Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust has appointed contractor, Graham, to build a new mental health facility on land owned by the Trust in Mossley Hill, Liverpool.
Following a competitive tender overseen by Liverpool & Sefton Health Partnership, Graham says it was chosen as the preferred construction partner due to its ‘extensive experience in delivering numerous healthcare projects across the UK and the Republic of Ireland’.
Designed by architects, Gilling Dod, the new adult acute inpatient facility, with provision for both men and women, will phase out shared ‘dormitory-style’ mental health wards to provide 80 single bedrooms for with en-suite bathrooms. There will be an emphasis throughout on providing therapeutic spaces with light and airy environments, as well as facilities for family visits and multi-faith worship. Outside, there will be access for patients to spend time in garden areas.
Peter Reavey, Graham Regional director said: “It’s a privilege to be named construction partner on this new, state-of-the-art facility for Liverpool, which has been beautifully designed by Gilling Dod to provide a modern and therapeutic environment that centres on patient recuperation and recovery. We’re delighted to be partnering with Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust, which is committed to improving inpatient and community services and setting higher standards in healthcare.”
Plans for the new development were approved in 2022, and the former hospital buildings –deemed unfit for purpose – were demolished in February this year. Demolition experts recycled around 95 per cent of the salvage, and existing building materials were crushed for re-use on site as fill materials for the new facility. A sod-cutting ceremony recently took place, marking the start of construction.
The Trust’s Chief Executive, Professor Joe Rafferty CBE, said: “Work is well under way at Mossley Hill so we can give the people of Liverpool what they need – the very best care in a modern, therapeutic environment with single en-suite facilities, and easy access to gardens and open space. Our current inpatient estate had been identified as a limiting factor in service- users’ recovery. More than that, by delivering better buildings we’re also setting newer and higher standards in mental health care for everyone.”
Dave Sweeney, Chair of Liverpool & Sefton Health Partnership, said: “I’m delighted to see the work progressing for this important new mental health facility. This is the third project of its kind that Mersey Care has commissioned LSHP to provide project management services for, with Clock View Hospital and Hartley Hospital in Southport completed in 2015 and 2020 respectively.”