Plans have been formally approved for an £8.5m redevelopment of Sutton Cottage Hospital as an integrated hub for healthcare services for older people.

Due to open to the public in September 2025, the new facility will deliver:

• Extensive redevelopment of the 125-year-old Sutton Cottage Hospital site as a ‘one stop’ healthcare hub for over-65s in north Birmingham
• Integrated healthcare delivered holistically between secondary, community and primary care (eg. respiratory, diabetes, podiatry, dietetics, chronic kidney disease, frailty, musculoskeletal services)
• Community diagnostics to support integrated care and alternative pathways to acute hospitals (eg. X-ray, ECG, ultrasound, spirometry, echocardiography, phlebotomy)
• Relocation of a GP practice
• Additional clinic and treatment rooms to support surge capacity and other ‘seasonal’ demands eg. winter pressures response and vaccinations
• Inclusion of voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise sector activity through personalised, non-clinical sessions

The Sutton Cottage hub is part of extensive collaboration between health and social care providers to provide more-joined-up services.

A key benefit of the initiative is that patients should be able to see more than one specialist in a single visit, delivering a more-personalised diagnostic experience and a more-holistic preventative approach thanks to signposting to community advice and support.

The development will also deliver increased capacity, improving access to care and reducing pressure on acute care services and demand for GP appointments as a gateway to primary care.

Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust chief executive, Richard Kirby, said: “I am delighted that our proposals for the redevelopment of Sutton Cottage Hospital as an integrated hub for all older adults have now been approved for investment by Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board.

“There are multiple benefits – patients will access more-joined-up care and receive more-personalised and holistic support. The model will also help our ongoing focus to reduce acute admissions and help people stay out of hospital.”

Following formal approval of the capital expenditure, onsite work is due to start in September with the aim of completion during the summer of 2025 ahead of opening to the public in September next year.