Demolition work is now underway at North Manchester General Hospital (NMGH), in preparation for the transformation of the hospital site, which is run by Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT).
MFT Chairman Kathy Cowell OBE DL made a special visit to NMGH to give the demolition team a helping hand. She joined NMGH Chief Executive Ian Lurcock in knocking down a section of Limbert House, which is being demolished to make way for a new Multi-Storey Car Park and Cycle Hub. This is the first phase of the total redevelopment of the site, which will see a new hospital, wellbeing hub and mental health inpatient unit built over the next few years. It forms part of the government’s plans to build 40 new hospitals by 2030.
Kathy met colleagues from the MFT team and Hive Projects Ltd who are helping to deliver the redevelopment project, alongside members of the Morgan Sindall Construction team.
“After celebrating a year since North Manchester General Hospital became part of the MFT family, it was a pleasure to visit the site and see the excellent progress being made,” said Kathy. “The new car park will tackle the long term parking issues faced by our staff, patients and visitors when it opens next year.”
Kathy Cowell and Ian Lurcock joined Ian Park, Senior Project Manager at Morgan Sindall Construction, to officially open the Morgan Sindall Knowledge Quad. This new employment and training facility, based on the hospital site, offers local young people and residents the chance to gain new skills and access jobs.
“This was a wonderful opportunity to meet and thank the apprentices, graduates and placement students from local schools who are playing an important part in our new hospital programme,” said Kathy.
Added Ian Lurcock: “The Knowledge Quad offers such an exciting opportunity to inspire young people as they progress into working life and build careers. It’s a key part of MFT’s commitment to improving health and wellbeing across the local community.”
Shaun Jones, Greater Manchester area director for Morgan Sindall Construction, said: “We see our role as not just to help reshape the hospital infrastructure but also do what we can to deliver social and economic change as a result of our work, and to support the local recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. The USP of the Knowledge Quad is that it offers learning within a live construction environment.”