PLANS TO build six new operating theatres at Solihull Hospital have been handed to the Council.
The Lode Lane hospital has asked for permission for a new building to extend the number of surgeries carried out on site.
Planning documents created by architectural practice Stride Treglown on behalf of University Hospital Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, which oversees the running of Solihull Hospital, say three of operating theatres will replace ones already on site and there will be three additional new theatres.
Half of the theatres will be equipped with laminar flow capabiities – which involves ultraclean ventilation – and the rest will be general theatres future-proofed for robotic capabilities.
According to documents the new three storey building is intended to treat approximately 11,642 patients per year, equating to up to 224 patients per week, or up to 32 per day.
The theatres would be located on the first floor with the ground floor being limited to staff and storage and the second floor would be the main plant area.
The report says the new building will be used by up to 85 net members of staff who will be new members of staff, as existing staff for the current temporary facilities are agency.
The building will be located on a car park and the report says there will be a loss of 41 standard car parking spaces and four accessible spaces will be located.
In a letter, which forms part of the planning application Pete Badger, associate town planner at Stride Treglown said: “The new building and the theatres within it are needed in order to extend the range of surgical interventions that can be performed at Solihull hospital and provide additional space to deal with a planned increase in elective surgery.”
This would be paid for by funds UHB Trust has applied for from a £43million package by NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care.
