On Saturday over 400 people attended a fantastic open day at Ormskirk hospital. Visitors looked around x-ray, maternity, theatres, children’s and orthopaedics in F ward.

West Lancashire Deputy Mayor Councillor Terry Aldridge and Rosie Cooper MP for West Lancashire visited and chatted to the crowds.

A ‘menopause pop up’ before the main open day was attended by nearly 100 women, all keen to speak to consultant Dr Paula Briggs, Southport and Ormskirk hospitals’ menopause expert.

Blood bike volunteers, local fire and police officers came along to talk about how the services work together.

Children got the chance to try out basic life-saving skills and key-hole surgery. X-ray had a long queue of injured toys needing their injuries checking out, before being taken to children’s outpatients for a plaster cast and health check.

Deputy chief executive Therese Patten explains: “What a fantastic day! The sun shone, the crowds had a great time and I was incredibly proud of all our hard working staff, of all who did an amazing job at showing off our hospital and the excellent services we offer.

“We had a recruitment event running alongside the open day, and we managed to hire five registered nurses, which is great as we are still pushing to hire over 100 extra nurses as soon as we can.

“Huge thanks to all that came along and all who worked to make it happen, can’t wait to do it all again at Southport next year!”

Commented Ms. Cooper: “The open day was a great success with the Trust continuing to improve its service and engagement with the community it serves.

“I was also asked to take part in this formal opening and rededication of the baby garden at the Ormskirk Hospital site.

“I am aware from my time as a hospital chair at the Women’s in Liverpool just how upsetting and life changing the loss of a baby through miscarriage, neonatal or postnatal can be.

"Support for grieving families at this time is essential and providing places of reflection and remembrance such as this garden are just some of the ways I know Southport and Ormskirk Hospital are giving that support.”