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New cancer hospital
proposals pass crucial milestone
PROPOSALS to develop a major new cancer
hospital in the heart of Liverpool have passed a key milestone with approval of
an outline business case for the scheme.
The Board of The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust, which
provides the region's specialist cancer service, agreed that there was a very
strong case for the Transforming Cancer Care project and it should now proceed
to the final stage of pre-construction planning and design.
Proposals for the new cancer hospital; which would be built next to Royal
Liverpool University Hospital and the University of Liverpool; went to public
consultation last year and received an overwhelmingly positive response. They
were also unanimously approved by the Joint Health Scrutiny Committee for
Cheshire and Merseyside representing Cheshire West and Chester, Halton,
Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton, St Helens, Warrington and Wirral councils.
Board approval of the outline business case means construction will now go ahead
if the project receives planning permission and the full business case is
approved in summer 2016. It is not a private finance initiative and will be
funded by a combination of NHS money including the Trust's own funds
supplemented by a fundraising appeal and internal NHS borrowing.
Andrew Cannell, Chief Executive of The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre, said:-
"The new hospital on West Derby Street in Liverpool is a key element in our
Transforming Cancer Care programme for expanding and improving specialist care
for people in Merseyside, Cheshire, the Isle of Man and surrounding areas.
We passionately believe that this major investment will deliver enormous
benefits to patients for generations to come. Although we already provide
excellent care, this new hospital and associated improvements will truly
establish Merseyside and Cheshire as a leading Centre for groundbreaking cancer
treatment and research."
Due to open in 2018, the Liverpool hospital will become the Trust's main base
and will be in addition to its Wirral site, its radiotherapy Centre at Aintree
and the chemotherapy and outpatient clinics it runs across Merseyside and
Cheshire including in the Linda McCartney Centre and Marina Dalglish Units.
Unlike Wirral, the new hospital will have on-site access to key support
specialties such as intensive care and cardiology which are increasingly
important for the most seriously unwell and complex cancer patients. Cancer
research and clinical trials of new treatments will be significantly enhanced by
bringing The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre together with researchers from the
University of Liverpool, NHS and other key partners.
Radiotherapy will be available on three sites; central Liverpool, Wirral and
Aintree; rather than the current 2. The main cancer hospital will also be
more centrally located than Wirral for people from across Merseyside and
Cheshire.
The Transforming Cancer Care project also includes redeveloping and upgrading
facilities at The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre's Wirral site, which will remain a
busy and vibrant Centre providing outpatient care; the vast majority of cancer
patients are outpatients. Services are also being improved across Merseyside and
Cheshire to enable patients to have their treatment as close to home as
possible. The total project cost, including the new hospital in Liverpool,
redevelopment of the Wirral Cancer Centre and equipment, is expected to be
£124m.
Since January 2015, frontline NHS staff from The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre
have been working with a team from Laing O'Rourke and architects BDP to develop
detailed designs and floor plans.
If you did not know the background to the
hospital, the
Transforming Cancer Care is a £124m investment in expanding and improving
services for people in Merseyside, Cheshire and surrounding areas. It includes a
major new specialist cancer hospital next to the University of Liverpool and
Royal Liverpool University Hospital, and redeveloping and upgrading the Wirral
site.
The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre will also retain its existing hospital in
Wirral, its radiotherapy unit on the Aintree site, and its chemotherapy and
outpatient clinics across Merseyside and Cheshire. These include chemotherapy in
the Linda McCartney Centre in Liverpool, the Marina Dalglish Units at Aintree
and Southport hospitals, Liverpool Women's Hospital, the Countess of Chester
Hospital, CanTreat in Halton Hospital, St Helen's Hospital, and Broadgreen
Hospital.
The project is not a private finance initiative. It will be funded by a
combination of NHS money including the Trust's own funds supplemented by a
fundraising appeal and internal NHS borrowing. |
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Merseytravel signs up to the
Armed Forces Corporate Covenant
MERSEYTRAVEL has signalled its
commitment and support for the men and women serving their country by signing up
to the Armed Forces Corporate Covenant.
The Covenant is a public pledge that businesses and other organisations can make
to demonstrate their support for the armed forces community. This includes
present servicemen and women, as well as those who have since left active
service.
Some of the ways Merseytravel will demonstrate its commitment include promoting
the fact that we are an armed forces friendly organisation, supporting our
employees who choose to be members of the Reserve forces and actively
participate in Armed Forces Day, which saw the Mersey Ferries fly the Armed
Forces Flag to mark this year's event.
Merseytravel is also looking into ways to support former Armed Services
personnel into training schemes to help them get into employment in the
transport industry in roles which suit their skillset.
Cllr Liam Robinson, Chair of Merseytravel, said:- "Signing the Covenant is
one way we can show our support to the men and women of our City region who
currently serve their country and those who have in the past. We recognise
that these brave individuals put their life on the line, facing possible serious
injury or death to protect our country. As an organisation, we will support them
in whatever way we can by following the principles of the covenant."
Lieutenant Colonel David Ashman RLC – Commanding Officer 156 Regiment Royal
Logistic Corps, said:- "156 Regiment Royal Logistic Corps has been part of
Liverpool's rich history since 1919 and so we very much feel the close ties the
Armed Forces have with the City , the local community and its people. Today we
are celebrating one of Liverpool's largest employers signing the Corporate
Covenant which further strengthens the alliance between Liverpool's business
community and the City 's Armed Forces community."
Bob Blanchard, Chairman of the Liverpool Veterans HQ, said:- "It is
important that local employers get behind and support our veterans and those
returning to Civvy Street. The support and backing from Merseytravel has been
excellent and today with the signing of the Corporate Covenant, they have now
cemented that partnership and have shown their commitment to supporting our
Veterans and Reservists." Time Travel at the National
Waterways Museum SOLDIERS, sailors, merchants and
housewives from 1000 years of Cheshire history and beyond will be bringing the
National Waterways Museum to life at the History Fun Weekend on Saturday, 11
July and
Sunday, 12 July 2015.
Over this colourful weekend the museum will be taken over by re-enactors from
many different periods from Vikings to World War II and many periods in between.
General Manager of the National Waterways Museum, John Inch said:-
"We're
looking forward to welcoming several re-enactors to the museum. It's set to be a
great weekend where we will be firing old muskets and cannons and much more…
This year you will be able to have a chat with a Roman or a Viking, see soldiers
from past eras or why not sneak a selfie and post it to our Facebook page."
A further date for the diary is Sunday, 16 August 2015, when Horses at Work and
War will return for the 6th year. This event has become one of the most
popular attractions in the Museum's calendar, and visitors will be able to see
working horses giving a unique demonstration of horse drawn canal boating, and
have the opportunity to take a wagonette or pony ride.
This year there will also be the opportunity to hear about how horses were used
during wartime; both the Napoleonic era, 1815 and First World War 1915.
During both of these events, all the usual Museum attractions will be available
to visitors; displays of historic boats, indoor exhibitions including the
History of Ellesmere Port, soft play area and activities, boat trips and more.
For more information please visit:-
CanalRiverTrust.Org.UK/NWM.
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