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Planning permission granted for new Urgent Treatment Centre at Good Hope Hospital

Published on 11/08/2026

An artist's impression from Lumion
An artist's impression from Lumion

Good Hope Hospital has been given the go ahead from Birmingham City Council to begin construction of a state-of-the-art building which will house a new Urgent Treatment Centre (UTC).  

The UTC will be co-located with the hospital's Emergency Department (ED), bringing urgent and emergency care services together under one roof for the first time. This integrated approach will streamline patient pathways, improve the quality, safety and timeliness of care while reducing delays. The development represents a significant milestone in the transformation of urgent and emergency care services, creating a modern, purpose-built ‘front door’ for the hospital where patients can be assessed and directed to the most appropriate service for their needs. 

Enabling works ready for the build to begin have already started and include the creation of new ambulance bays outside of the Ward Block One building and installation of a temporary pedestrian walkway. The new building is expected to open to patients in spring 2027 bringing the following key improvements: 

  • A dedicated patient triage area positioned in front of the ED. 
  • A fit‑for‑purpose waiting area with improved facilities. 
  • A single level layout improving accessibility for all patients. 
  • An increased number of individual triage spaces improving patient privacy and dignity. 
  • Additional clinical consultation rooms, helping to reduce waiting times across the department. 

National NHS Policy is increasingly focused on co-locating UTCs and EDs in hospitals. UTCs provide care for a wide range of minor illnesses and injuries, including sprains, suspected broken bones, cuts and bruises, stomach pain, skin infections, high temperatures, and some mental health concerns.  Most UTCs are accessed via NHS 111, which can book patients into an appointment slot where appropriate. EDs are reserved for providing immediate care in urgent situations as they are equipped to handle serious injuries and life-threatening emergencies. 

Simon Jarvis, Good Hope Hospital Executive Director, said: “We were awarded £8.568 million in capital funding from NHS England at the end of 2025, so we are delighted to get the go ahead from Birmingham City Council to begin the work. 

“The UTC investment forms a key part of our hospital strategy plans for the next five years. The new building will provide space to bring urgent treatment for minor injuries and illness together with more specialist emergency care, helping ensure patients are seen by the right clinician, in the right place, at the right time.” 

Good Hope Hospital’s ED will remain open throughout the UTC construction. A temporary traffic management system and clear pedestrian signage are in progress, with timelines and further project updates to be shared on the hospital Trust’s website.

Alongside the construction of a UTC, the hospital is also developing early-stage plans for a multi-storey car park on-site. 

Separately, NHS Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board is reviewing community-based UTCs and GP out-of-hours services across Birmingham and Solihull. Although the new UTC at Good Hope Hospital has been considered as part of this review, it falls outside its scope because it has been funded nationally by NHS England. The findings of the review are expected to be shared later this year. 

You can keep up-to-date with the project here.

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