services to more patients with brain and spine conditions.

Construction of the new building will start next year, and is the second phase of the Trust’s expansion programme. The planning approval also enables the Trust to press on with the first phase - a new 29-bed ward, two extra operating theatres and a new Clinical Trials Unit, within the existing building.

Demand for The Walton Centre’s specialist services has grown continuously since the Trust was established 20 years ago and the last few years in particular have seen pressures build on staff and facilities.

Chief Executive Dr Liz Mear said: “This is the biggest building project we have undertaken since The Walton Centre opened and it will make a huge difference to our patients and our staff.

“It will help us to achieve our aims of providing innovative, caring services and carrying out pioneering research to advance our knowledge of neuroscience.”

She added: “At the moment we are constantly working at full capacity and we need to expand in order to treat all the patients who need our services.  This building programme will provide much-needed extra beds and operating space.”

Dr Peter Enevoldson, Medical Director said:  “The NHS in Merseyside and Cheshire has agreed to make our neurorehabilitation service its specialist centre for rehabilitation across the region, recognising the quality of its expertise and care. However, our current unit, though it provides excellent outcomes for patients, is neither big enough nor does it have the modern facilities we need.

“We are all very excited about the future and we are looking forward to this expansion in order to support the excellent, specialist treatment and research being carried out by our dedicated teams.”

To facilitate the building works, the Pain Management Programme is moving for two years to Jubilee House, a temporary building on the Aintree/ Walton campus, before relocating to the new building when it is complete.

Dr Mear said: “While we are keeping disruption to patient services to a minimum, a number of our staff are being asked to relocate temporarily and I am very grateful for their support during the changes. The result will be a much improved environment which will be better suited to the high quality of care expected by our patients.”

The expansion is part of a five-year strategy developed by the Trust, and consulted widely across the region, which also involves taking services closer to patients using advanced community nurses, running clinics in GP centres around Merseyside, Cheshire and North Wales and further development of neurosurgery and pain services.

Clinicians are being encouraged and supported in carrying out more research so that patients will benefit from more effective treatments in the future.

Read Major expansion approved for The Walton Centre…

Major trauma is the leading cause of death in people under the age of 45. Over a number of years the level of care in England for these patients has been shown to be in need of improvement; the National Audit Office report estimated that there are 20,000 cases of major trauma per year in England; 5,400 people die of their injuries with many others sustaining permanent disability. Many of these deaths could be prevented with systematic improvements to the delivery of major trauma care.

The NHS Operating Framework for England 2011 – 2012 reiterated a commitment to ensure the implementation of regional trauma networks across England.

In 2011 NHS North West established an Integrated Trauma System Board to manage the regional development and implementation of a North West major trauma system. This board proposed three sub-regional major trauma systems, one of which is for the Cheshire and Merseyside area.

The outcome of the development process is the agreement for a collaborative approach by three trusts: Aintree University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust and the Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospital Trust, to provide a major trauma service for Merseyside and Cheshire, based at the Aintree site. The new Major Trauma collaborative will be in place by April 2012.

Professor Stephen Singleton, Medical Director, NHS North of England said: “The overriding objective of this new approach is to ensure that more people can survive a major trauma and that the standards and quality of care are consistent across the country. I am confident that the collaborative between these three hospitals trusts, each contributing different clinical strengths and experience, will create an excellent major trauma service which saves lives and improves outcomes for the most seriously injured patients.”

 

Read Merseyside and Cheshire Major Trauma Collaborative…