Work is set to begin on a brand new £68 million “state of the art” trauma centre to expand the services at Salford Royal Hospital.
Following planning permission for the project – which was granted back in December 2019 – ground will be broken on the new six-storey development today, making Salford Royal a central hub for 90% of major trauma operations across Greater Manchester and a provider of support for people involved in serious incidents, such as car crashes or life-changing falls.
The new centre will be named the James Potter Building in honour of the hospital’s recently retired long-standing chairman.
Once complete, the new centre is expected to treat around 400 patients a year and is set to include a resuscitation area, five emergency theatres, inpatient beds, diagnostic imaging and even a helipad, which means that seriously ill patients will reach the site even quicker for potentially life-saving treatment.
It will also make Salford Royal a hub for high risk emergency general surgery for patients in Bolton and Wigan.
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Speaking on the start of construction Raj Jain – CEO of the Northern Care Alliance NHS Group, which runs Salford Royal – said: “This important facility has been many years in the planning with a number of our local, regional and national partners and it’s great to now be just weeks away from the official start date of construction.
“We are proud to be the major trauma centre for Greater Manchester and this centre and the amazing state of the art facilities and our specialist clinical teams within it will allow us to provide trauma care and services to an additional 400 trauma patients per year and help save more lives.
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“Our partnership with Bolton NHS Foundation Trust and Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust will see us use this facility as the home for a new single-service for high risk emergency general surgery.
“This new team will strive to provide a general surgery service with the best outcomes in the UK”.
BAM / Northern Care AllianceBAM / Northern Care Alliance
He continued: “We are of course currently working through the most challenging of times as we deal with the pressures and challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic [but] the start of construction work is extremely welcomed and fills us all with excitement about the fantastic future that we can start to create for major trauma and complex general surgery services.”
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Rob Bailey – Healthcare Construction Manager at the company behind the construction work, BAM – said: “We have worked extensively on the design and programme with the trust to understand fully what their requirements are, and focus completely on what matters to them to provide a high quality building in which their patients are cared for and their staff can provide that care.
“That is how buildings should be delivered, with the outcomes the client wants placed at the centre.”
Health minister Edward Argar added: “I am pleased work is underway on this major development to provide state of the art new facilities and ensure patients can access specialised, life-saving treatment.
“The £68m new hospital at Salford Royal will be one of the 48 hospitals which we’re backing to deliver by 2030 as part of the biggest hospital building programme in a generation and strategic long-term investment in the future of our NHS.”
The new development is predicted to take until Summer 2023 to complete.
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Government grants local councils power to make pavement parking illegal in their region
Emily Sergeant
New powers are being made available to local leaders across England to introduce pavement parking restrictions in their area.
Blocked pavements can create serious barriers for parents with pushchairs, wheelchair users, blind and partially sighted people, and older people, and campaigners say this limits individuals’ independence and makes everyday journeys harder and less safe for them.
So, in a bid to help keep pavements clear and accessible for everyone who uses them, the Government has introduced new local powers.
Following a public consultation – which first took place all the way back in 2020 – the Department for Transport (DfT) has confirmed that local leaders will be given ‘new and improved’ legal powers to make it easier to restrict pavement parking across wider areas, rather than relying on the previous approach where action was often limited to individual streets.
The Government has granted local councils the power to make pavement parking illegal in their region / Credit: Samuel Regan-Asante (via Unsplash)
The Government says local leaders ‘know their streets best’ and are therefore best placed to respond to local needs.
Under this new approach, local leaders will be able to decide to take action on pavement parking in their area, while still getting to retain flexibility where they deem pavement parking may still be acceptable.
“Clear pavements are essential for people to move around safely and independently, whether that’s a parent with a pushchair, someone using a wheelchair, or a blind or partially sighted person,” commented Local Transport Minister, Lilian Greenwood.
Blocked pavements can make it harder for parents with pushchairs, wheelchair users and blind or partially sighted people to get around.
That’s why we’re giving local authorities stronger powers to tackle pavement parking and keep pavements accessible. https://t.co/PIqkIw1LF2
“That’s why we’re giving local authorities the power to crack down on problem pavement parking, allowing more people to travel easily and safely and get to where they need to go.”
By putting decision-making closer to communities, the Government says this approach supports safer and more inclusive streets that ‘work better for everyone’.
The DfT will set out guidance to help local authorities use these powers in a ‘proportionate’ and ‘locally appropriate’ way later in 2026.
Featured Image – Sado Lavren (via Unsplash)
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Ian McKellen to play legendary Salford artist L.S. Lowry in new BBC documentary
Emily Sergeant
Sir Ian McKellen has landed himself an exciting new role, and he’s set to play one of Greater Manchester’s most iconic sons.
One of the most celebrated British actors of all time playing one of the most celebrated British artists of all time? It was meant to be. That’s right, Ian McKellen is set to portray Salford’s very-own L.S. Lowry in the new BBC documentary, L.S. Lowry: The Unheard Tapes, produced by award-winning Wall to Wall Mediaand coming soon to BBC Two and iPlayer.
Marking 50 years since Lowry’s death, this immersive documentary film will focus on the touching and often surprising exchange between the enigmatic artist and Angela Barratt – a young fan whose interviews capture Lowry in his most intimate and reflective moments.
Recorded in the artist’s own living room, these tapes reveal Lowry’s authentic voice, which Burnley-born actor McKellen will lip-sync on screen.
Across these candid conversations, Lowry traces his journey from childhood right through to his final days, sharing the memories and experiences that shaped him both as an artist, and crucially, as a man.
Alongside this deeply personal account, the documentary is also set to explore the dramatic transformation of Salford and Greater Manchester, which Lowry, of course, depicted so prolifically in his work.
“To give play to Lowry through his own voice has been a unique privilege,” commented Ian McKellen as his casting was announced this week.
“These tapes reveal an intimate insight into the artist’s thoughts – his ambitions, regrets and his humour. Anyone like me, who admires his paintings and drawings, will be intrigued and delighted that the artist is brought back to life through his own words.”
Mark Bell, who is the Commissioning Editor at BBC Arts, added: “Marking 50 years since Lowry’s death, and celebrating Arena’s own 50-year tradition of ambitious, intelligent storytelling, this film comes at a very special moment.
“The inspired casting of Ian McKellen and Annabel Smith feels like life imitating art in the best possible way. But this film isn’t just about the life of the artist, it also provides an insight into the realities of urban life in Greater Manchester in the 20th century.”
L.S. Lowry: The Unheard Tapes is directed by James Kent, following his recent Emmy win for Lost Boys and Fairies, with executive producer Morgana Pugh, and producer Hannah Mirsky.
Further broadcast details will be announced in due course.
Featured Image – BBC / Wall to Wall Media Ltd / Connor Harris
The Manc -
22nd February 2021 
