Countess of Chester: Topping out ceremony marks significant milestone for new Women and Children’s Building   

A significant milestone in the construction of the Countess of Chester Hospital’s new Women and Children’s Building has been marked with a special ‘topping out’ ceremony, coinciding with the launch of an new five-year strategy for women and children’s services.

The key event – which marks the symbolic completion of the building’s frame and is a significant stage in its construction – was attended by several staff from the Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, as well as representatives of the construction partners IHP.

Jane Tomkinson OBE, Chief Executive Officer at the Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, led the pour of the final concrete, joined by Pippa Scott-Heale, Director of Women and Children’s Services, Natasha MacDonald, Director of Midwifery, and Dr Sara Brigham, Associate Medical Director for Women and Children’s Services, amongst others involved in the construction project.

Joan Carter, Project Director for the construction works at the Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Topping out was an historic moment – we can physically envision now how this new building will transform our services for patients.

“We’ll be doing lots of things over the next few months to turn the shell into a workable building, like applying the outside cladding and wiring, plastering and painting and decorating inside, so this is a really exciting time.”

The ‘topping out’ marks the beginning of the countdown to completion of the three-storey c.13,000m sq. building, which is scheduled to be ready for internal fit-out by the end of this year, and open to the public in summer 2025.

Once complete, the new Women and Children’s Building will accommodate all nine women and children’s services, providing increased capacity and additional modern rest spaces for patients, families and staff all to enjoy.

This symbolic moment comes as a new five-year strategy for women and children’s services is launched by the Trust, with the new building that is fit for the future identified as an integral part of ensuring plans for safe and high-quality care.

At the heart of the new strategy for these services is a pledge to provide clear information to patients, actively listen to their feedback for continuous improvement and invest in Trust staff and their development.

Macy Roberts, a paediatric nurse who features on the front cover of the new strategy, spoke of her excitement for the future of women and children’s services in Chester.

 Macy said: “During my placement here as a student nurse I always felt part of the team and I fell in love with the department. There was nowhere else I felt quite so at home.”

“Staff are so supportive here and that’s why I wanted this to be my first job. It’s great that as a newly qualified nurse I feel valued, and the teaching and support from others is fantastic – I think this really demonstrates the commitment to invest in and develop staff.”

 Jane Tomkinson OBE, Chief Executive Officer at the Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, said: “This ambitious £110m project is a hugely exciting asset for Chester, North Wales and the surrounding areas.

“Women, children and their families and carers who live in our local community will benefit from this building for years to come, as a place to receive safe and effective care that meets their individual needs.

“Our clinicians have played a key role in the design so that we can ensure people are treated in the best possible clinical environment, which supports our wider ambition to tackle health inequalities in our region.”