Rochdale parents meet HRH The Countess of Wessex as she officially opens new Women & Children’s Unit at The Royal Oldham Hospital

Dale Strudwick his newborn son Bryson (born on Wed 12 June) meet The Countess of Wessex

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Her Royal Highness The Countess of Wessex met with new parents from Rochdale, Stephanie Suthers and Dale Strudwick and their newborn son Bryson, who was born in the new maternity unit at The Royal Oldham Hospital, on Wednesday, when Her Royal Highness officially opened the new £44m Women and Children’s Development at The Royal Oldham Hospital on Thursday 13 June.

The Countess, accompanied by the Lord-Lieutenant of Greater Manchester, Mr Warren Smith KStJ JP DLitt LLD, was greeted by the Trust Chairman, John Jesky, before being shown around the new children’s wards, maternity unit and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) where she met staff and patients.

Staff and well wishers welcomed The Countess’s arrival with applause and the waving of flags.

In the new children’s unit, Her Royal Highness talked with doctors and paediatric nurses and met a number of children in the inpatient wards. She was presented with a hand-made necklace by nine year old Ellen Doyle from Rochdale which she had made during her stay.

Her Royal Highness officially opened the unit by unveiling a commemorative plaque. She was then invited to sign a guest book, followed by eight-year-old Harrison Burrows, a patient from Castleton.

Mr John Jesky, Chairman of The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “On behalf of the Trust, I would like to thank Her Royal Highness for visiting us today to officially open our new Women & Children’s Development.

“Her visit has been a great privilege for all of our staff, particularly those who work on the units, and those who have been involved in developing this marvellous new facility. I know our staff are extremely proud of this new unit where we can provide excellent standards of care for our patients and their families from across Oldham, Rochdale and other parts of Greater Manchester.

“Our new Women and Children’s development, including the new Level 3 Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, will ensure that treatment is delivered in a more modern and comfortable environment and will help ensure the best possible care for children, babies and families.

“I would like to recognise all those involved in the many facets of the planning, development and building stages on this magnificent new development; in particular, Vinci Construction and their partners, along with our estates staff. I would also like to say thank you again to Mediquip4kids for their support in our “In Your Hands Appeal” and for raising funds that have helped with the multi-sensory room and additional equipment on the children’s unit.

“The new units have been up and running since December and I know our staff feel extremely proud to work in their new surroundings. This is no less than they deserve. Our staff do a marvellous job with care, compassion and professionalism day in day out. This event is for them.”

The Royal Oldham Hospital’s new women and children’s supercentre fully opened to patients on Monday 3 December 2012. The women and children’s facility includes a purpose-built four storey building, new antenatal wards, 14 new labour delivery rooms all with ensuite, obstetric theatres, a midwife-led birth centre, a postnatal ward with 29 beds, a children’s unit and a brand new level 3 neonatal intensive care unit. Around 5,300 babies are expected to be born each year at the maternity unit.

The Royal Oldham Hospital is now one of three specialist regional neonatal centres providing the highest level of intensive care to the smallest and most vulnerable babies. The NICU consists of 37 cots with 9 intensive care, 9 high dependency and 19 special care cots. To date, the new Neonatal Intensive Care Unit has treated 320 babies from across Greater Manchester and beyond.

The new development represents the largest capital investment made to date by The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust. The development is an integral and final part of the Making it Better programme to redesign and improve children’s, maternity and neonatal services across Greater Manchester.