Birmingham Super Hospital

The Birmingham Super Hospital is a hospital under construction in Birmingham, England. It is slated to replace Selly Oak Hospital and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital on its completion in 2010. The scheme is part of a £1 billion urban regeneration plan for Bournbrook and Selly Oak which includes the construction of a £350 million retail development and the construction of new roads. Plans for the super hospital were unveiled in 1998 [" [http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk/birminghampost/news/tm_method=full%26objectid=16644724%26siteid=50002-name_page.html Long, winding road to new city superhospital] " - Birmingham Post, January 30 2006 (Accessed October 6 2007)] and was approved by Birmingham City Council in October 2004 [" [http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk/post/news/tm_method=full%26objectid=14786196%26siteid=50002-name_page.html Bullring-sized hospital gets go ahead] " - icBirmingham, October 22 2004 (Accessed October 6, 2007)] after the design was unveiled earlier that year. [" [http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100localnews/tm_method=full%26objectid=13844061%26siteid=50002-name_page.html Unveiled: Brum's new superhospital] " - icBirmingham, January 22 2004 (Accessed October 6, 2007)]

It is part of the University Hospital Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust and part of a PFI with Consort Healthcare Ltd. There were problems with the scheme when plans for Consort to sign the deal fell through in March 2005. A deal was signed in early 2006. [" [http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk/birminghampost/news/tm_method=full%26objectid=16644389%26siteid=50002-name_page.html PFI fears could scupper hospital] " - Birmingham Post, January 30 2006 (Accessed October 6, 2007)]

It was designed by BDP Architects and construction commenced in 2006. Five Liebherr 280 EC tower cranes are being used during construction by Balfour Beatty Civil & Construction Plant Services (BBCCPS). Three of the cranes are amongst the tallest free standing structures in the UK. One of the cranes is at its maximum free standing height, convert|90.2|m|ft|1|abbr=on under the hook and can lift 12t at convert|27.9|m|ft|1|abbr=on or 4.9t at convert|60|m|ft|0|1|abbr=on. The other two cranes stand at convert|79.5|m|ft|1|abbr=on. [cite web |url=http://www.cranestodaymagazine.com/story.asp?sectioncode=135&storycode=2042026 |title=Balfour Beatty buys Liebherrs |publisher=Cranes Today |date=2007-02-09 |accessdate=2008-04-26]

The first part to be completed was the £12 million multi-storey car park. A further £30 million was spent on preparing the site for construction. As part of the complex are three 63 metre tall towers, each 14 storeys tall. [ [http://www.skyscrapernews.com/buildings.php?id=5221 Skyscrapernews: Birmingham Super Hospital Tower 1]
[http://www.skyscrapernews.com/buildings.php?id=5222 Skyscrapernews: Birmingham Super Hospital Tower 2]
[http://www.skyscrapernews.com/buildings.php?id=5223 Skyscrapernews: Birmingham Super Hospital Tower 3] ] These will contain the inpatient wards. [ [http://www.skyscrapernews.com/picturedisplay.php?ref=5221&idi=Birmingham+Super+Hospital+Tower+1&self=nse&selfidi=5221BirminghamSuperHospitalTower1_pic1.jpg&no=1 Skyscrapernews: Hospital site] ] A skybridge will lead from one of the towers to the retained estate which contains the departments of Oncology, the pharmacy and the Wellcome Research Centre. [ [http://www.skyscrapernews.com/picturedisplay.php?ref=5221&idi=Birmingham+Super+Hospital+Tower+1&self=nse&selfidi=5221BirminghamSuperHospitalTower1_pic2.jpg&no=2 Skyscrapernews: Annotated image] ] As well as providing patient care, there will be an education centre and retail outlets. The main atrium will have a glass roof. [ [http://www.skyscrapernews.com/picturedisplay.php?ref=5221&idi=Birmingham+Super+Hospital+Tower+1&self=nse&selfidi=5221BirminghamSuperHospitalTower1_pic3.jpg&no=3 Skyscrapernews: Main entrance image] ]

Upon completion in summer 2010, it is expected to have cost £559 million and be the first hospital to be built in the city for over 70 years. The hospital will provide 1,105 beds. Initially, there was going to be 1,213 beds, however, the trust reduced the number of beds by 108 although said that there will still be room for the extra 108 beds if they received extra funding. 94 beds will be taken from the inpatient wards and 13 from the day care surgery wards. [" [http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk/mail/news/tm_headline=Beds%20axed%20%2D%20before%20hospital%20is%20built%21&method=full&objectid=19901677&siteid=50002-name_page.html Beds axed - before hospital is built!] " - Birmingham Mail, October 5 2007 (Accessed October 6, 2007)]

References

External links

* [http://www2.uhb.nhs.uk/New%20Super%20Hospital/Super%20Hospital%20homepage.aspx Super Hospital's page on the trust's website]