Arrowe Park Hospital upgrade to 'transform' urgent care

The £28m upgrade would be the biggest investment in the hospital for 40 years

Wirral's main hospital is set for a £28m upgrade aimed at "transforming" urgent care in the borough.

Wirral University Teaching Hospital Trust (WUTH), the trust which runs Arrowe Park Hospital, has submitted a planning application to Wirral Council.

The biggest investment in the hospital in its 40 years, the scheme would see a emergency department for children.

WUTH chief executive, Janelle Holmes, said: "It's vital our patients can access the best treatment and care".

She added: "It is fantastic that work will be under way as we celebrate the hospital's 40th anniversary year."

The trust which runs Arrowe Park Hospital has submitted a planning application to Wirral Council

The upgrade would redevelop the accident and emergency unit and the urgent treatment centre, which is currently based next door on the same site and is run by Wirral Community Health and Care Trust.

It will see patients attending either the emergency department or the urgent treatment centre enter at one entrance, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

The two-storey building will include an extension to the emergency department and will feature a landscaped pedestrian area, relocating the current ambulance bays, which will improve traffic flow through the site.

A new ambulance entrance has been designed to give patients enhanced privacy.

Construction work is set to start in September.

Why not follow BBC North West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram? You can also send story ideas to [e-mail]