Royal Oldham extension takes a step closer to improve patient care for general and colorectal surgery patients

Oldham Care Organisation Leadership team with Fiona McLoughlin from DAY Project Management, Garry Bowker, IHP Regional Director and members of the IHP site team at The Royal Oldham Hospital

Groundworks for a new extension to The Royal Oldham Hospital have begun with a ground-breaking ceremony being held on 18 January.

The new development is part of the Greater Manchester Improving Specialist Care programme and will enable the Royal Oldham Hospital to operate as the hub site for high risk and emergency general and colorectal surgery.

Construction works for the new £28m four-storey extension to the main hospital building are well underway and existing structures including the hospital’s old Adult Medicine building have been demolished to make way for the new building.

Oldham Care Organisation Chief Officer, David Jago, said: “We are delighted that great progress is being made on the new development. Today marks an important milestone. We are one step closer to having a new state-of-the-art theatre for emergency and colorectal surgery, rehabilitation facilities and most importantly additional beds. These new facilities will help us to support patients throughout Oldham and Greater Manchester with serious colorectal conditions and ensure they receive consistent, high-quality patient care.”

The new building has been designed by architects working alongside clinicians, operational and support staff and patients to ensure every detail is captured with patient wellbeing in mind. The new building will have spacious patient day rooms and equipped therapy spaces, and the two new 24-bedded general surgery wards will be located on southern and western elevations to provide outward-looking views for patients, maximising natural light. It will also house a new state-of-the-art theatre for emergency and colorectal surgery for patients who have conditions affecting the colon and rectum.

Dr Jonathan Moise, Medical Director at The Royal Oldham Hospital, said: “I am delighted and excited to see the building work underway. The build will house wards and facilities specifically designed for general and specialist colorectal surgery patients. The additional state of the art operating theatre will facilitate more laparoscopic (“key-hole”) surgery to improve patients’ recovery and experience and shorten hospital stays.”

Aside from new state-of-the art facilities and improved care for general and colorectal surgery patients, it is hoped that the development will also bring many other benefits for the local economy and the people of Greater Manchester during the construction phase including the creation of employment, skills, training and supply chain opportunities.

Fiona McLoughlin, Senior Project Manager at DAY Project Management Ltd said: “We are thrilled the new extension is now underway on-site and is a step closer to providing improved patient care facilities to The Royal Oldham Hospital Estate. DAY Project Management Ltd are working alongside IHP as the main contractor and DAY Architectural Ltd as the lead designer to deliver the new extension. This is a fantastic milestone to celebrate as a team; we are all excited to deliver this scheme on behalf of the Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust”.

Garry Bowker, IHP Regional Director, said: “After a detailed preconstruction, design and business case process, it is fantastic to reach this first major milestone in the construction of Phase 4a at The Royal Oldham Hospital. This project continues IHP’s long-standing relationship with the Trust at Royal Oldham and we are proud to be delivering this major investment at the hospital, which will increase capacity and provide significant benefit to patients and staff.”

The new unit is expected to welcome its first patients in the summer of 2023.