£1 billion Midland Metropolitan Hospital to open – 6 years late with less beds

The long-delayed Midland Metropolitan University Hospital (MMUH) in Smethwick, West Birmingham, is now planned to open on October 6, six years later than planned, and with substantial question marks over the viability of the new hospital once the current A&E departments close permanently. 

The hospital, along with the Royal Liverpool Hospital – both signed off under the Cameron government to be funded through the Private Finance Initiative (PFI) – was among the most prominent immediate casualties of the collapse of construction and services giant Carillion in January 2018. 

Work on both hospitals was halted in what was supposed to be the final stages of completion, but when the NHS eventually stepped in with public money to rescue the botched projects both required massive remedial work to correct construction failures. 

The MMUH was originally costed at £340m and due to be completed by 2018. The PFI project was only made to appear to be value for money because of the assumption that the private sector would take over responsibility for any “risk” in the project –   and that this “transfer of risk” was valued at £105m (FBC p142). 

Full story on The Lowdown, 2 October 2024