Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham

Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham. It is a major National Health Service teaching hospital located in the Edgbaston area of Birmingham, England. Operated by the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, the hospital is a key tertiary referral centre for the West Midlands region and is closely affiliated with the University of Birmingham. The facility provides a comprehensive range of specialist services, including one of the largest solid organ transplantation programmes in Europe.

History

The hospital's origins are linked to the former Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, which was founded in 1933 and named after Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. The current, modern facility opened in 2010 following a major redevelopment project under the Private Finance Initiative, consolidating services from the old site and the adjacent Selly Oak Hospital. This merger created a single, state-of-the-art campus, with the new building officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 2010. The development was part of a wider strategic plan to centralize acute and specialist care within the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust.

Facilities and services

The hospital houses numerous regional and national specialist units, including the renowned Liverpool and Birmingham based University Hospitals Birmingham liver and National Health Service renal transplantation services. It is a major centre for trauma, neurosciences, and cancer care, hosting the Birmingham Cancer Research UK Centre. Other key facilities include a large critical care complex, advanced imaging departments, and the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine, which provides medical care for injured personnel from the British Armed Forces. The emergency department is one of the busiest in the United Kingdom.

Research and education

As a principal teaching hospital for the University of Birmingham's College of Medical and Dental Sciences, it is integral to the education of medical students, nurses, and allied health professionals. The co-located Institute of Translational Medicine facilitates a strong partnership between clinicians and scientists from the University of Birmingham and the National Institute for Health and Care Research. Major research themes include immunology, genomics, and regenerative medicine, with significant contributions to international trials in areas such as organ transplantation and COVID-19 therapeutics.

Governance and management

The hospital is managed as part of the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, one of the largest National Health Service trusts in England. The trust is governed by a board of directors and is regulated by NHS England and the Care Quality Commission. It works in partnership with other regional trusts, including Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust, and is a member of the Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care System. Senior leadership includes a chief executive and a medical director overseeing clinical governance.

Notable events and incidents

The hospital gained international attention in 2021 for its role in treating the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Boris Johnson, for COVID-19. It has been at the forefront of several high-profile medical advances, including pioneering face transplant surgery in the United Kingdom. The hospital's clinicians have been involved in responding to major incidents, such as the 2017 Westminster attack and the 2022 Commonwealth Games. In 2022, the Care Quality Commission placed the trust in special measures following an inspection that raised concerns about patient safety and culture.

Category:Teaching hospitals in England Category:Hospitals in Birmingham, West Midlands Category:University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust