Topping Out Ceremony for Surgical Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Alder Hey Sparks a Major Milestone for Neonatal Healthcare

Earlier this week, Alder Hey marked a significant milestone with the official topping out ceremony for the new Surgical Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). This event celebrated the completion of the building’s structural phase — and the future it promises for some of our region’s most vulnerable newborns.

Colleagues from Alder Hey NHS Foundation Trust, partners from the Liverpool Neonatal Partnership, and contractors Morgan Sindall came together to reflect on what this new facility will mean for families across the North West.

Through the Liverpool Neonatal Partnership — a collaboration between Alder Hey and Liverpool Women’s — babies born at Liverpool Women’s who need surgery will now be transferred just once to Alder Hey, where they can receive both surgical and neonatal care in one state-of-the-art location. The unit includes 18 Family Integrated Care Rooms, ensuring families can stay together during the most critical and emotional moments.

In 2021, Alder Hey Children’s Charity launched the Surgical Neonatal Appeal to raise £3 million in support of this groundbreaking facility. One of the appeal’s most powerful stories was that of 8-year-old Betty Batt, who was born more than four months early, weighing just 650 grams. After extensive neonatal care and multiple surgeries, Betty finally returned home at 13 months old.

Betty, along with her proud parents Karen and Phil, joined us for the ceremony and became one of the first families to sign the Wish in the Wall — a special message installation that will live within the heart of the new building.

The more than £3 million raised has brought added innovation, comfort, and support to the new NICU — enhancements that wouldn’t have been possible without the remarkable generosity of our supporters, donors, and corporate partners. Many joined us on the day to witness the impact of their contributions firsthand.

We’re proud that Alder Hey is shaping the future of neonatal healthcare here in Liverpool and beyond, and grateful to everyone who has helped us along the way to make this dream a reality.