‘Massively flawed’ - Councillor condemns Birmingham NHS plan to move urgent treatment centre due to RAAC

A vital healthcare facility in Birmingham is set to be relocated due to safety fears amid deteriorating RAAC roof panels.

NHS bosses have declared that the Warren Farm Urgent Treatment Centre in Kingstanding is currently “substandard” with photos inside the facility showing the roof being propped up and supported by steel beams.

A two-way proposal has now been put forward to relocate the Warren Farm treatment centre two miles away to Stockland Green Primary Care Centre off Reservoir Road in Erdington. The service at Stockland Green would also need to be relocated with NHS chiefs putting forward Bourne Road in Aston as its new destination 2.3 miles away.

The proposal has been slammed by Erdington councillor Gareth Moore, who said: “This is massively flawed in so many ways. As ward councillor for Erdington, I have not been consulted on the relocation of our walk-in centre and there’s been no discussion about that whatsoever. I know there’s issues at Warren Farm but you cannot move the Erdington one to make way for that. Erdington’s walk-in centre is over-capacity already.

“We have two walk-in centres in north Birmingham, Warren Farm and Erdington; one over-capacity and one under-capacity. There is no conversation or information about how that capacity will be met because clearly everyone will want to go to the same walk-in centre at the Stockland Green site – so if it’s already over capacity now, how’s that going to meet the increased capacity?

“It’s just going to put pressure on Good Hope Hospital which is my concern and there’s been no discussion with residents at all which is particularly concerning.”

Coun Moore also lamented the NHS’ decision not to consider the former walk-in service on Erdington High Street which “was well-liked and well-used”. He added: “I don’t know why we can’t move the Erdington [walk-in centre] back to the High Street where it was originally and operated successfully, and then move Warren Farm to Stockland Green if that’s the option and we don’t have another site available. That will solve the problem.”

Oscott councillor Barbara Dring, meanwhile, believes it’s imperative the Warren Farm health centre is reinstated. “Walk-in centres play a vital role in preventing hospital admissions and, in extreme cases, even death and services such as Warren Farm need to be easily accessible to the communities they profess to serve,” she said.

“The location also plays a pivotal role in catering for the most vulnerable and disabled in the community who it appears are not always considered when making these decisions. This is why I strongly object to the closure of the Warren Farm Road urgent care centre, which has long been a community lifeline for so many.”

Warren Farm is currently one of six urgent care centres located in Birmingham and Solihull. A 12-week public consultation will now take place involving the closure of Warren Farm and its relocation to the Stockland Green Primary Care Centre near Slade Road, with that service in turn moving to a new facility on Bourne Road in nearby Aston.

An NHS statement put to Birmingham City Council reads: “It is recommended that the option of moving [Warren Farm] into Stockland Green would have the most positive impact in wider service provision balanced against the most minimal change required to ensure patient and staff safety.”

Birmingham City Council’s health, adult and social care committee will now consider four options in relation to Warren Farm: do nothing and leave the service as it is; repair the roof; close the service or relocate the service.

Those willing to put their views across can do via email to NHS Birmingham and Solihill via [email protected]. Residents are also encouraged to email their concerns to their local councillors: Gareth Moore (Erdington), Robert Alden (Erdington), Rick Payne (Kingstanding), Des Hughes (Kingstanding), Barbara Dring (Oscott) and Darius Sandhu (Oscott).