Integrated Health Projects successfully hands over a modernised department to The Royal Liverpool University Hospital

INTEGRATED Health Projects (IHP), a joint venture between VINCI Construction UK and Sir Robert McAlpine, has successfully completed the £500,000 contract to modernise an existing ward at The Royal Liverpool University Hospital (RLUH) for The Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust. The contract comprised four phases to extensively refurbish the existing resuscitation area within the Emergency Department (ED). The Observation Ward was also converted, creating an extension of the resuscitation area to increase the bed capaCity from 6 to 8. The development provides additional modern treatment areas for patients with serious injuries as a result of major trauma. It further strengthens the Royal's abilities and expertise in treating serious injuries as part of the Major Trauma Centre Collaborative (MTCC) between Aintree University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, the Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospital NHS Trust and the Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust. The 3 Trusts will work together to deliver a specialist trauma service across Cheshire and Merseyside.

Each phase of the development at the Royal was undertaken within the hospital's live ED. Close liaison was maintained, requiring numerous briefings between the Trust and the project team on a daily basis to ensure that site activities did not affect patient care. The scheme was successfully handed over to the Trust 1 week earlier then programmed, which given the challenges of working in a busy hospital environment this was a real achievement and only possible due to the close working relationship of both the Trust and IHP site team.

Mark Thomas, Regional Director, IHP, Building Division – North West, said:- "This contract has provided the Royal Liverpool University Hospital with a modernised Accident and Emergency department that will extend their current services and ensure they are equipped with the most efficient resources to deal with the most demanding A&E cases."

Kate Clark, consultant in emergency care at the RLUH said:- "We are a leading centre for major trauma care as part of the Major Trauma Collaborative. We would like to thank IHP for successfully delivering this project ahead of schedule. The new development provides us with increased capaCity for providing expert care and treatment for patients with the most serious, life threatening injuries from across Merseyside and Cheshire."

New chief executive starts at the Royal

THE Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust welcomed its new chief executive Aidan Kehoe. Aidan joined the Trust from Blackpool Teaching Hospitals where he had been chief executive. Having grown up in Liverpool, it has always been Aidan's ambition to take the helm at the Royal.

Aidan said:- "I am very happy to be here at the Royal. I have wanted to be chief executive here ever since I started as a management trainee in the NHS. I am a Liverpool fan and running these hospitals is the equivalent of becoming LFC's manager for me. My priorities for the coming months will be to continue the great work already underway to provide our patients with the best possible care and carry on meeting key targets around cancer, waiting times and infection control. The new Royal Liverpool University Hospital and the Liverpool BioCampus are key developments for our hospitals and for the City, which I am really excited about."

Judith Greensmith, chairman, said:- "I am delighted that Aidan is now here at our hospitals and would like to formally welcome him on behalf of our Board of Directors. Thank you to the Board and in particular to Diane Wake, as acting chief executive, for their support and hard work over the past few months. It has been invaluable and I am confident that we can continue to provide the best possible treatment and care to our patients, with the continued dedication and support of our staff."

Aidan is a fully qualified Chartered Accountant and member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW). Aidan has worked in the NHS for over 20 years having started as a management trainee. Aidan's first NHS post was as trainee at Salisbury District Hospital. Aidan spent 6 years working for KPMG and qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1992. Since 1994 Aidan has worked in a number of management posts at Rampton Hospital Trust, University Hospitals Birmingham Foundation Trust and Salford Royal Foundation Trust. He joined Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in 2004 as director of operations and became deputy chief executive in February 2006. In his role as director of operations Aidan was responsible for ensuring Blackpool achieved foundation trust status. Aidan was appointed chief executive of Blackpool in 2009 and steered the organisation to becoming a teaching hospital.