People across Birmingham and Solihull are being encouraged to share their views on plans to improve urgent care services, as the NHS launches a public consultation today (5 February).
The consultation, led by NHS Birmingham and Solihull, focuses on how people access care in neighbourhoods via Urgent Treatment Centres (UTCs) and GP out-of-hours services for urgent but non-life-threatening conditions such as sprains, suspected broken bones, rashes and infections.
Feedback from patients and the public has shown that when people need this type of urgent care, it can be confusing to know where to go or how to access the right service. As a result, some people attend hospital Accident and Emergency (A&E) departments when their condition could be treated elsewhere, adding pressure on services and increasing waiting times for those who need emergency care the most.
UTCs currently provide safe care across Birmingham and Solihull, but they do not meet national NHS standards and patient experience varies between sites. Differences in opening hours, staffing, access to tests such as X-rays, and whether people need appointments or can walk in can make services harder to understand and use.
Similarly, when GP practices are closed, most face-to-face out-of-hours appointments currently take place at a central hub in inner-city Birmingham, with limited appointments available elsewhere. This can mean longer journeys for some patients, particularly those who may find it difficult to travel or who need face-to-face support.
To address these challenges and reduce pressure on A&E departments, the NHS is investing in new Urgent Treatment Centres at Good Hope Hospital, Birmingham Heartlands Hospital, Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, and Midland Metropolitan University Hospital in Smethwick. Alongside this investment, the NHS is asking residents to help shape how urgent care services could work better in local neighbourhoods.
The consultation sets out two options for improving neighbourhood urgent care, including UTCs and GP services outside normal opening hours. Both options aim to make services more consistent, easier to understand and better aligned with local needs - improving services in different ways and in different areas.
Importantly, no decisions have been made. Public feedback will play a key role in shaping the future of urgent care services.
David Melbourne, Chief Executive of NHS Birmingham, the Black Country and Solihull, said: “As strategic commissioners, our role is to work with local people, partners and providers to plan services that meet the needs of our communities now and in the future.
“We know from what patients and carers have already told us that urgent care can feel confusing to navigate. This consultation is a vital opportunity for us to understand what matters most to people and the feedback we receive will help shape how urgent care services develop across Birmingham and Solihull.
“This work also supports the ambitions of the national NHS 10 Year Health Plan to improve access, reducing health inequalities and deliver more joined-up care closer to home. By working with patients, communities and partners, we want to design urgent care services that are clearer, more consistent and better aligned with people’s everyday lives.”
Jonathan Brotherton, Chief Executive of University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, said: “The NHS nationally is investing more than £30 million in new Urgent Treatment Centres at three of our hospital sites to help improve access to urgent care and reduce pressure on our emergency departments. Our A&E teams care for some of the sickest and most vulnerable patients, and it is essential they are able to focus on those who need emergency care the most.
“High-quality community urgent care and well-designed Urgent Treatment Centres play a vital role in the wider urgent care system. By improving these services, we can help patients get timely care for urgent conditions in the most appropriate setting, improve patient experience and support access for patients across the whole health system.”
Richard Kirby, Chief Executive of Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Community health services are central to how urgent care is delivered, particularly when it comes to supporting people in their local neighbourhoods and closer to home. The options set out in this consultation are designed to strengthen the role of neighbourhood-based services and ensure urgent care is better integrated with wider health and social care provision.
“By developing a more locality-focused model, we can improve coordination between community services, GP out-of-hours care and Urgent Treatment Centres, helping people access the right support in the right place. This approach supports the wider health and social care system by reducing unnecessary hospital attendance and enabling care to be delivered in ways that reflect the needs of local communities.”
Diane Wake, Group Chief Executive of Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust and The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We are committed to working together across organisations and communities to improve access to urgent care. Hearing directly from local people will help ensure future services are safe, high quality and more consistent across the area.”
The consultation runs from 5 February to 16 April 2026. Residents, patients, carers, NHS staff and community groups are invited to take part by completing a survey or attending a consultation event. The survey and information about consultation events can be found on the NHS consultation webpage at www.birminghamsolihull.icb.nhs.uk/utc-review.