Ambitious new plans to transform the Emergency Department at Manchester Royal Infirmary (MRI) have been given planning approval by Manchester City Council. The redevelopment will see the facilities modernised to best meet the changing needs of the local population of Manchester. This includes increased capacity, and a more streamlined layout to ensure patients continue to receive high quality emergency treatment and care in an improved environment. The £40 million renovation project will boost the capabilities of MRI, which is a Major Trauma Centre for Greater Manchester and part of Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT). Upgraded facilities will include an expanded and improved Emergency Department, including 10 resuscitation bays and 27 majors cubicles. Plans also include the creation of six new operating theatres, which will support the hospital’s role as a regional centre for specialist surgery.

Integrated Health Projects (IHP), an established joint venture between VINCI Construction UK and Sir Robert McAlpine, has been appointed as construction partner for the new build development. Construction is expected to start later in 2021. Construction is expected to take just over three years to complete. Vanessa Gardener, Chief Executive of MRI, said: “Manchester is a rapidly developing city, with a much larger population and different health requirements to the 1980s when our current Emergency Department was first built. These exciting plans lay out our vision for a new and improved department that will best support the needs of Manchester and beyond.”