Birmingham's City Hospital closes after over 135 years

The final patients were transferred from the historic site on Dudley Road as the A & E Department closed at 5am on Sunday, November 10.

The remaining 320 patients were transferred to the new Midland Metropolitan Hospital, which has been built to replace the services once offered by City Hospital and neighbouring Sandwell Hospital.

The final patient to be moved from City Hospital was Dr Pankaj Kumar, who has been an A & E doctor at Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust for 18 years.

Dr Kumar was being treated for pneumonia and staff lined the corridors and clapped as he was transferred into an ambulance.

Dr Kumar was given an emotional send off as he was transferred to the Midland Metropolitan Hospital (Image: Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust) He said: “It was really a heartfelt moment when I was moved as the last patient.

“Everyone was standing there, clapping. It was really touching, and then when I got to the Midland Met they were there waiting for me to do the same again.”

The new £1 billion “super hospital” in Smethwick opened on October 6, six years later than originally planned.

Speaking as the move was completed, Sir David Nicholson, Chairman for the Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust, said: “Today we have completed our final patient moves from City Hospital and the Midland Metropolitan University Hospital is now a fully operational acute hospital.

“In our three moves, we have safely transferred more than 300 patients, from three-hour old babies to a 97-year-old.

“All three moves have been very successful and completed ahead of schedule each time.

“That is a testament to the meticulous planning that has gone into it and we are incredibly proud of all staff involved.

“This achievement is a significant milestone not only for the organisation, but also for the communities we serve, and it is all thanks to the dedication, hard work, and unwavering commitment from our staff that we have made Midland Met a reality.”

The former hospital will now be known as the City Health Campus (Image: Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust) Richard Beeken, Chief Executive at the trust, added: “This was a monumental task – 10 years in the making.

“But, over the last six weeks, we have seen incredible collaboration of countless individuals from across all departments, from hospital clinicians to our community teams, admin teams, IT, estates and facilities, cleaning, communications, catering – the list is endless.

“Their professionalism, resilience, and passion for delivering the very best patient care through our new facilities and new care models, has been second to none.”

The former hospital, which opened in 1897, will now be known as City Health Campus and will continue to operate services offered by The Birmingham and Midland Eye Centre and the Birmingham Treatment Service.

People whose nearest A & E would have previously been at City Hospital will now have to go to Midland Metropolitan Hospital for life-threatening conditions and emergency care.