Heartbeat: Much in store for you at Midland Met

December 3, 2021

Midland Metropolitan University Hospital (MMUH) stands proudly between Sandwell and West Birmingham. Our highly anticipated hospital will offer emergency department, maternity, children’s and adult acute inpatient services to over half a million people.

When it opens in Smethwick, it will signify a change in how we deliver care. It will serve acutely unwell patients that need a hospital stay; or whose care is an emergency. But what will it mean for colleagues that will call Midland Met home? This month we bring you an overview of some of the facilities you can expect to find if you are relocating to work at Midland Met.

For those moving from City Hospital, there is a mile between sites and it’s just over four miles from Sandwell. Colleagues will have access to public transport routes which are under review with the local transport authorities. Plus, the site will be accessible by bike. All bikes can be securely left within our bike store within the car park and is close to the lifts for easy access into the hospital.

The hospital design has greater security, i.e. a reduced number of entrances, CCTV coverage and staff only entrances. There is also a dedicated staff car park entrance under the building and the car park will include electric vehicle charging points. Colleagues will also be able to make their way into the hospital by using the lifts in the car park.

Jayne Dunn, Director of Commissioning & Equipping, remarked: “The improved working environment includes 23 seminar rooms, of which 18 are bookable, including eight rooms set up for MDT purposes.

“There are several multi desk agile admin areas. Home zones will be identified for teams predominately working in MMUH and, there will be some general bookable desks on levels four and five. Each of the agile admin areas will have quiet rooms and, most also have small meeting rooms. Within wards and departments, there will be at least one office and several staff bases. Colleagues will be able to work in the Winter Garden using Wi-Fi, so there’s choice and flexibility in how people can work onsite.

“It’s worth adding that the main admin base for most teams will be in the Sandwell Treatment Centre with the current ward areas on the fourth and fifth floors being converted into multi desk agile admin areas (once MMUH opens), with each clinical group being allocated one of these areas. Each area will have several quiet rooms and small meeting rooms. Trinity House at Sandwell will remain the main admin base for corporate teams. We are also looking at options to create some additional multi desk agile admin areas in our retained estate at City Hospital.”

Speaking of how colleagues can socialise at MMUH, Jayne said: “The non-clinical environment on level five has space to work and get together. The Winter Garden space will be a relaxing area for everyone to use and enjoy – a real community space.

“We will have a restaurant within the Winter Garden on level five, a coffee shop, retail outlets and our spiritual care centre. It will be a great area to sit with a coffee, catch up with colleagues, have small informal meetings or enjoy our 88ft gallery space.

“On a practical level, colleagues will have access to male and female changing facilities and restrooms, with shared facilities for several wards/departments located on each level. Colleague rest areas will have seating and facilities to make hot drinks, a microwave and a fridge. There are some exceptions to this, i.e. in operating theatres, the intensive care unit and ED – where for clinical reasons some of the facilities will be located within the department. Changing rooms will have showers, changing cubicles, toilets and lockers and will be available on each level.”

Rachel Barlow, Director of System Transformation, added: “Midland Met will be a vibrant hospital campus that I am confident colleagues will enjoy. We will also have a brand new learning campus that we have secured £13 million in funding to develop alongside MMUH. It will bring new learning opportunities with The Learning Works and help to train up the next generation of healthcare professionals and allied health professionals.

“It is a significant project that will add value to our wider communities and help them achieve access to education and development that may otherwise have been out of reach for them.”