HRH The Princess Royal visits maternity unit in Manchester
By RCM on 02 March 2022 NHS Midwives RCM Maternity Services MSWs - Maternity Support Workers RCM Patron HRH The Princess Royal
Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal today (2nd March) officially unveiled the helipad at Oxford Road Campus (ORC). She also visited maternity services at Saint Mary’s Hospital, both part of Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT), in her role as Patron of the Royal College of Midwives (RCM).
The helipad, the first of its kind in the North West, enables critically ill patients to be airlifted straight to the Trust’s hospitals in Manchester city centre and has been used by the Air Ambulance over 70 times since opening in May 2021.
The helipad allows patients to be seen within minutes by trauma specialists which can be vital to help save lives and improve outcomes during time critical situations.
As well as unveiling the helipad, The Princess Royal also visited the Antenatal Clinic and Delivery Suite at Saint Mary’s Hospital, which won the Royal College of Midwives Midwifery Service of the Year Award in 2021.
Touring the maternity unit, she met with midwives, maternity support workers, doctors and families with their newborns.
She heard about vital research being undertaken by the service to improve outcomes for babies and young children. She also spoke to staff from the bereavement services about the support they provide to families at an incredibly difficult time. She was accompanied on the maternity visit by the RCM’s Executive Director, Midwife, Birte Harlev-Lam OBE and RCM President Rebeccah Davies.
The service is the largest in the country employing over 800 midwives and delivering 16,500 babies every year.
Kathy Cowell, Chairman of MFT, said: “We were delighted to welcome Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal to officially unveil our life saving helipad here in Manchester and to visit our renowned maternity services.
“The helipad has made a tremendous difference to how quickly our trauma teams can respond to emergencies which can be the difference between life and death.
“This wouldn’t have been possible without the generosity of everyone who helped with our fundraising appeal and I would like to thank them all for their hard work.
“Our maternity services continue to provide excellence care to mothers across the city of Manchester and I’m particularly delighted that The Princess Royal was able to spend time today talking to a number of staff about the wonderful care they provide.”
The helipad development was supported by a fundraising campaign called ‘Time Saves Lives’ that saw organisations and individuals come together to raise the required funding for the helipad in just 12 months.
This included a £1.36million donation from the County Air Ambulance HELP (Helicopter Emergency Landing Pads) Appeal, which funds helipads across the country.
Robert Bertram, Chief Executive of the HELP Appeal said: “For many people helipads are lifesavers too, along with hospitals and air ambulances. Her Royal Highness’ visit to another HELP Appeal funded helipad is hugely significant as it helps to highlight their vital role in emergency care because of their ability to help save time, which saves many lives.”
Birte Harlev-Lam, Executive Director, Midwife, at the RCM, said: “When you work in a service as busy as the one at Saint Mary’s, it can be tricky to take a step back and appreciate what great work you’re doing. Having the Princess Royal visit today enabled staff to talk about their work and allowed them a much-deserved moment in the spotlight. We are incredibly grateful to have Her Royal Highness as our Patron and for the real interest and understanding she shows in the work of midwives, maternity support workers and the wider maternity team, who were able to showcase the wonderful work they are doing.
“It’s been a great few months for the Manchester maternity service – winning the RCM Midwifery Service of the Year award and now this visit from the Princess Royal – and they truly deserve it. This is a service investing in its staff and its services to offer even better care for women, babies and their families.”
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
For more information on MFT’s helipad, click here and to watch the launch film click here.
Saint Mary’s Hospital
Saint Mary’s provides a single maternity service for the city of Manchester with inpatient units at ORC, Wythenshawe Hospital and North Manchester General Hospital as well as outreach clinics in Salford, Trafford and Withington.
Fundraising campaign:
The helipad development was supported by a £3.9 million fundraising campaign called Time Saves Lives – the Trust’s Charity raised the total in just 12 months of appeal.
This included a donation of £1.36million from the County Air Ambulance Trust’s HELP (Helicopter Emergency Landing Pads) Appeal, which funds helipads across the country, and a significant donation from The Stoller Charitable Trust.
The appeal also received £1.1million from the Government’s LIBOR fines fund, which benefits charities supporting emergency services and the armed forces.
Donations from families, local businesses and fundraising events also made significant contributions.
About Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust: Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest NHS Trusts in the country and a leading provider of specialist healthcare services. Its ten hospitals are home to hundreds of world class clinicians and academic staff committed to finding patients the best care and treatments.
Its hospitals are Manchester Royal Infirmary, Saint Mary's Hospital, Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, Manchester Royal Eye Hospital, University Dental Hospital of Manchester, Trafford General, Altrincham Hospital, Wythenshawe Hospital and Withington Hospital. North Manchester General Hospital formally joined the MFT Group on 1st April 2021.
The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) is the only trade union and professional association dedicated to serving midwifery and the whole midwifery team. We provide workplace advice and support, professional and clinical guidance, and information, and learning opportunities with our broad range of events, conferences, and online resources. For more information visit the RCM | A professional organisation and trade union dedicated to serving the whole midwifery team.
More information is available at www.mft.nhs.uk