When people need urgent care for health problems that aren’t life-threatening — such as sprains, suspected broken bones, rashes or infections — it isn’t always clear where to go for help. People have told the NHS that urgent care services can feel confusing to access, especially when GP practices are closed or when services work differently in different places.
That’s why the NHS is asking people across Birmingham and Solihull to share their views on plans to improve urgent care services in local neighbourhoods. A public consultation is now open and runs from 5 February to 16 April 2026.
The consultation looks at how Urgent Treatment Centres (UTCs) and GP services outside normal opening hours could work better. At the moment, urgent care services vary between locations — with different opening times, appointment arrangements and access to tests like X-rays. When GP practices are closed, most face-to-face appointments currently take place at a central location, which can mean longer journeys for some people. As a result, some people go to A&E even when it isn’t an emergency, making emergency departments busier and increasing waiting times.
To help improve this, the NHS is investing in new Urgent Treatment Centres at Good Hope Hospital, Birmingham Heartlands Hospital, Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, and Midland Metropolitan University Hospital in Smethwick. At the same time, the NHS wants to hear from local people about how urgent care services could work better and be easier to understand.
There are two options in the consultation, both designed to improve urgent care in different ways and in different areas. No decisions have been made yet — your feedback will help shape what happens next.
We want to hear from you.
Visit www.birminghamsolihull.icb.nhs.uk/utc-review to find out more and complete the online survey at https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/UTCServices/