Fresh call for A&E services to return to hospital

The A&E department at Solihull closed 12 years ago

An MP has made a renewed call in Parliament for accident and emergency services to return to Solihull Hospital.

More than 3,000 people have signed a petition supporting the move at the site where the department closed 12 years ago.

Conservative MP for Meridan and Solihull East, Saqib Bhatti, said given the population growth and government-led proposals for new houses to be built, a plan was needed for A&E to be restored.

Health Minister Karin Smith said any decisions were a matter for the Birmingham and Solihull NHS Integrated Care Board, not the government. The BBC has contacted the board for a response.

Mr Bhatti, who addressed MPs on the matter on Monday evening, said he started the petition last May, garnering about 1,000 signatures in a week.

He then relaunched it two months ago with neighbouring MP Neil Shastri-Hurst, Conservative MP for Solihull West and Shirley.

'Simple ask'

While there had been investment in other services in Solihull, with a new urgent treatment centre, a community diagnostics centre in Chelmsley Wood, and new surgical units now running, Mr Bhatti said residents wanted A&E facilities.

"The ask is very simple," he said.

"If anyone has a serious injury or needs an A&E, at the moment they most likely end up going to Heartlands Hospital which is over 40 minutes away at least.

"My argument is very simple that we've got about nearly a quarter of a million people in the borough, the government is wanting us to have more housing, the population is going to grow significantly... and we need infrastructure to match.

"So it makes sense that we make the case now and we call on the government to put a plan together."

He said Heartlands Hospital was "incredibly busy" and recent newspaper articles stated its board was making the case for a new A&E unit there, but there were concerns the hospital was "disconnected, it's dark, conditions are not good for patients".

"Whether it's under Labour or Conservative [governments] this is about serving the needs of the local people," Mr Bhatti added.