Alder Hey Children's Hospital

Alder Hey Children’s Hospital stands in Springfield Park, West Derby, on the northern edge of Liverpool. It replaced the old buildings in 2015 with a new hospital set among trees and lawns. The design used ideas from young patients, including a drawing by Eleanor Brogan that shaped the flower motifs on walls. The parkland around the hospital was created from part of the original site. The hospital is one of the largest children’s hospitals in the United Kingdom. The hospital is recognised for pioneering treatments and units. It opened the first neonatal intensive care unit in the country in 1953, led by paediatric surgeon Isabella Forshall. In 1990 it took over the A&E department from the closed Myrtle Street Children’s Hospital. It now runs Europe’s first 3T intraoperative MRI scanner for neurosurgery. Each year it treats more than 270,000 children from across the UK with a staff of about 2,400. Inside, natural light and views of the park appear in every ward and corridor. Play areas and gardens are placed where children can reach them easily. The hospital’s art programme includes murals covering over 34,000 square feet, created by volunteers led by George Nicholas. Families have a place to stay at Ronald McDonald House nearby. The grounds provide quiet spaces for rest and play among the trees.