Legendary boxer Ricky Hatton officially opens North View inpatient mental health hospital
Boxing legend Ricky Hatton MBE today (21 March 2025) led a knockout celebration for the official opening of a new state-of-the-art inpatient mental health hospital for Manchester.
Greater Manchester-born Ricky, a former world boxing champion, unveiled the commemorative plaque and praised the importance of the award-winning North View in providing quality care and a safe space for service users to heal and recover.
Ricky said: “I am delighted and honoured to be at North View for this opening. It has been well-documented what mental health means to me over the years and to be able to give a little bit back.
“The main thing about mental health is people don’t speak about it and even if you do, it must be very daunting to go to hospital, but this doesn’t seem like a hospital, it’s more like a five star hotel. It’s fantastic. You’ve got a gym in there. Lovely bright colours, gardens where you can sit outside. If you’ve got a problem with mental health, this is the type of place you want to be to recover. It’s fantastic for the city of Manchester to have this on their doorstep. Hopefully more cities up and down the country will have facilities like this soon too.”
Developed and run by Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (GMMH), North View – which is in Crumpsall on the North Manchester General Hospital site – offers state-of-the-art treatment environments, therapeutic support, and round-the-clock care in a purpose-built facility designed to promote dignity, privacy and well-being.
The hospital features modern patient accommodation, communal therapy spaces, and landscaped gardens to support holistic recovery. It is a purpose-built unit offering state-of-the-art facilities, where round-the-clock care and treatment can be provided in a therapeutic environment, designed to promote dignity, privacy and wellbeing.
GMMH Chair, Tony Warne, said: “This is a very proud moment as we welcome Ricky Hatton to officially open our award-winning North View in-patient mental health hospital – a facility that represents hope and healing for mental health here in Greater Manchester.
“North View is an important investment in Manchester’s mental health services.
“Our ethos is community first which means treating people in their communities wherever possible. But to do that, we also need the very best inpatient facilities for those who need them.
“With the opening of North View, and its modern, state of the art facilities and accommodation we are affirming our commitment to those experiencing mental health challenges – and who need in-patient support – that they will receive the best possible care and respect they deserve.”
North View patients and staff, were joined by GMMH’s Chief Executive Karen Howell, GMMH Chair, Tony Warne, the Leader of Manchester City Council Councillor Bev Craig, Manchester City Council CEO Tom Stannard, partners, contractors, local dignitaries, GMMH’s services users and carers as well as members of the community as Ricky performed the honours.
One former patient and Peer Mentor at Park House, the building North View has replaced, Nicola, said: “It has been an honour to be involved with the building of North View since the beginning and seeing issues addressed in how it has been designed and developed.
“I have first-hand experience, while being acutely unwell, of the many challenges and barriers patients faced in Park House - which was completely unfit for purpose, particularly the lack of privacy and dignity. I also faced extra challenges during my stay at Park House as I was in a wheelchair and the building was extremely inaccessible.”
“The positive impact of having a new purpose-built facility which gives all patients their own rooms, therapeutic spaces, and a safe welcoming environment that promotes privacy and dignity for people at their most vulnerable, will be far reaching - not just for patients but for their families, carers and staff.”
The new in-patient unit provides:
- 150 single en-suite bedrooms to be provided over nine single sex wards, including a purpose-built Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit, six adult acute wards for female and male adults, one rehabilitation ward, one older adults’ ward, and a treatment suite that supports research and innovation studies.
- An assessment suite (specifically for people needing a place of safety and assessment under Section 136 of the Mental Health Act).
- A variety of internal activity areas and multiple outside garden spaces, specifically designed to enhance the environment and aid recovery.
It also provides assessment and treatment for adults and older people with mental health needs such as depression, schizophrenia, psychosis and dementia. North View replaces Park House on the North Manchester General Hospital site, which is currently being demolished.
North View has been co-developed with service users, carers and staff at its core. It was fully constructed without any impact on current patients or disruption to the day-to-day running of services. It has been specifically designed to minimise its environmental impact, through renewable energy sources, innovative technology and sustainable materials to optimise energy efficiency. It includes the following to support the delivery of a ‘Net Zero’ NHS:
- All Electric – The development is the first mental health facility in the country to operate completely on electricity.
- Technology - Solar photovoltaics (PV) panels are incorporated across the building to capture the sun’s energy and convert it into usable electricity. Energy use is monitored and controlled by using intelligent building-management systems.
- Lighting - LED lighting, which is today’s most energy efficient lighting technology, is fitted throughout as standard.
- Hot Water - Hot water is produced through a combination of solar thermal technology and air source heat pumps (which source heat from other areas) to supply efficient, temperature-controlled hot water throughout.
- Heating - Heating is produced from air source heat pumps, which supply underfloor heating and radiant panels throughout the building.
- Ventilation & Cooling – Ventilation is provided through a combination of natural ventilation wherever possible, and chilled water from reverse cycle air source heat pumps, which will be sent to air conditioning systems to maintain a comfortable temperature. This has been developed through virtual modelling to maximise the efficiency.
- Insulation - The building is well insulated, using sustainable materials to prevent heat loss and reduce energy use.
GMMH became responsible for the delivery of services at Park House, based in Crumpsall, in 2017 and immediately prioritised the need for new facilities to improve the therapeutic environment needed for patients.
Patients at Park House were accommodated across male and female wards, in mainly dormitory-style hospital accommodation, and with little outdoor space.
GMMH invested over £3 million in refurbishments and enhancements to improve facilities and the environment at Park House since 2017. Ongoing improvement work continued until North View was complete and in use in November 2024.
North View, which started in August 2022 and was built on time and in budget, is part of an exciting vision for North Manchester General Hospital to improve health and wellbeing for local people over the next 10 to 15 years.
