Yahoo News 'Don't walk away from Erdington' call as health unit faces second move amid safety fears
Erdington councillors have called for the second emergency move of a Birmingham health facility due to safety concerns to be halted. Warren Farm Urgent Treatment Centre (UTC), previously in Kingstanding, was initially moved following the discovery of RAAC, the lightweight concrete which is susceptible to deterioration over time.
The service was moved to Erdington Health and Wellbeing Centre (EHWBC) as an “emergency and temporary” measure and renamed North Birmingham UTC. But a recent report said there were “growing concerns” about safety and the environment surrounding the centre.
“While the temporary emergency relocation process has been successfully implemented, there are emerging concerns regarding an increase in anti-social behaviour, violence and other serious criminal activity in the vicinity of the UTC,” it said. “Consequently, due to the extent and seriousness of the incidents in the vicinity of EHWBC [...]. remaining on site brings potential risk of having to close the site without notice if future incidents present imminent danger to patients and staff of this service.”
It continued that the safety concerns emphasised the “urgent need” to consider a relocation. One document listed several reported incidents in Erdington, including:
Threats of violence to patients and staff members of the UTC.
Reports of anti-social behaviour and activity close to the facility, such as drug dealing and prostitution.
Reports of gang-related conflict in the vicinity of the UTC.
Members of the public reportedly smoking illegal substances outside.
There are now plans for another “emergency temporary relocation” of the UTC, this time from its current location to Good Hope Hospital in Sutton Coldfield. However, Erdington councillors have urged the chief executive of NHS Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board, David Melbourne, to rethink the move.
Coun Robert Alden, leader of the Conservatives at the council, said: “It is concerning to hear that the NHS are suffering from anti-social behaviour at the site - however the solution is not to walk away from Erdington. We have been pushing the police and city council to take robust action tackling crime and anti-social behaviour locally in Erdington and on the high street and this is further proof of why the Public Space Protection Order needs to be renewed.
“We are calling for any plans to move to be halted so that we can get the NHS and the police together in a room so they can produce a solution that ensures local residents don't lose their vital services". In a letter to Mr Melbourne, Coun Gareth Moore added: “We are asking for an urgent meeting between yourselves, Erdington Police and ourselves to discuss the issues you are having and to investigate ways of improving the safety on the High Street for users, staff and residents.”
However, a document from the NHS Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board said relocation would be the most “straightforward solution” as long as it can be shown the impact on residents can be minimised while improving overall provision within the area. It said Good Hope Hospital is around a 12-minute drive from the UTC’s current location in light traffic and around 22 minutes via a short walk and the 110 bus route.
The document continued that the second emergency move would mean “no on-going risk to patient and staff safety” as well as newer facilities than the current site. It added: “It is recommended the option of moving into Good Hope Hospital would be the most positive impact in wider service provision balanced against the most minimal available change required to ensure patient and staff safety.”
It went on to say that the option of doing nothing and leaving the service in Erdington was “not in the best interests of patients and staff attending or working at site due to the safety concerns”. “Remaining on site brings potential risk of having to close the site without notice if future incidents present imminent danger to patients and staff of this service,” it said.
"This would lead to a loss of provision which would take time to readdress". According to the document, this option would also have a longer-term negative financial impact due to extra security measures that would be required.
The closure of the service was also not recommended, with the document saying: “The loss of an Urgent Treatment Centre within our system [...] would impact on other supporting services". An update, published in September, added a review of UTCs across Birmingham and Solihull was being carried out, including options for the permanent location of North Birmingham UTC.
The second temporary move is set to be discussed at a Health, Adult and Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee on Wednesday, December 4.
