The opening of Birmingham’s new state-of-the-art dental school and hospital is set to be delayed by four months.
It was due to open this month to coincide with the start of the new term at the University of Birmingham, however due to ‘challenges with the construction programme’, the finish date has been pushed back by four months, to January 2016.
‘Due to a number of challenges with the construction programme, a decision has been taken by all partners to reschedule the opening of the new Birmingham Dental Hospital and School of Dentistry,’ a spokesperson for the dental school told the Birmingham Post.
‘This has been agreed in order to minimise disruption and maintain continuity of service for patients, students and staff.
‘All partners are working closely to finalise the opening date and to deliver what will be the UK’s first integrated, stand-alone dental hospital and dental school for almost 40 years.
‘In the meantime, patients should continue to attend the existing dental hospital in St Chad’s Queensway.’
Birmingham’s stand-alone dental hospital
The new hospital in Edgbaston will cost £50 million and will replace Birmingham Children’s Hospital in St Chad’s Circus.
It will become the first stand-alone dental hospital and dental school in the UK for 40 years and will become the new home for the University of Birmingham’s College of Medical and Dental Sciences’ School of Dentistry.
‘This demonstrates the confidence people have in the university and NHS teams in Birmingham to deliver quality education for dental students and services for patients,’ the chief dental officer for England at the time, Barry Cockcroft, said.
‘The design of the building is innovative and will provide a great opportunity to integrate dental treatment, learning and research in a state-of-the-art environment.’
