New major trauma centre reaches completion

In a significant development for healthcare in Greater Manchester, the region is celebrating the completion of a state-of-the-art new trauma centre at Salford Royal Hospital.

The Greater Manchester Major Trauma Hospital (GMMTH) is one of the projects being delivered as part of the Government’s New Hospitals Programme (NHP) and will open to patients later this year.

Designed by DAY Architectural for Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust (NCA), the 10,100sq m development was procured under the national Procure22 framework, with construction beginning on site in January 2021.

And the £67m investment marks a significant step forward in the region’s ability to provide comprehensive and advanced care to those in need of urgent medical attention following severe injuries, supporting collaborative working between the trust, its clinicians, the North West Ambulance Service, and Air Ambulance Service.

The £67m investment enhances the region's ability to provide advanced care to patients following severe injuries

Under one roof

Designed to deliver a best-practice model of care, with consultant-led senior decision making 24 hours a day, the building will co-locate all major trauma patients, many of whom currently reside on single speciality wards.

There will also be an enhanced nine-bed unit with increased nursing ratios, a dedicated advanced practitioner, and major trauma consultant cover.

This team, along with increased monitoring and senior clinical review, will improve wraparound of care for high acuity patients not reaching the critical care (CC) threshold and taking earlier step-downs from CC.

And the work also included the creation of a first-level-access rooftop helipad with direct lift access to resuscitation, MRI, and CT imaging facilities and theatres.

In addition, in a UK first, the building boasts a RAPTOR hybrid operating theatre, where interventional/diagnostic radiology procedures, including CT, open operative techniques, and resuscitation, can be performed concurrently.

The unit boasts the UK's first RAPTOR hybrid operating theatre

Cutting-edge design

Other facilities include five new UCV trauma theatres providing increased capacity and separation of emergency and elective surgery and a 12-bay emergency resus area, delivering enhanced spatial functionality and immediate access to back-to-back CT doubling capacity and direct access to MR.

While the medical innovation and considered design solutions for the building will have influence that extends beyond the region, the delivery of this cutting-edge project has had a profound impact on the local community, which has benefited from the sustainable, social, and economic legacy:

• 83% of total construction spend was with the local supply chain – and 32% within Salford alone

• BAM has provided over £13.2m of local economic value back into the city’s community (12% over target)

• BAM has employed 76% of the workforce from GM (60% over target)

• 1,000 apprentice weeks were completed, over the targeted 500, by 23 apprentices

• 600 existing NCA staff will move into building, recruiting 286 additional full-time staff in clinical/non-clinical roles

• Delivering BREEAM ‘Excellent’ sustainability rating. Low-carbon initiatives equate to a 2,388,895 kgCO₂ embodied carbon saving

Dr Sheila Tose, consultant anaesthetist and clinical director for major trauma at NCA, said: “I cannot wait to work in a building designed to provide the facilities required to deliver excellent care to victims of major trauma and one which will be home to the UK’s first hybrid trauma theatre for patients who have multiple serious injuries.”