Circle poised to open UK’s biggest rehab hospital

Circle Health is opening a new rehabilitation hospital on the site of the former BBC Pebble Mill studios in Birmingham next month.

The new facility has 120 inpatient bedrooms, individual and group treatment areas and will be the UK’s largest specialist rehabilitation hospital for patients recovering from a range of conditions – including Covid-19, stroke, sporting injuries and joint replacements.

Last month, the company announced it was abandoning plans to open a new 20-bed private hospital on the site in Edgbaston, along with divesting its flagship hospital in Bath, in order to gain CMA approval for its acquisition of BMI Healthcare. However, the state-of-the-art rehabilitation facility, which will be operated by Circle Rehabilitation Services Limited, has entered into an agreement for a sub-underlease granting it the right to operate a stand-alone rehabilitation facility within part of the building.

Circle Rehabilitation, Birmingham is being established as a centre of excellence in rehabilitation, helping patients regain independence following illness, injury or surgery. The doctor-led service will use the latest technology to deliver care pathways for people recovering from a range of neurological and musculoskeletal conditions. There are also specific services for people with arthritis and rheumatological conditions, heart conditions, and who are receiving treatment for cancer.

Rehabilitation director David Willis said: ‘When people think about rehabilitation, they often think in terms of a few sessions of physiotherapy. We go further than that. We design a package based around the patient, which brings together a whole range of professionals who constantly monitor and refine so that we can get the person back to their normal lives as effectively as possible and less likely to have recurring issues in the future.’