A new inpatient addictions facility called the 'Hope Centre' has opened in Smithdown Health Park, Liverpool.
The new centre, which became operational in October 2017, represents significant investment by Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust in its estate. Working with LSHP and project architects Gilling Dod and design and construction teams, health partners and commissioners, the collaboration has created a bright, modern, inpatient facility for people who need detox for alcohol and or drug misuse.
The opening ceremony was an opportunity for LSHP to join with Mersey Care staff and partners to get their first proper look around the modern facility. After taking part in a series of mini tours of the building visitors reported how impressed they were with the high standard of refurbishment of what used to be the old Kevin White Unit, originally opened in 1996.
All patients at the Hope Centre will now have their own single bedroom and there are light, therapeutic areas for group work, with gender specific lounges and common day and ward areas.
Chief Operating Officer for Mersey Care’s Local Services, Donna Robinson, thanked all those involved in bringing the project to completion. The service also had the task of moving out of their ageing building located at Windsor Clinic at Aintree University Hospital.
Lead Consultant Dr Yasir Abbasi gave an overview of the service explaining that for every pound invested in health services such as this, it represents a social return on investment of around £2.50 to the wider community. He also paid tribute to the late Dr Kevin White who opened the first dedicated drug addictions clinic on the former Sefton General Hospital site located there many years before.
Graham Hignett | Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust
From Left: Lynne Hughes (Deputy Chief Operations Officer - Liverpool, MCFT), Mike Webb (Projects Director - LSHP) and Andrew Arnold (Managing Director - Gilling Dod Architects)