New trauma centre on way at Sandwell hospital

The centre will concentrate the services solely in Sandwell under the plan – removing them from sister trust site City Hospital in Birmingham.

Health chiefs say the move is vital to help medics prepare to host services on one site when the new Midland Metropolitan Hospital opens.

The new £353 million hospital is to be built in Smethwick by 2018 with major hospital health care moving from Sandwell and City hospitals.

A 10-week consultation was launched earlier this year with patients and the general public over the plans to consolidate emergency surgery and trauma assessment in Sandwell. The scheme also proposes to locate urgent, interventional cardiology services to City Hospital.

Officials say more than six out of 10 people agreed that change was needed and single sites are supported by three quarters of those surveyed.

They agreed that there would be 'faster access to treatment' and believed this led to better outcomes for patients and more experts working together.

But people did highlight concerns around increased distances for visitors and carers and potential transport issues.

The findings were being reviewed today by the Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust board. Bosses say the changes will be brought in over the coming months if the scheme is approved.

Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust, chief executive, Toby Lewis said: "It was clear from the response of patients and staff that there is a good understanding of the need for change, but caution about whether we would see the benefit after so much upheaval.

"We will be very public after implementation this autumn about the results in order to build trust locally that, as with our major stroke changes in 2013, we can improve outcomes for the people we serve."

Outpatient cardiology services will continue to take place at both City Hospital and Sandwell sites.