NHSPS Secures New Ambulance Base for People across Northwest England and Wales

£1 million state-of-the-art ambulance base for the Northwest Neonatal Transport Service has been acquired by NHSPS is now open in Warrington. The new base will link over 25 hospitals to care for thousands of babies every year. The benefits include greater efficiency and flexibility, timely repatriation of babies and improved ambulance response times.

NHS Property Services (NHSPS) is pleased to announce the successful acquisition and fit-out of the new ambulance base for Connect North West - a neonatal transportation service, delivered by Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT), North West Neonatal Operational Delivery Network and St John Ambulance.  

NHS England identified the need for a new site and, in response to the higher activity levels NHSPS secured a lease on the new unit, as well as £1 million in capital funding for the required upgrades.  

Working closely with MFT, NHSPS procured a design team and contractors to create a facility that meets the specific needs of the neonatal transport service.  

The ground floor of the unit houses four ambulances, an incubator service/store area, a deep clean facility, an education room and a quiet room. A kitchen, changing rooms, showers and WCs were some of the improvements made for NHS colleagues. 

Throughout the project, NHSPS held regular meetings with the customers to ensure they were updated. And NHSPS will provide full property management services at the new site, ensuring that it remains a top-tier facility. 

The move to this new, purpose-built facility will allow for more efficiency and flexibility. Finally, the relocation will free up valuable space at Liverpool Women's Hospital and St. Mary’s Hospital, further benefiting patient care in the region.  

Mark Lloyd, Regional Capital Projects Lead at NHSPS, said: “We’re truly proud of this partnership with MFT and the many benefits the new site will bring for patients. It’s projects such as this that underscore NHSPS's commitment to supporting the NHS and enhancing healthcare infrastructure across the UK.” 

Kathy Cowell OBE DL, Chairman of Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, said: “For seven years, our trust has proudly run Connect Northwest, which manages to care for over 2000 babies' year. Alfie is just one of many who have been supported by this transportation network, and it was so moving to hear of the profound impact that this has had on his and his mother’s life.”    

Kimberley Salmon-Jamieson, Group Chief Nurse at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, said: “The new base for Connect Northwest marks great progression for maternity services and will be a huge benefit to over 25 hospitals across North-West England and North Wales. It can be stressful for families when hospitals have to make the decision to transfer premature babies, but our incredible team of experts and highly specialised equipment means that this can be done in the safest way possible. Connect North West is vital in ensuring that more people in our surrounding regions, especially those in more remote areas, can be cared for as effectively as possible”.   

Alfie and Beth’s story: how lives can be saved 

On the 11th of July 2024, nine-year-old Alfie and his mother, Beth, cut the ribbon on the new home of Connect North West - the busiest neonatal transport service in the UK, and a service that saved Alfie’s life when he was just a day old.  

In 2015, Beth Haliwell and her husband were excited to welcome their baby, but she was admitted to Tameside General Hospital after suffering appendicitis. Doctors performed an emergency c-section, and Alfie was born 11 weeks prematurely. He was taken to the neonatal unit for treatment and observation. However, not all units are equipped to handle certain conditions, and sometimes babies must be transported to other hospitals. In critical situations, babies like Alfie need access to high-level care. 

Beth recalled: “After my surgery, I was taken to the neo-natal intensive care unit where I met my son for the first time. He was only 24 hours old, and I was told that he had to be transferred to Royal Bolton Hospital for specialist care, while I stayed at Tameside for another week.”  

“The doctors took some scans which showed that he suffered a significant brain bleed, and he was diagnosed with cerebral palsy when he was four days old. Once he was stable enough, the Connect North West team transferred him back to Tameside. It was such a lovely feeling to know he was making progress so he could come home”.   

Alfie is now nine years old and as he’s grown up, his mother has always praised the team of people who saved his life. Beth said: “We would always see the neo-natal ambulances near our house, which I used to find quite triggering. I wanted to be as honest as possible with him about his start in life, so I started to point to them and tell them it was his ambulance.”  

This made a strong impression on Alfie as he went on to fundraise for the service. He has raised £650 in a sponsored swim and has plans in the future for a sponsored hike.  

Beth said: “We both went to drop off the cheque and I was finally able to thank everyone for what they did for us and my family. Everyone was so kind to us, caring and so clear in communicating in such stressful situations. We really owe them a lot.”