We want our patients to know where we are

A CELEBRATION to mark the next phase in a Merseyside hospital’s history was held yesterday.

The former Cardiothoracic Centre, in Broadgreen, has changed its name to the Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital, and local legend Ken Dodd planted a tree in its grounds to commemorate the day.

A group of 60 long-serving staff members also gathered for a special silver anniversary lunch, as part of the hospital’s celebrations to mark the NHS’s 60th birthday.

The hospital will also host a festival on Saturday to give the public a chance to celebrate.

Ken, who has been treated at the hospital and lives near by, said: “I have watched this hospital grow from the tiny little Broadgreen sanitarium to what it is today.

“I am very proud to be here and celebrate with you all and to be your neighbour.”

Chief executive Raj Jain said: “We are making sure people can understand more easily what we provide and the city we are in.

“We are proud of where we come from and many of our patients come from farther afield, so they need to know where the hospital is.

“We are also making more of an international name for ourselves and we need people to know the hospital is here in Liverpool.” Carol Culshaw, who has been a nurse since 1963 and worked at the hospital for 34 years, was pleased to mark 60 years of the service: “Everything has changed since I started, they used to do one or two operations a day but they now do 10 or 11.

“I am very proud to work within the NHS but am retiring next year, it is such hard work.”

The festival on Saturday will provide free health checks, acupressure massage, salsa and tai chi classes, health information, children's entertainment and guided tours of an operating theatre.

lizawilliams