Opening of £988m ‘super hospital’ delayed again

The opening of the Midlands Metropolitan University Hospital has been delayed again, until next autumn.

The facility was scheduled to open in the spring, already six years behind schedule, with work on the Smethwick site being hampered by the collapse of construction firm Carillion in 2018 and the Covid-19 pandemic.

Plans for The City Hospital west site in Winson Green to be converted into 750 homes were revealed in February, as many of the services it offers are set to be transferred to the new Midland Metropolitan University Hospital, leaving a large portion of the site surplus to the NHS’ needs.

In 2020, Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust said it expected the hospital to open in 2022, although building costs were set to almost double from the original £350m.

It is understood that around £709m of the estimated £998m cost will be met by the taxpayer.

When completed, the new hospital will have more than 700 beds, 11 operating theatres, an emergency unit and maternity services.

Plans form part of the government’s hospital building programme and is among 48 facilities aiming to be ready across England by 2030.