THE man who led the development of new £40 million mental health hospital Atherleigh Park has received national recognition.

Project manager Paul Jackson picked up the Design Champion gong at the Design in Mental Health Awards.

He said: “I am honoured to have won this award and hope it helps give exposure to a fantastic new mental health facility in Leigh."

The North West Boroughs Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust hospital on Atherleigh Way opened in March and Paul championed its design from the outset, continually focusing on service users’ needs to improve the level of patient care and wellbeing offered in the borough.

He added: “It was a privilege to be part of such a dedicated project team involving so many staff and service users.

"Their contribution has ensured a modern, therapeutic design which helps towards improved outcomes for patients.

"The feedback from staff and patients at Atherleigh Park has been really positive since they moved in, which makes the hard work over the past three years really worthwhile.”

Held at the National Motorcycle Museum in Birmingham, the awards aim to recognise NHS and private healthcare professionals, contractors, architects and clinicians for their innovation in creating therapeutic environments in mental health facilities.

Simon Barber, chief executive at the NHS trust, said: “Without Paul we wouldn’t have the modern, superbly equipped and brilliant facility at Atherleigh Park.

“Paul’s contribution to this project cannot be underestimated. From liaising with the community to put their minds at ease about a mental health hospital being built on their doorstep to canvassing the views of staff on the design of the new site and liaising with the construction company and its supply chain to ensure the facility was built to agreed cost and design, he has been outstanding.

“I am very proud of what Paul has achieved.

"This award is well deserved and Atherleigh Park will be a lasting legacy.”

Atherleigh Park was shortlisted for the Project of the Year award.

The NHS trust was shortlisted for the Service User Engagement gong for the positive way it worked with service users in the development of Atherleigh Park and the Collaborative Estates and Facilities Team award for the way its estates and facilities team works with operational services to enhance patient environments.