During the pandemic, Solihull Hospital was chosen by University Hospital Trust to become a Covid free hospital to make way for elective surgery to resume.

This meant that the current Minor Injuries Unit (MIU), Acute Medical Unit (AMU) and six medical inpatient wards were temporarily moved from Solihull Hospital to make way for cancer operations and other operations that were put on hold since the Coronavirus outbreak.  Emergencies and minor injuries were temporarily moved to Heartlands or the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and a few months later an Urgent Treatment centre was established at Hurst Lane Clinic in Castle Bromwich.

At the time of this announcement, which as at the height of the pandemic, Cllr Karen Grinsell, who was Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Health on Solihull Council, commented that on the surface this seemed to be a sensible decision, but she sought assurance that this was only a temporary arrangement and the services transferred would return once immediate problems had passed. 

Cllr Grinsell, who is Deputy Leader of Solihull Council is now calling for the Minor Injuries Unit at Solihull Hospital to be re-instated.  This will take pressure off other Hospitals, GP practices, West Midlands Ambulance Services and residents having to travel miles to seek medical attention.

Cllr Grinsell commented: “Whilst I appreciate that all the services that were transferred may not be able to return right now, at the very least, I want to see the Minor Injuries Unit returned to Solihull Hospital immediately.  With winter just around the corner and a population of over 200,000 in Solihull Borough, a facility in the centre of our town would be much welcomed and help take pressure off GP practices and residents having to travel miles to other hospitals for treatment.  I am calling on the Clinical Commissioning Group to make this an immediate priority.”

This petition has been launched to demonstrate the strength of feeling of Solihull Borough residents on this issue.