On January 30th 2024, The Harborne Hospital – the newest hospital from leading private healthcare provider, HCA Healthcare UK (HCA UK) – officially opened its doors in Birmingham; bringing together leading consultants, innovative technologies, and state-of-the-art facilities to provide a new level of private care for patients in the West Midlands.
The £100m hospital provides quick access to expertise across a depth and breadth of care and at all levels of complexity. From primary care to outpatients and diagnostics through to complex care and surgery, the hospital is supported by the region’s leading consultants covering specialities including cancer, cardiac care, orthopaedics, urology, digestive diseases, and more.
Located on the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham campus, The Harborne Hospital is a partnership with University Hospitals Birmingham (UHB) NHS Foundation Trust, with two of the hospital’s eight floors and 72 beds dedicated to the care of NHS patients, operated by UHB.
This is the latest in HCA UK’s joint venture partnerships, a unique way of working with the NHS which generates revenue for the NHS to reinvest back into its services.
The next level of private care
Demand for private healthcare continues to be strong particularly in the West Midlands*. The Harborne Hospital will bring a new level of capability, at a scale not currently available to the c.10% of people in the region with access to Private Medical Insurance, or to those who are able to self-pay for care.
The hospital’s facilities include 50 private en-suite inpatient beds, 16 private day care beds, modern outpatient services, four state-of-the-art operating theatres, a fully equipped day-care unit (with outpatient chemotherapy and radiotherapy services), an onsite pharmacy, and a dedicated intensive treatment unit for one-to-one, around-the-clock critical care for complex conditions.
The hospital is also equipped with cutting edge technology and equipment, including the region’s first da Vinci Xi robot in the private sector, a surgical system that enables minimally invasive complex surgery. The hospital is also equipped with the latest generation of CT and MRI scanners, ultrasound, X-ray including digital fluoroscopy, 3D mammography and provides patients with access to a radiotherapy linear accelerator.
At the helm of The Harborne Hospital is Market CEO for Birmingham, Claire Dunsterville. She will be supported by the medical leadership of Mr Simon Radley, the Hospital’s Medical Director and a Consultant Colorectal Surgeon. Mr Radley played a key role in introducing new surgical protocols and techniques to University Hospital Birmingham, as well as being instrumental in setting up the Birmingham Bowel Clinic.
Claire Dunsterville HCA UK’s Market CEO for Birmingham with responsibility for The Harborne Hospital, part of HCA Healthcare UK said:
The opening of The Harborne Hospital is a significant milestone for healthcare services in the West Midlands. The new hospital will provide a depth and breadth of patient care that is not currently available in the region’s independent sector.
“HCA Healthcare UK has been successfully partnering with the NHS through Joint Ventures for over 15 years and we are pleased to now be partnered with University Hospitals Birmingham.”
Mr Simon Radley, Medical Director and Consultant Colorectal Surgeon at The Harborne Hospital, part of HCA Healthcare UK said:
We are delighted to be opening The Harborne Hospital. Providing specialist care across multiple medical specialties, the hospital brings together state-of-the-art technology and the expertise of leading consultants and nursing teams, within a framework of robust clinical governance. We look forward to welcoming patients and offering them the highest quality care from outpatient and diagnostic care, through to the most complex surgeries.”
A wider network of care
The Harborne Hospital is the latest addition to HCA Healthcare UK’s wider network of hospital locations, spanning London and Manchester, building on 25 years of providing high-quality care in the UK. The major investment supports HCA UK’s long-term commitment to delivering the highest levels of care and seamless routes of access for more patients across the UK.
As well as improving access to quality healthcare for patients in the West Midlands, The Harborne Hospital will play a role in promoting and supporting economic growth; part of HCA UK’s commitment to investing in innovation and growth in the region. The new hospital will create more than 200 jobs including nurses, allied health professionals, radiographers, physiotherapists, GPs and pharmacists all dedicated to delivering exceptional care for patients.