Agenda item

To consider and note the progress of the development of Midland Metropolitan University Hospital.

The Board received an overview of progress that had been made with the build and delivery progression of the Midland Metropolitan University Hospital (MMUH).

The hospital was currently the biggest capital development in the English health service.  Upon completion, the hospital would include an emergency department, a dedicated children’s emergency department and a midwife led birth unit.  Under the acute care model for the hospital, consultants would be on site seven days a week and state of the art equipment would enhance diagnostics to support the provision of same day emergency care, preventing unnecessary admissions, ensuring that the length of stay was no longer than medically required and that patients were discharged to the most appropriate place and readmission was prevented.

Members watched a video providing an overview of the site, and highlighting that it was #MoreThanAHospital and would provide places for the wider public and local community to use, such as a community garden, a café/restaurant and a Winter Garden on the fifth floor of the building, which would also house an art gallery.

The design of the hospital centred on patient wellbeing with all rooms having an external view onto one of the courtyards or surrounding areas of the hospital.  50% of the beds were in single ensuite rooms, which would enhance infection control. Colour coded wards, with the same layout throughout the hospital, would also provide a dementia friendly environment.

Most outpatient care, day-case surgery and routine diagnostics would remain at the Sandwell (Hallam Street) and City Hospital sites. This included:-

·      A 24/7 urgent treatment centre at Sandwell Hospital.

·      Birmingham Treatment Centre and Birmingham and Midland Eye Centre (BMEC) at City Hospital.

·      Provision for step down / rehab facilities.

Significant changes continued to take place in community and primary care services so that even more care could be provided in people’s own homes.  It was anticipated that the occupation of beds would reduce from the current 97% to 85-90%, which would allow for better management in peak periods.  Members noted the crucial work also being undertaken across 12 service areas to transform services to support the acute care model.  Excellent multi-agency relationships in Sandwell supported this programme of transformation. 

The Benefits Case predicted that the hospital building would have a useable efficient lifespan of 58years and would bring benefits to patients equating to around £796m; benefits to employees equating to around £982m and to the wider population equating to around £241m.

In terms of employment, 484 new staff were required to make the business case work, with a target of 35% being from the local population. A Leaning Campus on the site would host 1280 learners a year, with a focus on addressing skills shortages and providing pathways into long term employment. A partnership between the hospital, Sandwell College and Aston and Wolverhampton universities had been established to support recruitment efforts.

Work had been undertaken to incorporate the hospital into the local transport network, 1,600 car parking spaces and an onsite bus stop had been incorporated within the site proposals.  The transport plan was being finalised and would be publicly available from January 2024.

Community engagement activities with local groups had taken place to boost awareness of how healthcare provision would be changing in the Borough.  A ‘Midland Met Mobile’ van would be used for ‘roadshow’ type events at libraries, shopping centres, and the heart of the community, sparking conversations about the hospital and the transformations to healthcare. 

The projected opening date for the hospital was Autumn 2024, following a six- month process of testing and a familiarisation process for staff members. 

From the comments and questions by members of the Board, the following responses were made, and issues highlighted:-

·      The Trust would be engaging with the Council to determine an approach that would ensure that employment opportunities were available for care leavers, and other young people.

·      Public consultation on the closure of the A&E department at Sandwell Hospital had taken place in 2016.

·      An Urgent Treatment Centre would remain at Sandwell Hospital for mild to moderate conditions.

·      There would also be an Urgent Treatment Centre at MMUH, to cater for the West Birmingham population, which anticipated demand of around 300 patients a day.

·      The Trust’s Estates Strategy would be published in late 2023 and would set out its community focus and the commitment to the development of integrated teams across Sandwell’s six towns. 

·      Conversations were also taking place with the Council to identify a space for a Care Navigation Centre, which would house around 160 staff.

·      Births would once again be registered in the borough of Sandwell once the MMUH had opened.

·      Vacancies still remained for non-clinical staff and private sector competition with salaries made recruitment challenging.  Work was ongoing with partner organisations to address this.

·      A series of New Neighbours consultation events would be taking place in early 2024, which would include discussions around transport plans.