The Business of Healthcare: Edgbaston Medical Quarter set for launch

A SUBURB of Birmingham is to be re-branded as the Edgbaston Medical Quarter for marketing, networking and inward investment purposes.

Edgbaston already plays home to numerous medical technology, bio-technology and healthcare businesses and the plan – formulated by industry body Medilink WM and Calthorpe Estates, the developer and property and land owner based in the area – is to make the most of a naturally occurring ‘cluster’ to attract similar businesses in.

The plan is to launch the Edgbaston Medical Quarter next month. Medilink and Calthorpe have been liaising with clinicians, academics, companies and stakeholders in the area and have had a warn response to the idea.

The new brand – which will have its own website and membership service – will be unveiled at a launch dinner. Invitations to the launch will be sent to all potential members and those members will be able to market their skills or services on the website.

But there is also an inward investment element to the plan. Life sciences is one of the sectors Birmingham is promoting and it is generally thought that potential inward investors are likely to be more interested in setting up base in an area that has a distinct identity linked to that sector.

There are already estimated to be 180 medical organisations, 80 hospitals and specialist care clinics – including the QE ‘super hospital’ – and 44 GP clinics in Edgbaston. There are also 23 training facilities.

In addition, the former BBC studios at Pebble Mill are to be regenerated as a dental hospital and school of dentistry while the Institute of Translational Medicine is being developed at the University of Birmingham. 

Speaking about the Edgbaston Medical Quarter plan, Medilink WM manager Sue Wilde-Greer said: “We’ve got 1,700 businesses here in medtech and biotech. A disproportionate number of them are in Edgbaston. We want to make sure that network is exploited.

“There is a real drive from the city’s perspective to portray us as a destination. From an internal market perspective it would be good if we could raise the profile further.”

This story is part of a 20 page supplement on the Midlands healthcare sector, produced in association with DLA Piper and Catalyst Corporate Finance. To read more click here