Alder Hey in the Park – designed by children
Alder Hey in the Park is the name for Alder Hey Children’s Hospital and sits at the heart of our Children’s Health Campus.
We moved into our hospital on 1st October 2015, and it was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip on 22nd June 2016. Alder Hey in the Park was built adjacent to our old hospital, our home since 1914.
The designs for the new hospital were inspired by the thousands of children and young people we treat from across the UK.
It features 270 beds, including 48 critical care beds for patients in ICU, HDU and Burns, together with 16 digitally enhanced operating theatres. The majority of our children and their families have their own room and en-suite facilities and park views outside their bedroom windows, while each ward has its own kitchen providing patients with freshly cooked food to order.
Europe’s only hospital in a park, the unique design of Alder Hey in the Park provides the best possible environment and experience for patients and their families, along with ensuring the most effective and efficient care. Six large, colourful and spacious wards with outdoor play areas have been specifically designed to benefit patient’s needs, there are easy check-in facilities for outpatients, and patients have improved access to specialist rehabilitation, while unique distraction, play and entertainment systems funded by Alder Hey Children’s Charity reduce anxiety and boredom during treatment.
The hospital also features charitably funded, cutting-edge, lifesaving equipment including; integrated operating theatres, an intra-operative 3T MRI scanner, a unique hybrid operating theatre, a CARTO system, Brain Lab navigation technology and an EOS imaging scanner.
Children and young people were involved in designing the new hospital. During an initial consultation back in 2009, almost 1000 patients drew pictures and shared their views on what their new hospital should look like. A Children and Young People’s Design Group made up of current and former patients aged 10-22, also had their say throughout the design process on everything from the colour of their room to the artwork displayed in the new hospital and what their wards should look like.
Eleanor Brogan, a member of the Children and Young People’s Design Group took part in the consultation back in 2009 and her picture was included in Alder Hey’s initial brief to architects BDP. She said: “I was a patient here when I was 14 years old and I wanted the new hospital to have open spaces, greenery and natural light. When I drew my picture seven years ago, I didn’t expect I would play such an important part in the design of the new Alder Hey. Since then, I have been involved in many amazing design decisions and I’m really excited to show the facility to some of the patients who are going to benefit from this fantastic new hospital.”
Louise Shepherd CBE, Chief Executive of Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust said:
“From the beginning we strived to create a world-class healing environment that would benefit children and young people from across the UK and throughout the world. This was a once in a life time opportunity to create something really special for our patients, families and staff; a dedicated healthcare facility providing the very best treatment and care to thousands of children and young people.”
Louise Shepherd CBE, Chief Executive of Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust
To find out how to get to Alder Hey in the Park go to our Locations Section.