Bosses dismiss Midland Metropolitan Hospital A&E closure claim

An investigation commissioned by campaign group 38 Degrees 'uncovered' plans being drawn up across England to meet cuts required to the NHS.

Among a 'glut' of hospital services which the group has warned could be shut down is the A&E department at the new multi-million pound super hospital.

But Toby Lewis, Chief Executive of the Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust, immediately moved to rubbish the reports.

He said: "The new Midland Metropolitan Hospital opens in less than 800 days. It is complete nonsense to suggest that the A&E department could close."

The new hospital build is progressing well. Midland Met becomes the single acute hospital for Sandwell and West Birmingham housing emergency services, maternity and acute inpatient care. Day case surgery and outpatient care remain at the Sandwell and City Hospital sites.

Due to open in October 2018, the super-hospital in Smethwick is being created to provide maternity, children's and inpatient adult services to an estimated half a million people. The hospital will have 670 beds and 15 operating theatres, as well as new diagnostic equipment. The Midland Met's A&E will replace emergency care facilities at City Hospital, while Sandwell's General Hospital's A&E will become an urgent care centre. The investigation by 38 Degrees uncovered 44 Sustainability and Transformation Plans (STPs) being drawn up across England to meet significant cuts.

38 Degrees said the analysis, carried out by health policy experts Incisive Health, "reveals far-reaching plans to close services, which appear to have had little input from patients and the public".

It added there are also proposals to close one of two district general hospitals "in the area" of the Midlands Metropolitan Hospital as part of a planned merger.

A spokeswoman for Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust said this could refer to the scaling back of Sandwell and City Hospitals, which has long been made public.