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Go ahead for Birmingham shared services hub

Tuesday, 27 April 2010
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Plans to build a hub that would combine council and healthcare advice at Sparkbrook in the south of Birmingham have been approved by the city council’s cabinet.

The plans will now go before the Heart of Birmingham Teaching Primary Care Trust (HOBtPCT) for their final approval before work starts in July 2010.

If given the final thumbs up a joint Shared Services Hub (SSH) and PCT Health Centre will open in early 2012. Residents in the area will be able to access a whole range of public services including:

• A new Customer Service Centre where people can access a range of council help and advice.
• A community library with integrated IT based health exchange.
• A range of health facilities including GPs, dental service, health visitors, midwife, school nurse and a pharmacy.
• A community function with meeting and training rooms.
• Serviced office space for local start up businesses.

The project is being developed in partnership with HOBtPCT on former Church land off Farm Road and fronting Dolobran Road and Grantham Road.

It will replace the existing Family Centre on Farm Road and neighbourhood offices at Sparkbrook (Greencoat House), Sparkhill (leaving an appointments only service in place) and Edgbaston.

Councillor Neville Summerfield, Cabinet Member for Regeneration, said: “This project represents an extremely important regeneration initiative for the Sparkbrook area and it is set to be a shining example of how services can be further improved when partners join forces and work together.”

The proposed improvements to customer services form part of Birmingham City Council’s business transformation programme, currently being delivered in partnership with Service Birmingham.

The project will see two business transformation programmes work together; Customer First, to improve customer services for citizens, and Working for the Future’s cross-portfolio project which aims to improve customer services by providing highly accessible, community-based properties which offer a range of services from different organisations in one place.