For over 40 years, the Royal Liverpool University Hospital stood as a landmark at the top of Prescot Street, playing a vital role in the city’s healthcare and skyline. Since opening in 1978, the hospital became an integral part of life in Liverpool — recognised for its bold architecture and the millions of patients it served across the region.
Now, with the new Royal Liverpool Hospital opening its doors in October 2022, the original building is being decommissioned and demolished — a complex process led by specialist contractors DSM and funded through the government’s New Hospital Programme.
Demolition of the 11-storey ward block is now complete, marking a major milestone in the project. DSM will remain on site until October 2025 to remove underground structures and prepare the land for future redevelopment.
As Liverpool bids a fond farewell to the old Royal, attention turns to what comes next for the site.
This summer, construction will begin on an extended podium and new two-way entrance connecting Mount Vernon Street and Daulby Street — infrastructure that will improve access to the hospital. BAM Construction is delivering the work, with completion expected in Autumn 2026.
Looking ahead, NHS University Hospitals of Liverpool (UHL) — which runs the Royal, Aintree University Hospital, Broadgreen Hospital, and Liverpool Women’s Hospital — is working with the New Hospital Programme and Liverpool City Council on a long-term strategic masterplan for the site. This plan will guide development over the next decade, ensuring the area continues to serve the health and well-being of the community.
Among the first proposed projects is a new Maggie’s Centre, which would provide free cancer support to patients and their families. Backed by the Steve Morgan Foundation, the centre is currently going through planning and, if approved, would open near Prescot Street in 2027.
The University of Liverpool is also working in partnership with UHL on early plans for Health Innovation Liverpool— a future life sciences campus that would include training for healthcare professionals, advanced medical research facilities, and space for businesses driving growth in the region’s life sciences sector.
James Sumner, Chief Executive of NHS University Hospitals of Liverpool Group, said:
“Demolishing the old site in such close proximity to the new Royal and neighbouring buildings has been a complex project and reaching this milestone is a significant achievement. The immediate work we have planned for the extended podium entrance will make a real improvement to how people access the site.
“Further redevelopment is subject to planning and funding, like any new building work, and we are working closely with partners to develop a masterplan that will have the health and wellbeing of our patients and local communities at its heart.”
Yvonne Smith: meet the woman who has worked in all three of Liverpool’s Royal hospitals
Ask almost anyone in Liverpool and they’ll likely have a personal connection to the Royal, whether through a loved one who received care there or someone who worked among the many dedicated teams.
The hospital was originally built to replace three healthcare facilities in the city: the Liverpool Royal Infirmary, the David Lewis Northern Hospital, and the Royal Southern Hospital. At the time, its modern design and state-of-the-art technology were considered revolutionary, signalling the start of modern-day patient care. Gone were the traditional Nightingale-style round wards, replaced with a layout designed for efficiency and expanding services.
As the city’s skyline changes, the spirit of care and commitment embodied in staff like Yvonne Smith, Unit Manager on the Gastroenterology Unit, is steadfast. Yvonne began her career in 1978 and will soon celebrate an incredible 50 years of service within the NHS. She is one of only a select few who has worked at all three of the Royal hospitals, an achievement not many can lay claim to.
Yvonne recalls:
“I trained at the old Royal Liverpool Infirmary. “There were about 70 of us in my set, and we lived on site. It was very different back then, right down to how we put on our uniforms. We wore a white cap, apron and a navy cape with red trim for errands during night shifts. It looked smart but wasn’t very practical!”
Yvonne has witnessed huge shifts in healthcare over the years, especially in technological advances.
She said:
“I remember the old round wards with fireplaces. They weren’t built for the volume of patients we see today. We were one of the first team to move into what was then the new Royal, the change in layout and structure was striking, it allowed us to care for many more patients in a much more efficient way.”
Over the years Yvonne has seen more than just buildings change, so too has the nursing profession itself.
“When I qualified, only doctors could prescribe antibiotics. Now we have Nurse Consultants, Specialists and Practitioners. It’s inspiring to see how nursing has evolved.”
Throughout her long and varied career Yvonne has worked in many different departments from the A&E to Dermatology, however her core belief has never changed, the basic principles of care.
“No matter what the advances in medicine or changes in buildings were, the foundations of good care remain the same. My core skills have enabled me to work on multiple wards and clinics in and around the hospital over the years. The nursing skills we were taught back then continue to be passed down and can be applied anywhere.”
Among her earliest memories are those watching the construction of the now old Royal.
She said:
“We’d sit on the rooftop of the old hospital and watch the new one being built. Sometimes, if it was warm, we’d even sleep up there.
“Leaving a building you know so well is hard, so many memories, friendships, hard times and truly wonderful times, but I’m excited for what’s next.”
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