Helipad FAQ

When someone suffers a major trauma which involves multiple or serious injury that could result in death or serious disability, the speed with which they can get specialist medical help can be the difference between life and death or between recovering and recovering well.

For this reason, major trauma patients need to be transferred to a Major Trauma Centre or Emergency Department. In some situations, the quickest or most appropriate way to get a patient to the nearest hospital with these services is by helicopter. Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust’s Oxford Road campus hosts Major Trauma Centres and Emergency Departments for both adults and children but does not currently have a helipad within the hospital site.

The helipad will serve Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, Manchester Royal Infirmary and Saint Mary’s Hospital. Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital and Manchester Royal Infirmary both have 24 hour Emergency Departments, and are also designated Major Trauma Centres.

Saint Mary’s Hospital provides specialist and emergency care for women and babies and is the only hospital in the country to have a High Dependency Obstetric Unit with 24-hour consultant presence.

Saint Mary’s also boasts the largest Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in the North of England and one of only two in the region that offers surgical as well as medical care for newborn babies. The Unit is also one of very few across the country, and the only hospital in the North West, which can also offer a full range of paediatric services within one setting (due to its co-location with Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital).

The current estimation is that the helipad will benefit up to six patients a week (around 312 patients a year) across Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, Manchester Royal Infirmary and Saint Mary’s Hospital. Once the helipad is open this is likely to increase, with helicopters being used to deliver patients, repatriate them and also transfer them between specialist centres.

The helipad construction work will take around six months, starting on 3^rd June 2019.  Completion is expected in January 2020.

Once the construction work is complete, the helipad will be checked and tested, then commissioned by the Air Ambulance Service and inspected by the Civil Aviation Authority to ensure it complies with the regulatory standards for helipads at hospital sites.  We estimate that it will be fully operational by spring 2020.

The work has been carefully planned to minimise disruption to staff, patients, visitors and other site users.

The project will require some car park access changes, due to construction equipment and facilities being located on Nelson Street.  Please see details on the map below for safe access routes for cars and pedestrians.

The new car park access route also means allowing a bit more time to park and get to your destination.

When the link bridge connecting the helipad to Manchester Royal Infirmary is installed in autumn/winter 2019, work will also need to be carried out inside MRI. The construction team will minimise any noise or disruption for patients and staff on Wards 9 and 10 at MRI.

The Trust has had continued dialogue with Manchester City Council (MCC) Highways over the past six months.  As a result we can confirm that the section of Oxford Road highway located between Grafton Street and Nelson Street is not subject to the traffic restrictions preventing use by general traffic. As a consequence no fines will be issued for vehicles using this section of highway.

Yes it will, and extra shuttle bus services from Grafton Street Car Park to all our hospitals will be available. Our Car Park and Security staff and the Volunteer team will also help with directions and information.

The taxi rank will be temporarily located near the drop off zone outside the Manchester Royal Infirmary main entrance.

Yes, 6 disabled parking bays will be provided within the drop off zone outside the Manchester Royal Infirmary main entrance, with additional bays available within Grafton Street Car Park.

The disabled access route is the same as the pedestrian access route.  Please ask for any assistance you may require from our Car Park team or Volunteers.

Please use the routes which are indicated on the map and follow signage from the car park.

Yes you will. Please follow the signs at the junction of Oxford Road and Nelson Street, which will direct patients to an alternative route to the MRI Main Outpatients entrance.

There will be posters and signage around the Grafton Street Car Park to highlight the new access routes for patients, staff and visitors.  Please follow the map and site signage to park and to access our hospitals safely. You can also email us for further information at helipad@mft.nhs.uk or visit our website: www.mft.nhs.uk for updates on the helipad project.

A leaflet explaining the car park access changes is available in clinic reception areas and on our website.  MFT staff can also access information on the Trust intranet.