An urgent treatment centre (UTC) currently located in Kingstanding is temporarily relocating to Erdington to maintain patient and staff safety.
Warren Farm Urgent Treatment Centre will relocate from 11 June 2024 to Erdington Health and Wellbeing Centre, and will operate under the new name of North Birmingham Urgent Treatment Centre.
The difficult decision comes in response to the use of materials in the construction of the current centre’s building which pose a risk to the integrity of the building.
The local NHS has worked together with NHS Property Services, which is the national organisation with responsibility for the maintenance and repair of Warren Farm, to commission independent structural engineers to inspect and monitor the deterioration of panels in the roof constructed with Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) on a weekly basis.
The priority of all those involved is the safety of patients attending the service and staff who work there, and due to the risks identified NHS Birmingham and Solihull has taken the decision to undertake the temporary emergency move. NHS Property Services will now undertake further work on the site to establish next steps.
Up until 10 June 2024, the UTC will continue to operate from Warren Farm and patients can access it in the usual way either by referral or NHS 111.
From 11 June 2024, North Birmingham UTC will be fully operational at Erdington Health and Wellbeing Centre and can be accessed the same ways – via referral or NHS 111.
North Birmingham UTC is accessible via public transport, with nearest bus stops situated on Wilton Road, less than a minute’s walk from the centre, while Erdington and Gravelly Hill train stations are also nearby and limited parking is available.
David Melbourne, Chief Executive of NHS Birmingham and Solihull, said: “Patient and staff safety are absolutely paramount in any service we offer to our local communities. The decision to move the Urgent Treatment Centre is not one which has been taken lightly, but I want to emphasise that this is a temporary relocation. We are in the very early stages of a review of the provision of all six UTCs operating across the city and borough, and will be seeking the views of our communities to ensure provision meets the needs of our patients and families.”
No decisions about the permanent location of Warren Farm Urgent Treatment Centre will be made without a full engagement process, which will provide the local community with opportunities to share their views and experiences.
Further information about the overall UTC review, which will include Warren Farm, will be shared over the coming months.