£400m hospital born
NEW mothers and hours-old babies were pushed, carried and driven to North Staffordshire's spectacular new £40 million maternity unit at the weekend.
Twelve months of planning for the opening of the most costly hospital ever built in the Potteries ensured the infants were moved without a hitch from the old centre.
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OPEN: The new maternity unit at the University Hospital of North Staffordshire.
It is the first complex of the area's long-awaited £400 million superhospital to be delivered nearly 10 years after the re-development was approved by Tony Blair.
Staff spoke of excitement reaching fever pitch as they finally settled into the state-of-the-art facilities which now rival maternity services anywhere in Europe and replace the landmark six-storey unit opened 41 years ago.
Directorate head Sue Malbon, who pushed some of the babies in prams, said: "We cannot believe the day we have looked forward to for so long is finally here.
"I could hardly sleep last night and when I woke up it felt like Christmas morning."
The first to make the trip were 19 ill or premature babies who were delicately ferried in their incubators by a fleet of six ambulances 200 yards across the City General site to the new centre.
Expectant mums due to give birth reported from home directly to the new unit after mid-day on Saturday. But four who were already in labour in hospital during the morning had their babies in the old surroundings. That meant the trust had to fully-staff both centres through the weekend.
The third to last baby to be delivered at the old unit was Jack James – first child of James Brereton, aged 32, and 31-year-old partner Nikky Thacker from Wolstanton.
Surrounded by removal men, doctors and midwives, sales executive Mr Brereton said: "He was two weeks early so we had been expecting him to be one of the first to be born in the new unit.
"But knowing he is one of last babies in the old place still makes it really special especially as both me and Nikky were born here too.
"The staff have been absolutely brilliant, despite all the activity for the transfer."
Midwife Pam Cornwall, who was one of masterminds behind the move, said: "The people of North Staffordshire deserve this – the place is absolutely fantastic. For once this community is getting the best in the country.
"We were so thrilled to hear we would be the first department to move into the new buildings and it feels we are making history."
The door was finally closed last night on the old maternity hospital where a quarter of a million babies have been born. It will be bulldozed in the next six weeks to make way for the rest of the redevelopment.
9 Comments
by Caroline, Knypersley
Friday, May 01 2009, 8:18AM
“I was also really shocked about this. I was a patient in the new hospital at the weekend and a nurse told me that she would face disciplinary if she was caught even having a drink on the ward and they had to go off site to take a break. How ridiculous, having seen first hand how hard the nurses work and all the running about they do you would think a rest room could have been fitted in for them. Surely it would also be better for them to be on the ward if an emergency arose?
Anyway,thanks to all the fantastic staff who looked after me and my new baby and lets hope the powers that be have a rethink and sort this out.”
by Mike, stoke
Wednesday, April 29 2009, 9:47PM
“Yes, lovely new hospital, but it's a shame they didn't think enough of the staff to provide adequate facilities for them. I was appalled when my partner came home and told me about the lack of facilities for staff in the new building, It's a shame that the developers and senior management have not given as much consideration into their staffs needs as they have the patients. Many, many times I know my partner has said they have not had time for a proper meal or drink break due to the activity on the ward but now they can not even snatch a quick sandwich or glass of water on the ward as they have been told they could be sacked if they do. They must now go off the ward for all meals/breaks in shared cramped surroundings and don't even have access to fresh, drinking water where they work. Toilet facilities are dire too with access restricted to one per ward area. When you think about the amount of money that has been spent on this building, I feel that it is disgusting that the staff have been let down in this manner, if it wasn't for them this unit wouldn't be able to function and something needs to be done to recitfy this situation now or else staff morale will suffer!”
by I A, Stoke
Tuesday, April 28 2009, 11:48AM
“The new block looks amazing, well done to all concerned. Just need to sort out the streets in stoke that look worse that the streets in Afganistan and Iraq!”
by keith, France
Monday, April 27 2009, 9:40PM
“yet another reason to be proud of living in the Potteries.Well done to all concerned and the new babys and families.”
by sharon vyse, Kidsgrove
Monday, April 27 2009, 9:16PM
“Im really pleased that we have an excellent facility in our area , thats been needed for a long time . I just hope that the nhs now staffs it as the old block was always under staffed leaving the ones in there so very stressed and trying to do 3 jobs at once , i should know ive had 5 of my 6 children there . I think new surroundings will also improve the mood of the staff , making it a joy to come to work ,”
by kimberley mason, chersterton
Monday, April 27 2009, 12:43PM
“kimberley mason would like like to congratulate kayleigh mason and robert wynne on the birth of there second daughter ruby may born on the 25/04/2009 at 10;23pm at the new maternity hospital it has been confirmed by the hospital that ruby is the first child to be born in the new maternity hospital making her apart of history well done and congratulations”
by Harriette, Congleton, Cheshire
Monday, April 27 2009, 11:04AM
“Now Macclesfield needs to do this!”
by Pam, Stoke
Monday, April 27 2009, 11:00AM
“Really good news and necessary! However, I really hope that the hospital gets the car parking in order and easy access to the building for patients/expectant mums and their relatives, this is an absolute must with so many hospital buildings close by.”
by Mark & Teena Cartlidge, Wolstanton
Monday, April 27 2009, 10:21AM
“We would like to congratulate Cara & Chris Price from chesterton, Cara gave birth to thier second child Zach @ 06:30 on Sunday morning, we understand that zach was the first baby born in the new unit.”