Walton Neurological Centre expansion given go ahead

A Liverpool hospital dedicated to caring for people with neurological conditions has been given the go ahead to expand.

Planning permission has been granted for a new ward, operating theatres and research facilities at the Walton Neurological Centre in Fazakerley.

The hospital trust said it hoped to provide more services to more patients with brain and spine conditions.

Construction of the new three-storey building is due to start next year.

The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust said the centre's specialist services had grown continuously since it was established in the grounds of Aintree Hospital 20 years ago.

Chief executive Dr Liz Mear said: "This is the biggest building project we have undertaken since the Walton Centre opened and it will make a huge difference to our patients and our staff.

"It will help us to achieve our aims of providing innovative, caring services and carrying out pioneering research to advance our knowledge of neuroscience."

She added: "At the moment we are constantly working at full capacity and we need to expand in order to treat all the patients who need our services.

"This building programme will provide much-needed extra beds and operating space."

The expansion is part of a five-year strategy which also involves taking services closer to patients using advanced community nurses, running clinics in GP centres around Merseyside, Cheshire and North Wales and further development of neurosurgery and pain services.