The NHS in Birmingham and Solihull has been engaging with communities to hear their views on how it might improve the way it delivers care through Urgent Treatment Centres (UTCs) across the city and borough.
There are currently six UTCs – five in Birmingham and one in Solihull - providing urgent medical help when it is not a life-threatening emergency.
Open at least 12 hours a day, every day, UTCs offer appointments that can be accessed via NHS 111 and deal with common injuries and illnesses that many people inappropriately attend hospital Accident & Emergency departments for.
The NHS in Birmingham and Solihull is currently carrying out a review of UTCs, aimed at strengthening urgent and emergency care for citizens, reducing pressure on hospitals and supporting the Government’s vision to provide more services closer to people’s homes within the community.
Staff spent time in Erdington’s High Street surveying members of the public to gauge their thoughts on potential improvements.
Meanwhile, the NHS co-hosted with Community And Voluntary Action Solihull a focus group with citizens and representatives from the voluntary and community sector to seek their views on future ways of delivering UTC services.
Dr Barbara King, Senior Responsible Officer for the review and Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care System’s Medical Director and Urgent and Emergency Care Lead, said: “We are deeply committed to understanding, listening to, and working with our people and communities to shape our services to ensure they receive the care and experiences of health services that they need and deserve.
“We’re grateful for the time that patients, the public, staff and wider stakeholders have afforded us in these early stages of our review, which will be instrumental in shaping our thinking as we move forwards.”
Later this year, the public will have the opportunity to participate in a consultation on the options being considered to improve UTC provision.
Details will be added to our Consultations, surveys and events page and communicated to the public.