Heartbeat: Trust welcomes Guru Nanak Gurdwara
December 22, 2021
As 2021 draws to a close, we were pleased to welcome the management committee from Guru Nanak Gurdwara, a prominent Sikh Gurdwara based in Smethwick just a short distance away to see Midland Met.
The team led by our expert guides, Emma Loosley and Richard Molloy, with Rachel Barlow, Director of System Transformation, giving our guests an insight into our plans for the future of Midland Met.
Visiting the ward areas, the Winter Gardens and outside spaces, our guests were able to get a feel for the scale of the project and just what it will mean to our local communities. Speaking to Heartbeat, Jatinder Singh, President of Guru Nanak Gurdwara Smethwick, told us: “It was wonderful being able to visit the Midland Metropolitan University Hospital. Being in a deprived area, it will give Smethwick and its diverse communities a boost – something which has been needed for a while now. The hospital is not just an amazing building for the local area to be proud of – it has also prompted regeneration in the surrounding area and, it will continue to drive improvements for the people that live and work here.”
Jatinder added: “It was important for our management committee to visit and experience first-hand how the new hospital has the patient, family and community experience in mind. We have learnt how environmentally friendly and patient care focused the Midland Met will be.
“We believe Midland Met will be a high quality environment which will deliver a high-quality service. The project is a culmination of years of planning to create a state-of-the-art hospital that combines the most advanced technologies in a soothing and restful environment that promotes healing and enhances the patient experience. Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust are setting new standards in healthcare and are using the latest technologies to deliver a hospital that will allow staff to provide the highest level of care.”
Rachel Barlow, Director of System Transformation, remarked: “It was fantastic to welcome our local Gurdwara onsite to see the progress at Midland Met. This visit was important as the management committee represent members of our local community, some of the people we will serve when we open.
“It was interesting to hear the views of the management committee and exchange ideas as we made our way around the site. It was good to hear how aligned we are in our focus on community and patient care. Plus, we’re working closely across our partnership with Sandwell Council, Birmingham City Council, the Combined Authority and the Canal and River Trust to ensure Midland Met contributes directly to the wider regeneration in the region, something the Gurdwara were keen to hear updates about.
“Midland Met is more than a hospital. We have an 88ft gallery space and, we are investing heavily into arts and culture, developing our green spaces, launching a learning campus and are passionate about making a difference in our communities. Midland Met stands to make a significant impact on the social and economic growth of the area – that’s something we can all be proud of.”