Heartbeat: Full steam ahead as new construction programme agreed for Midland Met
July 22, 2022
Our new hospital, the Midland Metropolitan University Hospital, will be handed over to the Trust before the end of 2023, meaning that we will open for patients in 2024 – as soon as possible following the equipping and fit out stage.
The news comes after a thorough review of the construction programme with Balfour Beatty, led by the national New Hospital Full steam ahead as new construction programme agreed for Midland Met.
Midland Met provides a unique opportunity to create a healthcare facility that will enhance the care we deliver for our local communities for generations to come.
It’s our chance to create a modern, purpose-built hospital for those with urgent, emergency and acute care needs, with specialist clinics, day-case surgery and planned diagnostics at the City, Sandwell and Rowley Regis Hospital sites.
Our move to Midland Met is a journey, and we are now at a point where we can collectively move forward with our plans to transform services across our estate at SWB and in our communities.
Richard Beeken, Chief Executive, said: “The main outside construction is now complete, and some benchmark rooms are in place so we can see what the clinical facilities will look like once open.
“It is more than a hospital. We are working on our care model to ensure we can deliver first-class care alongside enhanced community services.
“I would like you to be assured that we are now in a really good place with the revised programme and the partnership with Balfour Beatty.”
As our main centre for acute and emergency care, Midland Met includes a purpose-built emergency department with co-located imaging and diagnostic services, a dedicated children’s emergency department and assessment unit, plus adult and children’s wards.
Work has progressed across all nine floors, including the underground car parks. Our new hospital has approximately 700 beds, with over half of these in single-ensuite rooms. There are 11 emergency, trauma and elective inpatient operating theatres, maternity theatres and 15 birthing rooms for maternity services.
As well as being a centre of excellence for clinical care and research, our new hospital is designed around a new therapeutic model of care to encourage patients to maintain mobility and independence during a hospital stay.
Midland Met also houses public areas, including our winter garden and an 80m long art gallery that will be open to residents.
From 25 June – 3 September, Abundance – a natural, inclusive garden play space will be situated outside City Hospital, and colleagues are welcome to visit and take pleasure in the area.
This garden play space has been designed and built by Spectra and local community groups for everyone to access and enjoy as part of the Birmingham 2022 Festival.
Your Trust Charity is supporting this project and is one of many the Trust will champion to enrich our local communities.
More recently, some colleagues have visited Midland Met and have been inspired by what they have seen.
Mr Tariq Sami, Urology Consultant, remarked: “It really is an impressive place. I can’t wait to start working here. It’s been positive to see our dedicated urology area.”
Angie Smith, Matron for Surgery, added: “Our new hospital looks fantastic. I’ve looked at the wards, and they are amazing. SAU will be fantastic, and the area for same day emergency care is coming along great.”