‘Exciting’ plans revealed for former Royal Liverpool University Hospital

New proposals could see the former Royal Liverpool University Hospital transformed into a campus to help train the next generation of health professionals in areas such as robotic technology and artificial intelligence.

The old 1970s building on Prescot Street - labelled one of the city’s worst eyesores by LiverpoolWorld readers - has been vacant since the opening of its brand-new replacement in October last year, which sits adjacent. The demolition of the old 640-bed hospital began earlier this year and should be complete by 2026.

Now, senior leaders from the University of Liverpool and Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (LUHFT) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to advance plans for an Academic Health Sciences Campus on the site.

The project aims to benefit patients, students and the people of the region, while supporting the continued growth of Liverpool’s Knowledge Quarter.

The new facility would house the university’s medical, dental, nursing and allied health professional students. It would also include mock wards and patient homes, supported by state-of-the-art IT to train students to be part of a workforce that will increasingly use robotics, artificial intelligence and data.

James Sumner, Chief Executive of Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “The agreement between LUHFT and the University of Liverpool is an incredibly exciting opportunity for the city of Liverpool.

“A new clinical skills and health education facility would significantly improve and modernise the quality of health education for the next generation of health care workers across multiple professions, including medicine, dentistry, nursing and the allied health professions.

“It offers opportunities for collaboration and partnership in clinical research and innovation for the benefit of the NHS across the region, which is essential for improving the care and treatment we deliver whilst also helping to tackle challenges, such as the health inequalities within the Liverpool City Region.

“It would also be an important investment in the redevelopment of a key city centre location, sitting alongside two of the newest hospitals in the country and in the heart of the Knowledge Quarter, all of which serves to benefit the people of Liverpool and beyond. We are committed to working with University of Liverpool to help support making this new facility a reality in the coming years.”