Thanks to significant investment and supporting one of our Trust's priorities to be a great place to work, our team at Clatterbridge Cancer Centre - Wirral can now benefit from some fantastic new and upgraded facilities.
Following feedback from the 500 staff who work at the Wirral centre, the Trust has created a large social and breakout room for the team to spend their free time, with working areas for those who need a quiet space away from their desks.
The new Staff Lounge has utilised the Tea Bar in the Wirral hospital which was run by the Royal Voluntary Service until the pandemic in 2020.
The refurbishment has taken around four months to complete and was officially opened in April, with dozens of staff coming down to celebrate.
Kathryn Graham from The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre was the Project Lead for the new Staff Lounge. She says: “It’s been great to see staff coming to enjoy the space – lots of people have worked really hard to bring it to life so seeing it open is testament to their hard work.
“One of our priorities here at The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre is to be a great place to work. We employ around 1,800 people across our sites – with almost a third of them based in our Wirral centre. So it’s vitally important that we listen to feedback from our staff on how we can improve our facilities and ways of working and take action when we can. The new Staff Lounge is in direct response to feedback we had that staff in Wirral wanted a designated, communal space to enjoy their breaks.
“It’s hoped the Staff Lounge will be a place where everyone can relax and recharge, ready to give the very best care and support to our patients.”
The new Staff Lounge is part of a series of planned improvements to The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre in Wirral, which includes a full refurbishment of the Trust’s Medical Physics Building, which has been renamed The Seaton Building, after Dr James Seaton Smyth, founder of the Liverpool Hospital for Cancer and Diseases of the Skin. Dr Seaton established Liverpool’s excellent reputation for cancer care back in 1862 and his legacy lives on today through the work of Trusts across Merseyside to support people with cancer.
The Seaton Building will be home to our Research and Innovation Team, with other teams based in the building too. The building will also feature refurbished staff break out spaces, including shower facilities, and meeting spaces.
Director of Strategy for The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust, Tom Pharaoh, added: “Last year, The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre celebrated its 65th birthday and we want patients in Wirral to benefit from high-quality facilities and care for generations to come.
“As well as our new Staff Lounge and improvements to our office accommodation and staff facilities in our newly named Seaton Building, we want to improve the layout and flow of the hospital, and bring our services and teams closer together. We’re also dedicated to developing the site in a green and sustainable way, reducing carbon emissions and improving biodiversity. It’s a really exciting time for our Wirral hospital and we hope the improvements will benefit both staff and patients over the coming years.”
