Birmingham Children’s Hospital has launched a public appeal to raise £1 million to help transform its emergency department, which is struggling with space and capacity constraints.
The department is the only major trauma centre for children and young people in the Midlands, but the Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust says overcrowding is creating barriers to timely care.
Originally designed to care for up to 40,000 patients a year, staff are now treating over 67,000 children annually, 67% more than the department was built to handle.
Families have highlighted a lack of privacy and cramped spaces in areas such as the waiting room and resuscitation area.
The hospital has already secured NHS and trust funding and developed a multi-phase plan to modernise the department.
To date, donations include a £100,000 grant from the Morrisons Foundation, £400,000 from the charity’s Changemakers network, and £500,000 from corporate partners, leaving £1m million still to be raised from the public.
What will the new emergency department include?
The transformation plan will be delivered in multiple phases so that life-saving services remain uninterrupted.
Planned improvements include:
- A larger, child-friendly waiting room with artwork on walls and ceilings
- A sensory room providing a calm space for neurodiverse children
- A new resuscitation area
- A Changing Places accessible toilet
- Baby changing and feeding facilities
- A dedicated mental health space and a family room for confidential consultations
Work on the new waiting area has already begun and is expected to open to patients and families by mid-Spring.
The hospital hopes the full transformation will create a safer, more comfortable environment for children, young people, and their families while supporting staff in delivering the highest standards of care.