Come along to the one of the sessions below to hear site updates from the Royal and Liverpool Women's Chief Executive, Leanne Cooper, and members of your Hospital Leadership Team.
Session dates
27 August, 2pm - 3pm - join on the day via this link
24 September, 2pm - 3pm, Teams link available soon.
29 October, 2pm - 3pm, Teams link available soon.
26 November, 2pm - 3pm, Teams link available soon.
17 December, 2pm - 3pm, Teams link available soon.
Q&A responses
Q: Is there any update on a staff entrance being created for the Linda McCartney building?
A: A feasibility study is being completed as the building use has changed from its original design and intention.
Q: Are there any plans to add more disabled bays outside the Royal?
A: There are plans for more bays as we move forward with the ongoing construction works. We are looking at how we can potentially use the space that’s going to be created from the demolition of the old Royal on a long term basis to expand our car parking options.
Q: Is there any scope for extending the opening of the cafe in Linda Macartney Centre?
A: We are currently reviewing the opening times of our outlets, however in the event of staff shortage we sometimes have to close units earlier.
Q: Will there be any more electric charging points added to future car parks?
A: This will be picked up by the Executive Managing Director as part of her car parking review with the Estates Team. An update will be shared in the December 2025 session.
Q: Will there be any more opportunities for bids for digital transformation projects?
A: Nationally each year, we often get last minute funding bids come out from the national team and we get them at quite short notice. We anticipate, because of the focus on digital, we will be asked for digital bids. Please do bring your ideas forward and let’s get those bids ready.
Q: Would be great to see areas other than wards have a LQA accreditation to celebrate
A: Lindsey Vlasman, Royal site Director of Nursing, will pick this up with the Quality Teams.
Q: Is it possible to see more of a celebration of teams other than clinical?
A: At these sessions, we want to celebrate all colleagues, clinical and non-clinical. The staff successes included on the session are pulled together by the Communications Team from information they are sent. If you would like to include a staff success story in the next session, please email communications
Q: Are there any updates on the plan to improve signage around the site?
A: Yes, we have a wayfinding group looking at improving signage across the site.
Q: Why are night staff not beyond a Band 6? Also, why are some difficult wards that should be 1-1's, sometimes working at 1-5?
A: All our wards are staffed using the Safer Nursing Care Tool and patients are assessed on all shifts using the enhanced care policy to ensure patients who require 1 to 1 care are provided with this. Wards are staffed with agenda for change bands and job descriptions.
Can we look at putting a sign 'stop for pedestrians crossing' on the crossing by the bereavement centre please? The crossing lights don't work so many visitors / taxis don't stop.
A: All drivers should obey the rules of the road, and they are the same on Trust roads as the highway. We will investigate and resolve why the lighting on the crossing isn’t working.
Q: Can parking please be stopped on the pavements outside the entrance?
A: We have increased the car parking enforcement team, they patrol all sites especially hot spots of poor behaviour, however they are few and cannot be permanently stationed in any one place so there is a reliance on drivers obeying the rules of the road, and they are the same on Trust roads as the highway.
Q: How were the new tables paid for on the lower ground floor of the main atrium?
A: The tables in the atrium were not new when the Royal opened, they had previously been in use at Aintree and have reached the end of life and needed replacing for safety reasons this was funded from capital with the aim of maintaining the service from the outlet.
Q: Staff and patients are still smoking outside the Royal. What has been done so far to combat this and can this be monitored more?
A: While Smoke free policy states it is everyone's responsibility, security have increased patrols at the main entrances across all sites and ask people to move away from entrance doors who may be smoking. “Smoke free” is not the responsibility of security and is led by Anthony Duffy Programme Lead, Service Improvement.
Q: Can you confirm if there are any plans to install additional EV charging point at the Royal?
A: Additional funding has been secured and extra chargers are due to be installed in the Royal MSCP. As the site roads develop we will consider additional chargers at every opportunity.
Q: Who is responsible for the outside lift? There are constant complaints about how dirty it is.
A: We will review the abuse of this key facility and any antisocial behaviour and will look into changing the cleaning regime to try to make it fit for purpose at the start of every day.
Q: How do I receive a pin for years of service? Who do I contact?
A: Please contact momentsthatmatter@liverpoolft.nhs.uk
Q: Is it possible for the new green space part of the old site to be a smoke-free space? We desperately need more green space for staff and patients around here, but I feel like people will just use it as a smoking area and it will be unbearable.
A: Yes, this is certainly something we will look into.
Q: Are there any plans for a car park for both patients and staff to be built on the old Royal site?
A: We have issued a statement to Liverpool City Council planning department that sets out our vision for the site of the Old Royal. The plans propose a temporary staff car park that will comprise of 116 spaces, just off Prescott Street.
Q: Administrative Professionals Day - can more notice be given next year that this is coming up so that we can celebrate it with all our admin staff?
A: Thank you for your suggestion, we will look into this for you.
Q: Would it be worth putting the celebrating success section at the start of MD briefings to build momentum and positivity from the start?
A: Thanks for the suggestion. We are reviewing some of our communications approaches so will take this on board and will discuss with the HLT.
Q: I’m a DM out of hours, historically staff came to us out of hours to authorise patient transport. I have been to General Office they said taxi books are still being given out as Uber do not take certain items, i.e. blood samples and that delta is still to be used. Please could you advise?
A: You are correct, Uber are transporting people only. Until it changes, please use the taxi book at RLH site for the movement of goods (not people) and the switchboard team will still organise.
Q: Will staff who have not been successful with their VR application be notified?
A: Yes, they will be notified if the relevant division/ HLT has declined the application as the post cannot be released. For those applications which were supported in principle but dependent on funding, they are 'on hold' but communication will be issued in the near future when external financial support has been confirmed.
Q: Every day I have to park and retrieve my bike by walking through a group of people (usually staff) smoking. This is not only illegal, it is very unpleasant and gives an extremely poor impression to visitors to the hospital. They should not be allowed to smoke within the hospital, in a covered area. I would like to know why this is allowed to continue.
A: You are right, this should not be happening by staff on site, can you email the Security Manager at the RLH site (Clinton Bottrell) with the details of the location please?
Q: Some corporate TOMS have not been started yet, such as outpatient nursing. When is this likely to be started?
A: The Corporate Nursing TOM has been though the Quality Assurance Review process in March. It will also be shared with staff side colleagues as part of the UHL Group partnership group. Engagement with colleagues regarding the design of the Target Operating Models should have been an ongoing process, any consultation with staff regarding changes to roles/ structures will commence after the approval process has completed, so in the coming weeks. For specific information please reach out to the SRO for the relevant corporate service (David Melia for corporate nursing).
Q&A responses
Q: Will Voluntary redundancy be an annual process moving forward, or was it just a one-off during the current process?
A: As part of the current VR process, there is a potential for a 'phase 3' which is dependent on external NHSE funding. In respect of future schemes in the years ahead, this is not currently known but is a possibility, and both MARS and VR schemes have run across both sites in previous years.
Q: CPS11 - Can we see the QAR? We were promised visibility of these but have yet to see anything.
Outputs from the QAR, and the detail of the target operating model should be shared with corporate teams from their Senior Responsible Officer (SRO) - the Group Exec Director for the service. The TDU team have committed to providing an overview of all of the TOMS.
Q: Will DISCO cover ophthalmology at Aintree?
A: Yes, St Paul's Eye Unit operates both at RLULH and AUH. DISCO will therefore cover ophthalmology at Aintree and the Royal.
Q&A
Q: Are all of the recent Employee of the Month award recipients aware that they have received the award?
A: Most or all Employee and Team of the Month winners are aware of their awards. In some cases, there can be a short delay while arrangements are made for photographs and recognition activities.
Q: The discretionary awards panel meets almost a week after the deadline, creating a slow turnaround. At LWH the previous process was quicker. Can this be reviewed?
A: AWAITING RESPONSE
Q: Can guidance be shared regarding working hours being affected by the current weather conditions?
A: Managers have been asked to apply flexibility where staff are impacted by heat, school closures, transport disruption or similar issues. The Special Leave Policy should be applied appropriately depending on individual circumstances.
Q: Will there be a review of the sickness policy? There are concerns that it has not been fully developed with the workforce or shared before launch.
A: Consultation has taken place through Staff Side representatives and directly with some managers. A single UHLG sickness policy has been developed as a priority to ensure greater consistency across the Group.
Q: Is it possible to see more Estates and Facilities and support staff recognised through Employee of the Month awards, rather than predominantly clinical staff?
A: Annual awards for Estates and Facilities colleagues have recently taken place, and significant efforts are being made to recognise the achievements and contributions of these teams.
Q: There seems to be continual cost cutting despite staff shortages and vacancies not being replaced. At what point does this become unsafe?
A: This concern is shared by many colleagues. The Trust must balance the external requirement to deliver financial savings while maintaining safe staffing levels and patient care standards. Safe service delivery remains a key consideration when decisions are made.
Q: Can the CIP strategy be made more visible to clinicians so projects can be aligned to cost improvement priorities?
A: Yes. Further detail can be provided to clinical colleagues to support alignment of improvement initiatives with organisational priorities.
Q: Can admin vacancies be included in weekly Vacancy Control Panels (VCPs)? Decisions can currently take 6–8 weeks despite staff leaving on four weeks’ notice.
A: The process is currently under review. At present, non-clinical posts are considered monthly by Group Executives, but the concerns regarding timescales are recognised.
Q: It is often stated that unnecessary spending should be avoided, but what qualifies as unnecessary spend?
A: AWAITING RESPONSE
Q: When will the new sickness policy be discussed?
A: The policy launches on 1 July. Manager briefing sessions, communications and toolkits are being made available to support implementation.
Q: Offices within the Edwards Building are becoming extremely hot, with some areas lacking opening windows and adequate ventilation.
A: The issue will be escalated to Estates through the adverse weather and heatwave response arrangements. If reference numbers for previous reports are provided, the status of these requests can be followed up and investigated further.
Q: Given the number of upcoming maternity and neonatal initiatives (including Ockenden, Amos, Thirlwall, Martha’s Rule and the Postnatal Care Bundle), how will the Trust ensure teams have sufficient capacity?
A:Please discuss with the Hospital Leadership Team.
Q: There are concerns that some staff car parks appear underutilised while staff remain on waiting lists for permits.
A: The Car Parking Team regularly reviews capacity and demand. Permits are issued accordingly while ensuring suitable parking availability is maintained.
Q: When will the EV chargers at LWH become available, and will they be accessible to all staff?
A: The implementation date will be confirmed and further details will be provided through Liverpool News.
Q: When will the podium works be completed?
A: AWAITING RESPONSE
Q: Why are ICT staff based in Jeffcoate Building at LWH still receiving free access to the rear car park?
A: Please provide details directly via email (craig.
Q: Operational teams have already delivered significant CIP savings and are struggling to identify further opportunities. What additional support is available?
A: Congratulations on the progress made so far. Colleagues are encouraged to get in touch directly and will be connected with experts who can help identify further opportunities. A face-to-face discussion will also be arranged.
23 July - catch up via the recording link: https://
Questions from Q&A
Q: Same as staff brief, agenda in advance would be great in helping us encourage staff to attend
Response: Thanks for the feedback. We will try to do this next month within the diary invitation however the agenda is sometimes updated quite close to the event, so it is not always possible to include everything.
Q: For the past 3 months we've asked for agendas ahead of these meetings and this hasn't materialised. This impacts on us with disabilities and our ability to prepare to ensure we get the best from these meetings.
Response: Thanks. I have responded to a similar comment on this. Feedback noted and we will try to do this going forward for the standing items in particular which we are now in a routine of making consistent each month.
Q: Given the several changes to the HLT and SLT (new EMD, DMD, DOP, DISCo division, RLH and LWH together), it would be good to know what the objectives/focus points for the HLT are now? All leaders have their own ideas and aims, and so many changes lead to uncertainty.
Response: Great point and we can include something in the next staff brief.
Q: Could we have an update on interim provisions for keeping the Edwards Building cool during the summer, i.e. fans, portable air conditioning units, etc. whilst a long term solution is implemented? Thank you.
Response: We have numerous buildings without full ventilation and cooling in buildings and some are worse than others. We are reviewing a wide scale solution for Edwards Building should funding become available. We have a list of the highest risk areas in the Adverse weather plan, and these are prioritized for receipt of targeted ventilation support when the AWP is triggered. In the meantime, we have supplied some personal desk fans for other areas where problems have been escalated and these will provide some local relief and air movement at a personal level.
Q: Do HLT walk arounds still happen? we haven't seen much of our leaders in recent months
Response: Leanne and Lindsey have done one this morning in surgical areas, but you are absolutely right. As mentioned in previous staff briefs, we are finalising a timetable and this will ensure regular walkarounds to all areas including non-clinical. If you would like your dept to be prioritised please drop me an email rachel.
Q: Great news about the car park on the Royal site!
Response: Yes, it is great news about this. Not as fast as we would like in terms of permits. So hopefully our Estates colleagues can pick that up in making sure that when those spaces are released, the permit applications are as seamless and easy as possible.
Q: In the past few weeks some of the Exec comms seem to be changing direction from the past 18 months. Do we feel we are now risking diluting the message direction? Staff are weary to it all now.
Response: If you have seen the interim CEO brief for the Group recently, you will be aware of the changes announced. But it is not about unravelling what we have done recently. Everything we have done so far will continue but what we have heard through feedback from colleagues is a desire for greater clarity about how that works and where leadership sits and decision making in terms of that. I know that David Loughton has came in as our new interim CEO and the focus is about rebalancing that. There has been a lot of focus on the financial pressures we are under, and we have done a good job in saving our money but not necessarily on focusing on the areas where improvements of quality and safety for our patients and staff colleagues are required. In terms of our patients, their experience is not based around the Group structure it is instead around their experience in our Hospitals, Wards, Clinics and Assessment Departments. For our colleagues, you identify more strongly with the building and place that you work in; the Hospital you provide care from. So, it is about placing a stronger emphasis on that. So instead of unravelling everything we have done, it is about shifting some of the emphasis on our hospitals and the teams responsible for leading and providing services and delivering care. The Group is important, and its role will remain, which is to support and enable our hospitals to succeed in what they do.
Q: Do the slides get sent out afterwards? The sheets we used to get when F2F were really useful to share info with colleagues who can't attend.
Response: Yes, we are refreshing some of the post event comms. We will be sharing the recording, slides, and some other short updates next week as part of a monthly round-up for the Royal and LWH.
Q: Who will be responsible for the care and maintenance of this green space?
Response: For the first two years the contractor is responsible for maintenance and then post this our estates ground maintenance team will be responsible. We are also linking with community groups to gain buy in to the spaces care. Fully CCTV and linked to NHS Security.
Q: Is there a link or form somewhere that shows how LWH corporate staff can claim travel expenses back? Cant find any info anywhere. Thanks
Response: Expenses
Q: Does the Maggie's centre also offer support for LWH cancer patients given it's close by - or is there separate provision for our cancer patients?
Response: Yes, the Maggies centre will also offer support for patients, staff and families at LWH. Our Cancer teams are fully involved in integrating the support across our UHLG sites.
Q: Can I ask what the plans are for the Linda McCartney Centre as well please?
Response: We are currently working through these plans and will update through this briefing when they are finalised.
Q: Will the multi-storey car park be for staff and patients/visitors?
Response: Yes, it will be a mix of staff, patients and visitors - this is a LCC Planning stipulation.
Q: Will there be any capital investment into LWH? we are limited to any expansion of areas particularly in maternity when the population of women we see keeps getting more complex, more c-sections and no increase in beds. It feels unsafe a lot of the time.
Response: We do have a specific capital programme for LWH, which covers developments to service areas and improvements to the infrastructure. We can provide more detail at the next brief.
Q: What is our current financial position as a site? What is our CIP target for this year?
Response: Thank you, Jim has covered this in his segment however if there is anything you think that has been missed, please let us know. We understand it is a difficult target to meet and we have spent a lot of time with divisional colleagues over the last six weeks, particularly just reinvigorating getting good ideas for the ground to help deliver some of that challenge as well as improve the quality and safety of the services that we’ve got.
Q: Conscious of the maternity reviews and the risk around maternity and neonatal services - at a time when HMB has been "diluted" - ie the same team is covering the whole of the Royal and LWH. Does HMB have capacity to give full attention to maternity risks when also managing all those associated with ED and the complex other services provided across the two hospitals? It seems like a big ask.
Response: You are absolutely correct that the risks pertaining to maternity and neonatal services should be paramount on every organisation's agenda. We have a dedicated Senior Leadership Team (SLT) at LWH as well as our clinical directors and leads. Director of Midwifery from Liverpool Women’s, Heledd Jones, is now part of our Hospital Leadership Team which provides a voice for Maternity services. She is now a member of our assurance and risk committee. This is important in making sure there is a Maternity voice at these public meetings as well as Board.
Q: I appreciate that the Trust has to save money hence the VR however, where is the justification for granting VR for positions that are not actually redundant, that has left teams even more depleted and will impact service delivery.
Response: Each application for VR was assessed against a detailed criteria by a) Divisional SLT b) HLT and c) Executive Team. The ability for the service to continue to run safely and to a high standard is a key criteria.
Q: Will there be future opportunities for VR?
Response: Should there be the opportunity to apply for external funding, then yes, future rounds of VR would be considered.
Q: Will admin posts be advertised internal only initially? for a lot of us, career development has been delayed due to the restrictions that have been in place, so would be good if we can be prioritised
Response: Thank you. We did make the commitment when we came together as a group that non-clinical vacancies would be advertised across the 3 organisations in the first instance. Please leave this with me to clarify if this is still the case.
Q: Would it not help to provide some sort of a 'smoking area' set apart from entrances? It wouldn't be encouraging smoking but it would help the complainants as smokers are going to smoke wherever they can.
Response: The sites are non smoking sites but I understand your point it we had an area for staff; the entrances would be clear we can review this. Thankyou.
Q: A session solely for Q and A may be a good opportunity for us to get to know the new HLT members and what the future holds
Response: This would be a good opportunity for staff to meet our HLT members and what the future holds. We will have a look into that for the future. Would be great to get to know you all, so we will see how we can make this work.
Q: Why are staff who have a multi skilled role being treated as though we have to choose and we are not guaranteed to have a role that suits our interests whereas staff who are in a stand alone role have the advantage of being slotted in?
Response: I am assuming you are a member of staff in corporate services, undergoing changes as part of a move to shared services. Happy to have a conversation with you on this if you are concerned about selection principles. It is certainly the case that at LWH, individuals did do broader roles by virtue of being in a small organisation, whereas in a larger team, roles are more sub-specialist.
Q: The additional EV chargers are welcome. However, when I previously tried to use the EV chargers, I was unsuccessful because access was controlled via a WhatsApp group run by a member of staff. This arrangement made it difficult to access the charging facilities when needed. Can you provide assurance that the EV chargers are now managed by Estates, with a formal and accessible process in place to enable staff to use them when required?
Response: At the moment these are only for Trust fleet as we await the software to be installed. The new points will be fully commissioned to open to pay by Card for all in the next couple of weeks. EV charging is charged based on tariff we pay and will no longer be via POD point who charge a small fee.
Q: With regards to VR, what is classed as the outcome letter? Is this the original confirmation that the application was accepted and approved, or something else? Should all staff who will be released via VR have had further communication by now?
Response: If your application was initially approved, you are likely to be one of the 19 staff who have been impacted by the lack of external funding. Please drop me an individual email if you are unclear about your position - rachel.
Q: Staff are still having difficulties with car parking on LWH, typically no response from the car parking team - can this be looked into.
Response: We are developing a dedicated team to help with this as at present the general Office at AUH deal with these issues on all sites alongside everything else they do.
Q: More estates info please! Non-clinical staff are more bothered about our working environment as opposed to performance metrics (although they are still important)
Response: I think that’s a great idea, we included it because a lot of questions are around Estates and things that matter for you so that is what we’re trying to tailor these briefings for. We will carry on doing this and make sure it is balanced with the work around quality and safety as well as our performance metrics which are also absolutely important to us.