Sorry to spoil a rumour but there are NO new Rules from CAA relating to helipads at hospitals etc. JAR Ops has introduced some changes for public interest sites but that is all.
Any hospital site used has always required compliance with Rule 5(1)(b), (i.e. no 3rd party risk) and that goes back to the year dot, nothing new there, and really why should innocent people be put at risk in a congested area? Is risking multiple lives acceptable to save 1, even a child?
Regarding SAR, I would respectfully point out that civil SAR helos are allowed to pick up in the same way as the military, including accepting 3rd party risk where necessary and this is I suggest a red herring for this particular topic of Birmingham hospital.
There was a meeting many moons ago between the Police ACPO (including a well know Lawyer (not FL on this occasion and no offence to him intended) where the issue of saving life was discussed in full and the situation regarding police pilots using the 'saving life' bit discussed. It is no different to an ambulance or fire engine driver going through red lights and then hitting and killing someone. They could be done for it but it would depend on the degree of judgement and common sense applied in the particular situation that would help decide whether a prosecution would take place. The police lawyer agreed that this was correct.
In other words the aircraft commander does what he is paid to do, looks at the situation, makes a decision and chooses whether or not it would be reasonable on that occasion to break the law and gets on with it.
I know that the CAA have not issued any sort of decree regarding this site or changed any rule. Maybe the operators have re-assessed it and decided it was not acceptable, maybe the hospital decided this themselves, maybe someone who knows the FACTS of what has happened might post something.
Sorry to spoil a good rumour