Midland hospital plan could be hit by credit crunch
“It’s important to get the balance right of how much we invest in new buildings and staff. There will be £190 million spent over ten years on building the infrastructure but spending patterns can change quite rapidly so we build in such a way that we can tail off or step it up at any time. Our top priorities are a ‘must do’ and those things will progress quite rapidly.”
The ten-year plan was revealed last year, aimed to improve all wards across the three hospitals and included building a new A&E at Heartlands Hospital in the long term. But the proposals also meant 300 of the existing 1,700 beds being lost by 2018 through the scheme.
Phase One of the plan, which is still on course, is to increase Good Hope capacity with two new wards along with refurbishing staff residencies, remodelling A&E and improving surgical theatres at the site, plus building a new outpatients department at Heartlands Hospital, in Bordesley Green.
Phase Two aims to create a new main entrance and training facilities at Good Hope while also improving wards further, building new mental health areas at Solihull and planning improved A&E and medical admissions departments at Heartlands.
Phase Three intends to make more ward improvements at all three hospitals and build a new, modern A&E at Heartlands.
Long-term plans also suggested creating a new main entrance at Solihull Hospital by 2011, plus a revamped outpatients department with dermatology and rehuematology units plus a refurbished physiotherapy and day hospital.
