Tag: North Birmingham Urgent Treatment Centre

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OPINION: Erdington Cllr Robert Alden, Leader of Birmingham Conservatives

Words by Erdington Ward Cllr Robert Alden – Leader of Birmingham Conservatives

(l-r) Cllr Gareth Moore and Cllr Robert Alden at community launch of Operation Fearless at St Barnabas Church / Pic supplied by Cllr Alden

Happy New Year.

Over the last few weeks Cllr Gareth Moore and I have been meeting with officers from the police and the Council in advance of the launch of Operation Fearless to try and ensure its impact is maximised locally, for the benefit of local residents and businesses.

We also recently spoke at the launch of Operation Fearless in the second week of January, where we talked about the need for an increased police presence and tough action to make our local streets safer, about the campaigns Gareth and I have been working on over the last few years for more Police on our streets, for the reopening of the front desk at Erdington Police Station, and more officers to be based there, and for the renewal, strengthening and increased enforcement of the Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) around Erdington High Street.

Over the coming months we’ll be continuing to push the police for results from Operation Fearless to ensure it’s making a difference.

The best chance we have locally of making a difference from these increased police resources is to ensure that everyone is reporting all possible crime and anti-social behaviour that they see locally.

Even if you only have partial descriptions, please do report that information to the police or Crimestoppers so that we can ensure that Erdington is a no-go area for criminals.

We’ve also met with the NHS about the future of the North Birmingham Urgent Treatment Centre.

For more from Erdington’s Councillor Robert Alden and Councillor Gareth Moore visit www.facebook.com/ErdingtonNews

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NEWS: Warren Farm Urgent Treatment Centre “temporarily relocating” to Erdington High Street

Words and pics by Ed King

Warren Farm Urgent Treatment Centre (UTC) will be “temporarily relocating” to Erdington High Street, healthcare bosses have announced.

From Tuesday 11 June, the Kingstanding facility, which supported local residents with immediate medical issues, will be “fully operational” from the Erdington Health and Wellbeing Hub – a few doors down from The Church Tavern and opposite Lloyds Bank in Erdington Town Centre.

After relocating to Erdington Town Centre, NHS bosses have also told the newly located facility will be renamed the North Birmingham UTC.

Warren Farm UTC is being closed after it was discovered panels in the roof had been constructed with Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC), posing a serious health risk to both staff and patients.

David Melbourne, Chief Executive of NHS Birmingham and Solihull, said: “The decision to move the Urgent Treatment Centre is not one which has been taken lightly, but I want to emphasise that this is a temporary relocation.”

He added: “We are in the very early stages of a review of the provision of all six UTCs operating across the city and borough, and will be seeking the views of our communities to ensure provision meets the needs of our patients and families.”

But in a strange twist of fate, the new home of the Warren Farm UTC is the old home of the Erdington UTC, which was shut down in 2020 and relocated Stockland Green despite widespread protest from local residents and elected officials – including Erdingotn’s previous MP Jack Dromey, who passed away in January 2022.

And whilst residents in Erdington Town Centre may be pleased to see the return of an Urgent Treatment Centre back on the High Street, people living in Kingstanding are still unsure what immediate medical facilities, if any, they will have in their area.

This has led to protests and petitions by both Kingstanding residents and politicians, akin to those that followed the decision to close Erdington’s UTC.

However, a spokesperson for the NHS added: “No decisions about the permanent location of Warren Farm Urgent Treatment Centre will be made without a full engagement process, which will provide the local community with opportunities to share their views and experiences.”

Recently elected Kingstanding Councillor Clifton Welch (Conservative) further told Erdington Local: “I have been clear that Warren Farm Urgent Care Centre must be retained long term.

“The current building has structural issues which need to be repaired, but I have already met with the local NHS with Cllr Robert Alden (Erdington, Conservative) to consider possible ways to save the services locally.”

He added: “I understand there will be a consultation later in the year and I will be doing all I can to ensure that in North Birmingham we retain the Urgent Care Centre in Kingstanding and the Walk in Centre in Erdington.”