Exciting plans approved to improve services and increase capacity across the Trust/our hospitals
In order to address increasing demand against stretched capacity, the Trust has been making significant strides with developments including the opening of the new Heartlands Treatment Centre, as well as new modular (prefabricated) wards at Good Hope, Heartlands and Solihull Hospitals.
Solihull Minor Injuries Unit to re-open in June 2023
The Minor Injuries Unit (MIU) service at Solihull Hospital was temporarily paused in May 2020, initially to offset the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and then to help create a COVID-secure dedicated elective surgery site. This has enabled us to offer patients their elective surgical procedures, as well as outpatients and diagnostic services throughout the pandemic.
Following agreement from the Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee at Birmingham City and Solihull Metropolitan Borough councils, we are now in a position to proceed with plans to re-open a refurbished MIU at Solihull Hospital. This will bring back the much-needed service for Solihull residents.
The service will be able to treat a range of common issues such as cuts and wounds, minor burns, scalds and head injuries, as well as injuries to the back, shoulder and chest. Point of care blood testing and plain film x-ray will also be available.
The proposed opening date for the MIU is June 2023. We will share further information nearer to the time.
Six new theatres for Solihull Hospital elective hub
We have secured initial agreement to expand theatre capacity at Solihull Hospital, and have therefore submitted a planning application to build a new elective surgery hub. The hub will encompass six theatres (replacing three modular/prefabricated theatres and creating three new), as well as support services.
Hospital-wide, taking into account other existing theatres across the site, this would result in a total of 13 high-quality theatres.
The theatres will cover a broad range of low- and high-complexity cancer and non-cancer surgery. This will be a cutting-edge development aligned with current national policy. There is an indicative opening date of December 2023, subject to approvals, engagement, and building supplies and costs.
Re-configuration of services across hospital sites
We have been through a thorough internal and local authority engagement process to understand how we can more effectively configure how services are delivered across our hospitals.
This has resulted in a proposed model for elective care based around more effective use of resources. The proposal will see a small number of procedures move from one hospital site to another, with outpatient appointments remaining at a patient’s local hospital.
The proposal will see an estimated additional 15,000 treatments each year.
Public engagement drop-in sessions
Thank you to everyone who attended the public engagement sessions we held during November and December 2022. These sessions have now concluded, but you can find information from the sessions below.
Further information
Information from the presentation shown at the engagement sessions is available for reference.
Please email us if you have any comments or questions.
Last reviewed: 03 January 2023
