Smethwick super hospital plans will be unveiled to public

Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust has lodged a business plan for the Midland Metropolitan Hospital with the Department of Health and HM Treasury.

The scheme is set for final approval by the end of June, which will pave the way for a planning application to be submitted to Sandwell Council.

Hospital bosses are now taking the proposals around the borough to give patients and residents the chance to view them and make any comments.

The trust's director of new hospital Development, Alan Kenny, said: "This is an exciting stage in the development of the Midland Met Hospital. New designs are bringing this state of the art healthcare facility to life. I would urge people to come along to the exhibitions or view the proposals on our website and see what the plans will provide for our community."

The public exhibitions are taking place on May 22 and 23 at City Hospital, on May 27 at Queen's Square, West Bromwich, on June 3 at the CAP Centre, Smethwick, on June 4 at Rowley Regis Hospital and on June 5 and 6 at Sandwell Hospital. Sessions will run from 9am until 5pm.

The 670-bed hospital is due to take up 16 acres on Grove Lane but a further 31 acres of land between Grove Lane, Cranford Street, Heath Street and Dugdale Street is to be transformed and filled with other employment opportunities and housing schemes.

The hospital will offer a high-tech critical care unit as well as dedicated neonatal, paediatric beds, coronary care, adult acute assessment units.

It will also provide 13 operating theatres, 12 maternity delivery suites and six birthing centres

There will also be MRI & CT scanners along with ultrasound facilities and outpatient clinics for maternity care and children.

Meanwhile the hospital trust is also working on plans to offer a wider range of clinics and facilities at Rowley Regis Hospital.

A consultation has already taken place to get the views of patients and other hospital users.

Ideas put forward so far include a pharmacy, midwifery services, such as antenatal and postnatal clinics, and respiratory therapy. Improved gym facilities and space for support groups to help patients and families have also been suggested.

Toby Lewis, chief executive of the Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust, said up to £3m has been spent redeveloping the hospital during the last two years and now the trust expects to invest a further £1m to £2m by 2016.