Derek Welsh

This summer, an integrated complex of hospitals opened in Manchester. The project was PFI-financed and involved the mass relocation of staff, as well as critical outpatient and inpatient services. Staff from Manchester-based Pendlebury and Booth Hall children’s hospitals, which were closed as part of the broader initiative, needed to be repatriated to the new Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital (RMCH, now the largest children’s hospital in Europe), and services at North Manchester and Salford Royal Hospitals.Logistically, the move was a huge challenge for everyone at the trust. From an HR perspective, the complexity meant that we felt people should be involved at all stages to ensure a smooth transition and maintain morale. From the start, our aim was to ensure individuals’ professional and personal requirements could be met as far as possible, while simultaneously balancing operational demands.