‘Transformative projects’ ongoing in Birmingham

At the heart of these initiatives is a focus on reducing anxiety, improving navigation, and fostering community engagement. The hospitals are working closely with patients, families, and advisory groups, to ensure that every improvement reflects their input and enhances their experience.

Sustainability is a key consideration throughout these projects. From using ground source heat pumps, to incorporating green spaces and recycling facilities, Birmingham Women’s and Children’s Hospitals is leading the way in creating environmentally friendly healthcare spaces. These developments represent a new chapter in patient care, where every visitor feels welcomed, supported, and empowered. With these projects underway, the hospitals are set to transform not only their physical spaces, but also the way that care is delivered, ensuring better outcomes and experiences for all.

• Transforming brain surgery:
intraoperative MRI comes to the Midlands

This is a ground-breaking project, currently underway at Birmingham Children’s Hospital, which is set to bring cutting-edge, charitably-funded, intraoperative MRI (iMRI) technology to our hospital for the very first time — a development that promises to transform brain tumour and epilepsy surgery for children, and provide life-changing reassurance for families. This state-of-the-art facility will revolutionise the way our neurosurgeons perform brain surgery, improving outcomes for young patients, and easing the emotional burden on their loved ones.

The introduction of iMRI will mean that surgeons 
can assess their progress during an operation in real 
time, ensuring that they remove as much of a brain 
tumour as possible in a single procedure. Traditionally, surgeons relied on preoperative scans during surgery, which can sometimes leave residual tumour tissue behind. With iMRI technology, they can conduct an MRI scan during the operation, reducing the likelihood of leaving any tumour remnants that may necessitate further surgeries. This advancement is expected to drastically reduce the need for multiple procedures, shorten operation times, and improve recovery outcomes for our brave young patients.

A ‘profound impact’ for families

For families, the impact will be profound. Brain surgery in children is an incredibly distressing experience, and the lingering fear that something might have been missed during surgery can weigh heavily on parents. The introduction of iMRI technology will help ease these fears by giving surgeons the tools to achieve more thorough tumour removal in a single procedure. This will offer families much-needed peace of mind during what is already a difficult and emotional journey.

The psychological benefits of this technology are 
just as significant as the clinical ones. Knowing that 
their child has had the best possible surgery, with 
minimal risk of recurrence, will alleviate a great deal 
of the anxiety and emotional toll faced by families. 
The iMRI facility represents a step forward not only 
in medical innovation at our hospital, but also in improving the overall wellbeing of children and their loved ones. Our hospital is the only major paediatric neurosurgical centre in the UK without iMRI technology. However, bringing this revolutionary technology to the Midlands’ leading children’s hospital hasn’t been 
without its challenges. The project has required 
extensive construction work to accommodate the new facility — and some of those obstacles have proven to be monumental.

Demolition of existing link bridge

One of the biggest hurdles faced by the project team was the demolition of the existing link bridge between the theatres and the Emergency Department (ED). This bridge provided a crucial route for safely transferring patients between critical areas of the hospital. However, the new iMRI building couldn’t be constructed with the original bridge in place, meaning it had to be removed. To prevent any disruption to patient care, the project team swiftly developed a solution: building a temporary link bridge between the Surgical Day Case Unit (SDC) and the Burns Unit. Additionally, a new corridor was created to maintain a secure passageway for staff to transport patients safely between key areas of the hospital. This quick thinking and adaptability ensured that essential services remained uninterrupted throughout the construction period.

Rebuilding the ambulance drop-off point

Another significant challenge was the need to rebuild the area where ambulances traditionally drop off patients. The planned location of the new iMRI facility was right in the middle of this vital access point. Relocating such a critical area without disrupting emergency services required careful planning and coordination. To solve this issue, the team constructed a new tunnel and a relocated drop-off point to ensure that ambulance services could continue to operate seamlessly. These measures helped to minimise any potential impact on patient care and maintain smooth hospital operations.

The logistics of delivering a project of this scale within a busy hospital environment have been immense. Managing noise, vibrations, and dust from construction work, while ensuring patient care areas remained unaffected, was a top priority. The project team worked closely with hospital staff to schedule disruptive construction activities during quieter times, and implemented strict measures to control dust and noise. This careful coordination allowed the hospital to continue providing high-quality care to patients while work on the iMRI facility progressed.

Despite these significant challenges, the dedication and resourcefulness of everyone involved have helped turn a complex vision into reality. This pioneering iMRI facility is now on track to transform brain surgery for children, and deliver better outcomes for families across the region.

A ‘symbol of hope’

The iMRI project is more than just a medical advancement — it is a symbol of hope for families facing some of the most difficult moments of their lives. It demonstrates how innovation, collaboration, and determination can overcome even the most complex challenges to deliver life-changing outcomes for patients. As the project nears completion, the sense of pride among those involved is palpable. In the summer of this year, Birmingham Children’s Hospital will have a facility that is not only pioneering in its technology, but also transformative in the way it changes lives.

With the introduction of iMRI technology, children and their families will be given the best possible chance for a brighter, healthier future. This project stands as a testament to the hospital’s mission to providing outstanding care, and will ensure that families across the region have access to the very best medical advancements available.

• Creating a welcoming and sustainable hospital entrance

For many families, the hospital’s main entrance is the first point of contact on what can often be a daunting journey. Unfortunately, the current entrance at our Children’s Hospital doesn’t reflect the world-class care that takes place beyond it. Nor does it provide an environment which helps to ease the fear and anxiety felt by many of our patients and their families. That’s why we are completing a transformative charity-led project to redesign our main entrance — creating a welcoming, calming, and inspiring space that meets the unique needs of our community.

Every year, over 100,000 patients and their families walk through our hospital’s front doors. Each of these visitors will benefit from the positive impact of the new entrance, which has been carefully designed with input from patients, families, and staff, to ensure that it truly meets their needs. The new entrance will be more than just a doorway into the hospital; it will be a space that sets the tone for the world-class care and experience they’ll receive inside, helping to reduce anxiety and make every visit as calm and stress-free as possible.

One of the key goals of the project is to create a space that helps ease the fears of young patients. Hospital visits can be overwhelming for children, but by designing a welcoming environment that feels safe and engaging, we can make a real difference. Studies show that when children feel less anxious, they are more likely to engage positively with their treatment. This, in turn, leads to better outcomes — including reduced missed appointments and smoother-running clinics. By creating a space that inspires families and helps alleviate their worries, we hope to make repeat visits calmer and more relaxed for everyone.

Natural lighting, spacious seating, and relaxation spaces

Our hospital’s interior redesign aims to create a welcoming, functional space based on the needs of patients, families, and staff. Key features include natural light, spacious seating areas, and non-clinical spaces for relaxation and transitions. The design will also provide play areas for children, green spaces to reduce anxiety, and clear wayfinding to improve navigation. Additional resources will offer health education and clinical trial information. By incorporating community input, the redesign focuses on reducing stress, enhancing wellbeing, and creating an inspiring environment that supports healing and learning.

The redesign of the entrance isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s about creating a hub for community engagement within the hospital. A key feature of the new space will be a dedicated sustainability trail, designed to educate children and families in a fun and interactive way. This trail will include a touchscreen display and a video wall showcasing the hospital’s efforts to promote sustainability. From explaining how our ground source heat pump works, to highlighting the importance of water refill stations, the trail will offer a child-friendly journey through our sustainability initiatives.

Our Youth Patient Advisory Group (YPAG) has been central to the design process, ensuring that the new entrance reflects the voices and needs of our young patients. YPAG members have provided valuable insights and ideas on how to make the space more welcoming and engaging for children and teenagers. Their input has shaped everything from the colour schemes to the interactive elements, ensuring that the entrance feels like a space created for them, by them.

Beyond its functional role as a point of entry, the new front entrance will also become a vibrant community space. It will be a place where families can come together to celebrate important events, such as Christmas, Eid, and other cultural milestones. The spacious atrium will be able to host travelling art exhibitions, bringing creativity and colour into the hospital environment. These exhibitions will not only brighten the space, but also offer moments of distraction and joy for families during what can be a challenging time.

A source of information

The entrance will also serve as a valuable resource for families. It will be a space where they can access information on clinical research trials, health education, and even cost-of-living support. By providing access to these resources in a central, welcoming location, we aim to support families beyond their immediate healthcare needs, helping them navigate some of the broader challenges they may face.

One of the most striking features of the new entrance will be its spacious glass atrium, which has been designed to uncover and highlight the original Victorian architecture of the building. This blend of modern and historic elements will create a visually stunning space that respects the hospital’s heritage, while embracing its future.

Sustainability is at the heart of the redesign. The entrance will be heated and cooled using a ground source heat pump, reducing the hospital’s reliance on traditional energy sources. Solar reflective glass will help regulate the temperature inside the atrium, ensuring that the space remains comfortable year-round. Wherever possible, materials used in the construction will be locally and sustainably sourced, reducing the environmental impact of the project. Additional sustainability features will include LED lighting, recycling stations, and water refill points, all designed to promote eco-friendly behaviours among staff, patients, and visitors.

These sustainable design elements are not only environmentally responsible, but also educational. By incorporating sustainability features into the design, we hope to inspire future generations to think about their own impact on the planet. The sustainability trail will help children understand these concepts in an engaging way, fostering a sense of environmental responsibility from a young age.

The new entrance is set to open by spring 2026, and will be a symbol of our commitment to innovation, sustainability, and community. It will not only improve the experience for patients and families, but also provide a space where connections can be made, celebrations can be shared, and knowledge can be gained. This project is about more than just bricks and mortar; it’s about creating an environment that supports healing, learning, and hope for everyone who walks through our doors.

n Transforming our hospitals through decarbonisation

Birmingham Women’s and Children’s Hospitals is taking bold steps to significantly reduce its carbon footprint through a series of energy-saving measures. These include installing ground source heat pumps, replacing old single-glazed windows, and re-rendering and insulating exterior walls.

Anyone who has been to either of our hospitals will have experienced the extreme temperatures — a consequence of the poor insulation and extreme temperature fluctuations at our 60-year-old Women’s Hospital, and the Grade II-listed Children’s Hospital, with its 125-year-old single-glazed windows, which are unable to provide adequate ventilation or suitable insulation. This project will enable us to make much-needed improvements, not only for our women, children, young people, and families, but also for the environment we all depend on.

Deep holes dug at both sites

To install the ground source heat pumps, six deep holes need to be drilled at both sites, reaching about 200 metres into the ground, and tapping into an underground aquifer. The temperature in the UK rises by about 3 °C for every 100 metres in depth due to the geothermal gradient. By using this natural heat source, the pumps will extract groundwater, which is then passed through a heat pump system. The difference in temperature, combined with refrigerant gas and a compressor, generates the heat needed to keep patients, visitors, and staff warm. After use, the water is returned to the aquifer, ensuring that the process remains sustainable.

Once the project is completed, the hospitals will have reduced their total carbon emissions by approximately 10,000 tonnes of CO2 equivalent annually. Currently, Birmingham Women’s and Children’s Hospitals are responsible for 73,480 tonnes of CO2 emissions each year — the equivalent of heating 27,348 homes for a year. While the Trust has already made significant progress in reducing its emissions — by 11% (around 2,800 tonnes annually), this project will accelerate its efforts to become more environmentally friendly.

Currently, day-to-day activities within the hospitals account for about 24% of their carbon emissions. This includes the fossil fuels used to heat buildings, the electricity to power and cool facilities, and refrigerant gases in chillers and air-conditioning units. Both hospitals rely on combined heat and power (CHP) units, which burn gas to produce electricity and heat. These units will reach the end of their lifespan in three years, and without intervention, they will continue to contribute to climate change and air pollution. The transition to ground source heat pumps will reduce the hospitals’ reliance on fossil fuels, helping to mitigate their environmental impact

A change of façade at Birmingham Women’s Hospital

Major improvement work has begun at our Women’s Hospital which will dramatically change the façade and improve the internal environment for patients, families, and staff. Enabling works are in progress which will see a completely new frontage to the building, with replacement of all windows to triple-glazed and new external cladding. This is set to reduce the energy costs by up to 80%, and make it much easier to manage the internal temperatures of the clinical facilities and offices, so that it is much more comfortable in very hot and cold weather. The new-look Women’s Hospital will be a modern, clinical facility which staff can be proud to work in, comparable to the neighbouring buildings.

The decarbonisation project aligns with the West Midlands Combined Authority’s commitment to achieving Net Zero carbon emissions by 2041. It also marks the first significant step towards the Trust’s Green Plan. The project is a critical step towards reducing the hospitals’ environmental impact by meeting NHS-mandated targets to cut carbon emissions. These targets aim to reduce Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions by 80% between 2028 and 2032, and achieve 100% carbon neutrality across Scopes 1, 2, and 3 by 2045.

To further support these sustainability goals, the hospitals are committed to educating young people about renewable energy and the importance of environmentally friendly solutions. A dedicated ground source heat pump educational video is available by scanning the QR code.

This video has been created to explain how this innovative technology works, and why it’s vital for reducing carbon emissions. The video, available on platforms like YouTube, helps inspire the next generation to understand and embrace sustainable practices, encouraging young people to play an active role in protecting the planet for the future.

Birmingham Women’s and Children’s Hospitals are not only improving the quality of care they provide, but are also leading the way in sustainability within the healthcare sector. The decarbonisation project is a critical step towards reducing the hospitals’ environmental impact, with the introduction of energy-efficient ground source heat pumps and other eco-friendly measures significantly reducing their carbon footprint. These efforts are not just beneficial for the environment, but will also improve the comfort and wellbeing of patients, staff, and visitors. By making these advancements, the hospitals are setting a strong example of how healthcare institutions can embrace innovation and sustainability while still providing world-class care. As these projects progress, they will contribute to the broader goal of achieving Net Zero emissions, ensuring a healthier future for both the community and the planet.

Managing operational challenges in healthcare construction projects

In healthcare construction, ensuring that projects are completed on time and within budget while minimising disruption to hospital operations is a delicate and complex task. As healthcare facilities expand or undergo renovations, the operational challenges extend far beyond the building site, affecting everything from patient care to staff workflow. Managing these challenges requires careful planning, clear communication, and a commitment to maintaining high standards of safety and care.

Noise impact is another significant challenge. Hospitals are places of healing, and noise can negatively affect both patient recovery and staff concentration. For critically ill patients, rest is essential, and excessive noise can delay recovery. Managing construction noise becomes a delicate balancing act. Additionally, dust suppression must be strictly controlled to ensure good air quality, especially in areas where vulnerable patients are being treated.

To mitigate these risks, agreed methodologies, 
such as those signed off by the Director of Infection Prevention and Control, must be followed. This includes strategies for maintaining a clean and safe environment that doesn’t compromise patient care. In addition, construction work often reduces available spaces, making it difficult for staff, visitors, and patients, to park. This can disrupt patient care and cause frustration, especially during peak hours.

Effective communication

Effective communication plays a central role in managing these complexities. Ensuring clear, consistent updates across all stakeholders, including contractors, hospital staff, and patients, is crucial to avoid last-minute issues that could disrupt operations.

Another challenge lies in managing multiple contractors simultaneously. Coordinating the efforts of various teams requires careful planning and project interfaces. Each work package should be tendered for the best value, ensuring that timelines are met and costs controlled, without sacrificing quality. Ultimately, successful healthcare construction relies on precise management and communication to ensure that patient care is never compromised

Healthcare construction projects require a 
multifaceted approach to successfully balance the 
needs of the construction process with the essential operations of a hospital. By addressing issues such as parking, noise, dust suppression, and contractor management, with effective planning and 
communication, hospitals can continue to provide high-quality care while navigating the complexities of construction. The key to overcoming these challenges lies in a collaborative effort, ensuring that all stakeholders work together to deliver the best outcomes for both patients and healthcare providers.

Conclusion

The transformative projects underway at Birmingham Women’s and Children’s Hospitals mark a pivotal 
step towards enhancing patient care, improving 
facilities, and creating more welcoming, sustainable environments. By prioritising patient and family input, the hospitals are ensuring that every change made is meaningful and impactful, reducing anxiety and improving navigation for all who visit. With a strong emphasis on sustainability, these projects demonstrate a commitment to both the health of individuals and the planet, setting a precedent for environmentally conscious healthcare spaces. As these initiatives progress, they promise to reshape not only the physical spaces, but also the overall experience of care, leading to better outcomes and stronger community engagement. These developments reflect the hospitals’ ongoing dedication to providing world-class care and support, ensuring that every visitor feels valued and empowered throughout their healthcare journey.