Former NHS staff have been sharing their memories of the historic City Hospital in Birmingham, at a special alumni event held to mark the closure of the building that had been at the heart of healthcare in the city for nearly 140 years.
The event, organised by Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust, brought together around 100 former clinicians and staff members, giving them an opportunity to reflect on the legacy of their former workplace and celebrate all its achievements.
Following a welcome from Trust Chair Sir David Nicholson, retired consultant Professor Gareth Beevers presented a history of the site, which first opened as an infirmary in 1887.
The infirmary, which was an extension to a Victorian workhouse, was later renamed Dudley Road Hospital before becoming City Hospital.
The alumni event was held at the Midland Metropolitan University Hospital in Smethwick, where over 300 inpatients from City were transferred to in November 2024, before the 140-year-old hospital closed for good.
The site has now been renamed City Health Campus, where the Birmingham Treatment Centre, Birmingham and Midland Eye Centre and Sheldon Block continue to operate.
The event also covered the groundbreaking work of healthcare professionals at the site in areas such as elderly care, nursing and infection control, including the development of the aseptic hand washing technique which is practiced across the NHS today.
Photographs and press clippings from across the years were also on display for people to reminisce over, as well as instruments and tools used in its early days as a healthcare institution.
Dr Sarb Clare MBE, Deputy Medical Director and Acute Medical Consultant at the Trust, said: It’s such a pleasure to be able to host this fantastic event today celebrating Dudley Road/City Hospital.
“It’s beautiful to see so many wonderful friends and retired colleagues today and share memories and stories.”
Dr John Middleton, who was Director of Public Health for Sandwell for 27 years until he retired in 2014, said: “It’s great to see the new facility, it’s a fantastic new hospital build.
“City Hospital has a great and distinguished history, but this new facility is only going to carry that on and take it to new heights.”