THE FIGHT to reinstall the Accident and Emergency Department at Solihull Hospital has been resurrected.
Meriden MP, Saqib Bhatti, has launched a petition and written a letter to the secretary of state for Health and Social Care Victoria Atkins calling for the department, which closed over a decade ago, to be reopened.
Sihillians in need of medical treatment to help with broken bones, sprains, cuts, stomach pains and rashes minor burns can book and appointment at the Urgent Treatment Centre (UTC) at the Lode Lane Hospital.
But anything more serious residents are re-directed to Heartlands Hospital in Bordesley Green.
In his letter to Ms Atkins Mr Bhatti said: “The journey from Solihull to Bordesley Green can take over an hour, making travel to an A&E department increasingly difficult for residents who do not have access to a car or those with mobility requirements.
“As you can imagine this causes great anxiety to my constituents.
“With a population of over 216,000, there is no reason for residents in the Solihull borough to be sent to other areas to access A&E services. With new housing planned for the borough this will become even more necessary as our population increases.
“Over 40 per cent of residents are over 50 years old and with an ageing population, we must ensure more convenient access to healthcare. “
In his letter the Conservative MP called for a meeting with Ms Atkins and called for the Department for Health and Social Care to carry out an assessment in conjunction with the NHS Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board to consider how best to deliver A&E health services to the Solihull borough.
Mr Bhatti said: “Our community deserves the best healthcare facilities available and restoring an A&E department to the Solihull borough is paramount to developing our access to emergency medical services.”
Emergency medical treatment has just been reinstated in Solihull town centre after the Minor Injuries Unit (MIU) was closed during the pandemic to allow elective surgery to continue.
Last summer, University Hospital Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust – which oversees the running of the hospital – opened the current UTC in place of the MIU.
Historically Solihull did have an A&E department but in 2013 hospital bosses admitted there had not been a full and proper A&E at Solihull for many years – with A&E services dwindling bit by bit over two decades.
In 2015 Solihull Council installed red and white ‘H’ signs to replace road signs with A&E on them across the borough regarding the Lode Lane site.
The closure came while Solihull Hospital was under the management of the Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust (HEFT).
For more or to sign the petition click here.
