Ambitious new plans to transform the emergency department (ED) at Manchester Royal Infirmary (MRI) have been given planning approval by Manchester City Council.
The redevelopment will see the facilities modernised to best meet the changing needs of the local population.
This includes increased capacity and a more-streamlined layout to ensure patients continue to receive high-quality emergency treatment and care in an improved environment.
The £40m renovation project will boost the capabilities of the hospital, which is run by Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust and is a major trauma centre for Greater Manchester.
Upgraded facilities will include an expanded and improved emergency department, including 10 - up from six - resuscitation bays and 27 - up from 16 - majors cubicles.
These exciting plans lay out our vision for a new and improved department that will best support the needs of Manchester and beyond, now and in decades to come, for the communities we serve and our staff
Plans also include the creation of six new operating theatres, which will support the hospital’s developing role as a regional centre for specialist surgery.
Integrated Health Projects (IHP), an established joint venture between VINCI Construction UK and Sir Robert McAlpine, has been appointed as construction partner for the new-build development.
Construction work is expected to start later in the year and temporary changes to the department’s access and layout will be put in place to ensure it can continue to operate fully throughout the works.In total, construction is expected to take just over three years to complete.
Vanessa Gardener, hospital chief executive, said: “Manchester is a rapidly-developing city, with a much-larger population and different health requirements to the 1980s, when our current emergency department was first built.
“These exciting plans lay out our vision for a new and improved department that will best support the needs of Manchester and beyond, now and in decades to come, for the communities we serve and our staff.
“The new operating theatres will likewise enable us to modernise our surgical facilities and support our growing role as regional centre for emergency, major trauma, vascular, head and neck cancer, liver, transplant, and other specialist surgery.
This major transformation project will mean patients presenting at the MRI can be seen by the right people and receive the right treatment quicker in a much-improved patient environment
“With Manchester City Council’s approval, we look forward to carrying out the delicate and carefully-planned work to make this concept a reality, while continuing to deliver high standards of care for our patients throughout the construction process.”
Julia Bridgewater, chief operating officer, adds: “MFT is the largest NHS trust in England, with 10 hospitals and a wide spread of clinical specialisms.
“These plans have been thoughtfully considered to best work in co-ordination with our other hospitals, and incorporate the capabilities of these different fields.
“This major transformation project will mean patients presenting at the MRI can be seen by the right people and receive the right treatment quicker in a much-improved patient environment.”