Capsticks is delighted to have supported Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust on the construction contract for the design and completion of Midland Metropolitan Hospital. The deal, that has been signed today, will bring together acute healthcare services to provide state-of-the-art facilities on a single site in Smethwick. Construction work at the partially-built site is expected to resume shortly with the aim for work to be completed in 2022. The new hospital will provide patients with a positive and supportive environment and will support the community to provide further beds for patient care. Whilst the Midland Metropolitan Hospital will replace the emergency and acute services at Sandwell and City Hospitals, these sites will continue to provide medical services to the community meaning a greater medical offering for all.

Throughout 2018-19, the Capsticks’ team, led by Partner Lee Clarke and supported by Katrina Day and Rachel Collins, advised on procurement strategy and implementation and helped to negotiate the NEC4 based contract. The Trust’s primary objective was always to ensure the delayed project moved forward quickly, safely and within the Trust’s financial envelope. Lee and the team helped to stabilise the project through the Carillion liquidation and to advise on the major competitive dialogue procurement process to select a suitable and robust replacement contractor in Balfour Beatty.

Lee said “We have assisted the Trust through the Carillion collapse in 2018, through termination of the 2015 PFI and from inception to close of the latest construction procurement to complete the Midland Metropolitan Hospital. The Trust team’s unwavering focus and determination has been to continue to deliver excellent patient care to the people of Birmingham in a brand new hospital as soon as possible. The contract signing today comes at the end of months of competitive dialogue negotiation and enables the Trust to progress this important healthcare development at pace. We are proud to be part of that delivery team.”

Richard Samuda, Chairman of Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust commented “The people of Sandwell and West Birmingham have been waiting for this hospital for too long, as have our staff who are doing an incredible job delivering health care services from some buildings that are no longer best suited for modern healthcare services. This news cannot come soon enough for those colleagues. Reaching this milestone is testament to the determination of Trust colleagues and leaders in partner organisations, who, with the support of cross party political leaders, have enabled us to agree this contract to complete the hospital.”