A £900,000 programme of improvements to eight wards will get under way at Southport hospital this autumn.

The first phase of work on wards 7A, 7B, 9A, 9B, 11A and 11B will run from September until December. Work on wards 10A and 10B will start in April, avoiding the busier winter period.

Corporate Matron Claire Beck, clinical lead for the work, said the improvements will focus on the central ward and sluice areas but will also include:

• Upgrades of patient bathrooms
• Staff locker rooms and upgraded staff toilets
• A multi-disciplinary team room in each area
• Improved storage for stock and linen
• Changes to fire doors in each ward to improve bed use and patient experience
• Adjustments to improve the experience of patients with dementia

It will be the first major facelift for these wards since the hospital opened in 1989.

Therese Patten, Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Strategy, said: “I want to thank the team of colleagues, drawn from across the Trust, who’ve planned and designed what is a complex programme of work. This has included working hard to avoid disruption to patients and staff.

“This investment is a demonstration by the Trust of not only our commitment to quality but patients’ experience of care. The improvements will also provide a brighter, more comfortable workplace for staff.

“I look forward to celebrating the results with everyone as the autumn progresses.”