FAQs: Emergency temporary relocation of Warren Farm Urgent Treatment Centre

Urgent treatment centres (UTCs) provide medical help when it's not a life-threatening emergency. They can diagnose and deal with many of the common problems people go to A&E for.  You can find out more about when to visit UTCs or other urgent care services on the NHS website.

NHS Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board (BSol ICB) is responsible for commissioning health and care services across the city and wider healthcare system, including urgent treatment centres (UTCs).

NHS Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board (BSol ICB) commissions an urgent treatment centre (UTC) to operate from Warren Farm Health Centre (WFHC) in Kingstanding, Birmingham.  BSol ICB does not own WFHC, and is a tenant of the building. WFHC is part of the wider NHS estate and NHS Property Services is the national organisation which has sole responsibility for WFHC, including its lease, maintenance and repair.

NHS Property Services has advised BSol ICB that there is extensive use of Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) in the construction of the roof of WFHC.  Since the identification of RAAC at WFHC, NHS Property Services has commissioned independent structural engineers to regularly inspect and monitor the deterioration of the panels in the roof constructed with RAAC and has also put in place remedial measures to ensure the building has been safe to occupy in the interim.

BSol ICB’s priority is always its patients and staff.  Due to RAAC and the risk it poses to the integrity of the building, BSol ICB has made the very difficult decision to end its tenancy at WFHC and to carry out an emergency temporary relocation of the UTC.

From 11 June 2024, Waren Farm UTC will operate under the new name of North Birmingham Urgent Treatment Centre which will operate at Erdington Health and Wellbeing Centre (EHWBC) in the High Street, Erdington, Birmingham. 

BSol ICB always strives to ensure services are located in communities as close as possible to citizen’s homes, and the difficult decision to temporarily relocate the UTC to Erdington as an emergency process has not been one undertaken lightly. 

At the forefront of the decision-making has been ensuring the NHS is acting with the urgency required to continue to protect the safety of patients and staff.

Due to RAAC, all other services previously run from WFHC by various organisations within the NHS have been permanently relocated, and the UTC is the only remaining service to operate at WFHC.  When the UTC relocates to Erdington on a temporary basis, no other services will operate from WFHC.

Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) is a lightweight, ‘bubbly’ form of concrete commonly used in construction between the 1950s and mid-1990s. It is predominantly found as precast panels in roofs, commonly found in flat roofs, and occasionally in floors and walls.  It means it may be found in public buildings that were either built or modified in this time period.

Following an alert issued by The Standing Committee on Structural Safety in 2019, NHS  England put in place a now well-established programme to identify Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) and to support service providers to put appropriate mitigations in place.

From 11 June 2024, Waren Farm Urgent Treatment Centre (UTC) will operate under the new name of North Birmingham Urgent Treatment Centre which will operate at Erdington Health and Wellbeing Centre (EHWBC) in the High Street, Erdington, Birmingham. 

Up until, and including, 10 June 2024, Warren Farm Urgent Treatment Centre will continue to operate from Warren Farm Health Centre (WFHC) and patients can access it in the usual way either by referral by NHS 111 or by patients using it as a walk-in facility without the need for prior appointment.

From 11 June 2024, the newly-named North Birmingham Urgent Treatment Centre (UTC) will be fully operational at Erdington Health and Wellbeing Centre (EHWBC) ​​​​​​, and patients can access this service in the usual ways - either by referral by NHS 111 or by patients using it as a walk-in facility without the need for prior appointment.

North Birmingham UTC is accessible via public transport, with the nearest bus stops being located on Wilton Road and are just a one-minute walk away. Erdington and Gravelly Hill train stations are also within walking distance.  There is also limited parking available.

This is a temporary relocation as part of an emergency process.

NHS Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board (BSol ICB) is in the very early stages of a strategic review of the provision of all six urgent treatment centres (UTCs) operating across the city and borough.  This review is unrelated to Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC), and is being carried out following the publication by NHS England of updated guidance on ensuring patients have the right access to the right services at the right time.

In coming months, the public and wider stakeholders will have an opportunity to get involved in the process of developing options for the permanent location of Warren Farm UTC. No decisions about the location will be made without full engagement, and where appropriate, consultation.

You can contact NHS Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board by emailing communications.bsolicb@nhs.net