Arrowe Park Hospital’s £28m upgrade progresses

The Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has submitted plans to demolish the current urgent treatment centre and staff accommodation, making way for new construction.

If the application is approved by Wirral Council, Tilbury Douglas would commence demolition on 4 April, completing the project on 13 May.

After that, the NHS facility off Arrowe Park Road in Woodchurch would be able to build a new accident and emergency department, which would be designed by Manchester-based Day Architectural. Plans for the new A&E have not yet been submitted.

Proposed timetables have construction on the new A&E beginning in 2023, with the department opening in March 2024.

Janelle Holmes, chief executive at Wirral University Teaching Hospital, said the new facility would “completely transform Wirral’s only emergency department and also the provision of urgent care for local people”.

“This is the biggest investment at Arrowe Park Hospital since it was built almost 40 years ago and shows our commitment to enhancing the care we provide to those who are in most urgent need,” she continued.

The new A&E would have a single-entry point, improve access for ambulances and allow for better social distancing.

“Our aim to continuously provide the best care we can for our patients and this new facility will help us to do that,” said Dr Nikki Stevenson, medical director and deputy chief executive with the hospital.

“We are very excited about the development, which will create a much simpler process and a better patient journey for those who visit our emergency department or urgent care facilities.”

Eden Planning is the planning consultant for the demolition project. Sutcliffe is the civil and structural engineer for the scheme.

Looking to learn more? The application’s reference number with Wirral Council is DEM/21/02429.