£65 million investment planned for NHS collaboration.
Today and HCA Healthcare UK announced plans to build a £65 million 138 bed specialist hospital facility offering both NHS and private care on the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham campus.
The specialist hospital facility, planned for 2020, will treat patients over the age of 18 and will increase capacity for NHS patients providing 72 new beds, a new radiotherapy unit and access to new state-of-the-art operating theatres. Plans for the 14,000 square metre hospital will also include 66 private beds, owned and run by HCA Healthcare UK who will deliver high quality private care across a range of specialities on site.
The hospital will be equipped with the latest technology to provide some of the most complex surgical and medical procedures in cancer, cardiology, neurology, hepatobiliary, urology, orthopaedics and stem cell transplantation. This will give patients access to a level of acute private healthcare not currently available to the 500,000 people in the region who have private health insurance or who want to self-pay for their care.
HCA Healthcare UK and University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust are working with Prime, a specialist health property company, to develop plans for the hospital and will be holding sessions with the local community to involve them and update them on the progress of the project. More information on how to get involved will be announced over the coming months.
Dr Dave Rosser, Executive Medical Director, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust said: “The new specialist hospital will provide 72 extra beds for NHS patients that the NHS is not currently able to fund. The Trust has no physical capacity in our existing hospitals to provide extra beds so this additional provision – on site – will be a huge support in managing our ever-increasing patient numbers.
“We know there are also patients who wish to have their complex procedure/condition treated in the private sector. Currently, they have to travel for this specialist provision or have their treatment in NHS facilities in the region. We therefore welcome HCA Healthcare UK’s support in providing that choice for patients here in Birmingham as well as freeing up the NHS capacity currently used to treat these patients who would chose a private facility if there was one available. As a result of this group of patients being treated privately, more patients will be able to receive their complex treatment on the NHS within the Trust.
“The development will also provide UHB with an additional revenue stream to reinvest into NHS patient care.”
Mike Neeb, CEO of HCA Healthcare UK added: “We are extremely proud to be working with University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, with its internationally renowned reputation as a centre of medical excellence and innovation.
“This new hospital will build on this reputation offering a state-of-the-art new facility and expanding access to complex high quality private healthcare in the West Midlands.”
Claire Smith, CEO of HCA UK Joint Ventures said: “We are committed to working with leading NHS Trusts to provide high quality healthcare. We have partnered with the NHS for over 10 years now and continue to focus on providing wider patient choice, particularly for acute private care.
“Birmingham is already a hub for quality healthcare in the UK and University Hospitals Birmingham are a significant driving force behind this. This exciting partnership will increase capacity and resources for University Hospitals Birmingham whilst enabling us to bring acute complex private healthcare to the region, generate local economic growth and create new job opportunities.”
