Midland Metropolitan Hospital facing extra two-year delay after Carillion collapse
A £350 million super hospital could now be delayed until 2022 - four years after it was originally due to open.
Health chiefs said they were striving to ensure the Midland Metropolitan Hospital, which has been plunged into crisis by the collapse of Carillion, would be ready for 2020 but have admitted a delay of a further two years was possible.
Trust bosses are desperately working to get a new contractor confirmed so work on the hospital, which is around two-thirds complete in Smethwick, can resume.
Construction on the facility stopped following the collapse of Wolverhampton-based engineering giant Carillion in January.
Chiefs remain optimistic work will start again in June in an attempt to have the hospital up and running by the new target date of 2020.
However, Sandwell NHS trust chief executive Toby Lewis conceded further delays were possible. The abandonment of the Midland Met has resulted in the site 'deteriorating', Mr Lewis said.
He said it was unlikely a definite position on the opening would be known until next year.
In a report to board members, he said: "After many weeks of intensive work clarity and certainty continues to elude us all. What is apparent is that the site is deteriorating now and that rework costs will therefore be significant. We continue to press for an early restart and therefore the most rapid route to a single acute hospital, which in our view could be achieved by 2020.
"Some options being considered make a 2022 opening date more likely, with certainty not achieved until early next year owing to chosen procurement routes in an uncertain supplier market."
The Midland Met, which will become Sandwell's main hospital when completed, was originally due to open later this year.
Engineering problems put the opening date back before the demise of Carillion sparked a full-scale crisis over its future.
Work will remain at a standstill until a contractor is confirmed by The Hospital Company, a move which will add £125m to the £350m hospital bill. Swedish construction firm Skanska had been identified as the preferred new builder.
Speaking to the Express & Star last month, Mr Lewis said it was 'crucial' the new hospital was opened in 2020.
The Midland Met delay has heightened concerns about existing resources at Sandwell General and Birmingham's City Hospital and how long they can continue to run at their current levels.
He said: "The crucial thing for us is, if we can, get this hospital open by 2020.
"That feels like the fastest date, but also a necessary date given the dilapidation of our existing hospitals and given the fact we are stretching emergency services across two sites.
"Every month of delay adds to the risk of quality in terms of what we are able to do."
