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COVID-19 hospitalsin the United Kingdom weretemporary hospitals set up in theUnited Kingdom and overseas territories as part of the response to theCOVID-19 pandemic.
They principally included the sevenNHS England Nightingale Hospitals,NHS Scotland's Louisa Jordan hospital,NHS Wales' Dragon's Heart Hospital, and theNorthern Irish Health and Social Care site atBelfast City Hospital, as well as the Florence Nightingale temporary hospital in theEuropa Point Sports Complex,Gibraltar.
As theCOVID-19 pandemic first took hold in the United Kingdom, its government and the public health services of thehome nations started planning the creation of temporary large-scale critical care hospitals to provide cover for the projected increase in patients likely to require this type of treatment.[1][2][3][4] It reflected wider NHS re-structuring to prepare for the COVID-19 pandemic and anticipated strain on NHS services[5]
The initiative was carried out in coordination with the British Armed Forces'COVID Support Force, under theMilitary Aid to the Civil Authorities provisions,[6] as part ofOperation Rescript.[7]
The field hospitals were intended to be used treat critical care patients regarded as being less severely ill, while the most severely ill patients would be treated in mainstream NHS hospitals.[8]
In the early part of 2020, the hospitals saw relatively few Covid patients, and as case number dropped over the summer they were either mothballed or re-purposed.[citation needed]
On 12 October 2020, amidst a rise in cases in Northern England, the hospitals inHarrogate,Manchester, andWashington were placed on standby in readiness to admit patients with COVID-19.[9]
Very few patients were treated in the Nightingale hospitals, largely due to difficulty finding the necessary additional qualified staff.[10]
| This section needs to beupdated. The reason given is: all of the Nightingale Hospitals have since been closed. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(May 2022) |
TheNHS Nightingale Hospitals were sevencritical care temporary hospitals established byNHS England as part of the response to theCOVID-19 pandemic in England. The hospitals were named afterFlorence Nightingale, who came to prominence for nursing soldiers during theCrimean War and is regarded as the founder of modernnursing.[11]
TheNHS Nightingale Hospital London opened first on 3 April 2020, followed byNHS Nightingale Hospital Birmingham on 16 April 2020. As of 5 May 2020[update], six of the seven planned hospitals had opened, and by the following month all had been placed on standby. The Harrogate and Exeter hospitals were repurposed as diagnostic clinics in June and July respectively.[citation needed]
In the event, almost all of the increased demand for critical care was met by expanding capacity in existing hospitals. By June, all the temporary hospitals had been placed on standby. Only two had admitted patients: 54 were treated atNHS Nightingale Hospital London (all of them in April)[12] and just over 100 atManchester.[13]
TheTesco supermarket chain planned pop-up branches of itsconvenience stores in the NHS Nightingale hospitals to provide shopping facilities for hospital staff. It opened the first one in Birmingham Nightingale on 13 April.[14][15] Technology companiesCisco andBT volunteered to build the hospital's medical-gradecomputer networks.[16]
In June 2020, theDepartment of Health and Social Care estimated the combined set-up costs of the hospitals to be £220 million, and stated that running costs for the month of April (for the five which opened during that month) were approximately £15m.[17][18] By January 2021, the estimated total cost of establishing, running and decommissioning the hospitals was forecast to be £532 million by April 2022.[19]
In November 2020, during the second wave of infections in England, only the Exeter and Manchester hospitals admitted patients.[20] Apart from London and Sunderland which were to remain open as vaccination centres, and Exeter which was to continue to be used for diagnostics, all other Nightingales were scheduled to close by April 2021.[21][22]
Overall, by August 2021, fewer than 1000 patients were treated in the emergency hospitals.[23]
On 27 March, chief executive ofNHS EnglandSir Simon Stevens announced a temporary facility providing up to 5,000-beds atBirmingham'sNational Exhibition Centre would open in mid-April.[24] The hospital became operational on 10 April, with an initial 804 beds followed within 2 weeks by an additional 384 beds.[25][26][27] It was officially opened asNHS Nightingale Hospital Birmingham byPrince William, using a video link, on 16 April.[28] The hospital was designed as a 'step down facility', for patients recovering from COVID-19 or those not suitable for ventilation.[29] It was reported a supporting temporary mortuary was being constructed near Birmingham airport.[30]
On 5 May, it was announced that the 1188 bed hospital would be stood down to standby, having admitted no patients.[31]
On 3 April, NHS England announced that a hospital for theBristol area was to be built inUniversity of the West of England (UWE).[32] The hospital is stated to have a planned capacity of up to 300 beds and is located in the Exhibition and Conference Centre on UWE Bristol's Frenchay campus.[33] Spare student accommodation is also to be made available for doctors and nurses at the Frenchay campus.[33] The hospital was to have space for up to 1,000 beds, if needed.[34]
According to the vice-chancellor of UWE,Steve West, all buildings and car parks required for the hospital have been leased to the NHS for a fee of £1, for as long as is needed.[35][non-primary source needed]
This hospital was officially opened on 27 April 2020, in avirtual ceremony, byMatt Hancock (health secretary),Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, and the chief executive ofNHS England,Simon Stevens.[36] It has the capacity to care for 60 patients, with the ability to scale up to 300 if required.
On 1 April 2020, it was reported that leisure centres in Cumbria, including theWhitehaven Sports Centre, theCarlisle Sands Centre, thePenrith Leisure Centre,Kendal Leisure Centre andFurness Academy inBarrow were confirmed field hospital sites. Work started on 1 April and when complete there would be 500 beds.[37][38]
On 10 April, it was announced that a temporary hospital would be provided inExeter.[39] The hospital, originally expected to be built in the Westpoint Arena nearClyst St Mary, and provide 200 beds, was due to be ready for use in early May.[40] With the number of COVID-19 cases in the catchment area being lower than first expected, the decision was taken to switch to a smaller site at a formerHomebase retail outlet inSowton.[36] The site was initially leased for nine months, and 116 beds were provided.[41]
From 6 July 2020, the hospital was used for cancer screening, and was open for twelve hours each day.[42] It has also been used for vaccine trials.[43] On 26 November the hospital received its first COVID-19 patients, who were transferred from theRoyal Devon and Exeter Hospital as it was "very busy".[43]
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On 3 April, a hospital forHarrogate, Yorkshire was announced by NHS England, with a 500-bed capacity, in theHarrogate Convention Centre.[32]Tom Moore, a 99-year-old army veteran who had raised more £27M to support health service workers, officially opened the hospital on 21 April 2020.[44]
From 4 June the hospital was opened as a radiology outpatient clinic, offeringCT scanning.[45]
On 12 October 2020, amidst a rise in cases in Northern England, the hospital was placed on standby to admit COVID-19 patients.[9]
In March 2021, it was confirmed the hospital would close.[46]
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On 24 March 2020, theUK Secretary of State for Health and Social CareMatt Hancock, who was responsible for the NHS in England, announced thatExCeL London would be the first field hospital. It was planned to initially have 500 beds, with the capacity for 4,000–5,000 beds across its two wards if necessary later.[47][24]
It was reported a large mortuary was also being constructed onWanstead Flats, a few miles to the north of the hospital.[48] It was also reported that the hospital would be the largest critical care unit in the world.[49]
Also on 3 April, theLondon hospital became the first to enter service when it was officially opened byPrince Charles by videolink.[50]
On 4 May 2020, it was announced that the hospital would be stood down to standby, and would not admit any new patients.[51]
Events which were to take place at ExCeL London were postponed, cancelled or moved online. An example of the latter was theAmerican Society of Mechanical Engineers Turbo Expo 2020 conference, planned for 22–26 June.[52]
On 27 March, Simon Stevens also announced that a 1,000-bed hospital was to be provided in theManchester Central Convention Complex, also due to open in mid-April.[24]
The hospital was ready to receive patients on Easter Sunday, 13 April 2020.[53][54] The official opening, byCamilla, Duchess of Cornwall in a recorded speech, took place on 17 April 2020.[55]
On 12 October 2020, amidst a rise in cases in Northern England, the hospital was placed on standby to admit COVID-19 patients.[9]
On 10 April, it was announced that a 460-bed facility would be built inWashington, Tyne and Wear.[39] The hospital, at theCentre of Excellence for Sustainable Advanced Manufacturing, was expected to be ready for use within two weeks and be operated byNewcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.[56]
The hospital was officially opened on 5 May 2020, in avirtual ceremony, byMatt Hancock (Secretary of State for Health). The opening ceremony also featured television celebritiesAnt and Dec, football punditAlan Shearer and cricketerBen Stokes.[57]
On 12 October 2020, amidst a rise in cases in Northern England, the hospital was placed on standby to admit COVID-19 patients.[9]
As of April 2020[update], theSEC Centre inGlasgow was converted to theNHS Louisa Jordan, a temporary hospital serving Scotland. Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the facility would have a 300-bed capacity but with the potential to raise it beyond 1,000 beds. The facility was namedNHS Louisa Jordan after the World War I nurseLouisa Jordan.[58]
On 27 March 2020,Cardiff and Vale University Health BoardCEO Len Richards announced that thePrincipality Stadium would be turned into a temporary hospital with 2,000 beds.[59] It was to be the third largest hospital in the United Kingdom, after the Nightingale Hospital at the Excel Centre London and the Nightingale Hospital at Birmingham's National Exhibition Centre.[60]
On 8 April its name was given as theDragon's Heart Hospital (Welsh:Ysbyty Calon y Ddraig) and it was announced that the first 300 beds would be available on 11 April.[61]
After the last patient left the hospital on 4 June, it was reported that the hospital was placed on a standby status.[62]In September it was reported that the hospital is to be replaced by a smaller facility nearby, next to theUniversity Hospital of Wales, Cardiff.[63]
In addition, work has begun to provide 340 bed spaces[64] at Llandarcy Academy of Sport inNeath[65] and 150 beds[64] at a council facility in Ty Trevithick inAbercynon,[66] whileParc y Scarlets inLlanelli is to be used to provide 500 beds,[67] withRodney Parade inNewport being turned into a testing station.[67] In northern Wales,Venue Cymru inLlandudno was prepared to receive 350 beds,Deeside Leisure Centre inFlintshire to have 250 beds, with an extra 80 beds atGlan Clwyd Hospital inBodelwyddan, Denbighshire, whileBangor University[68] was to be prepared to receive 250 beds.[64][69]
TheBluestone National Park Resort inPembrokeshire is to be used as a recovery centre for COVID-19 patients.[70]
In April 2020, Bay Studios on the site of the former Swansea Bay Motor Factory located on the outskirts of Swansea City Centre was announced by Swansea Council to be the chosen site for a 1,000-bed hospital. Within 1 month 420 beds and 80 discharge seats were made available, and the facility was handed over to the Swansea Bay University Health Board on 10 May 2020.[71] Swansea Council funded the Swansea Bay Hospital injecting £50 million of available funds in to the project which was set aside for the new indoor arena which is currently being built in the City Centre.
During the earlier part of 2020, a total of 19 'field hospitals' were constructed across Wales (one source gives '17 and 2 community discharge units'). These included conversions of existing health facilities as well as purpose-built hospitals and conversions of stadia and other leisure facilities. In September 2020, it was announced that these would be rationalised down to a total of 10 such special facilities.[72]
HSC Northern Ireland started planning for a similar initiative in mid-March 2020, with a number of sites under consideration.[73][74]
HSC Northern Ireland is also using the "Nightingale" name for its hospitals.[75]
On 2 April it was reported that the tower block ofBelfast City Hospital was being converted into the first Nightingale in Northern Ireland.[76][77] The block was to become a 230-bed unit staffed by a team drawn from across Northern Ireland.[76]
The same report also stated that First MinisterArlene Foster had revealed that a Nightingale hospital could be based at theEikon Exhibition Centre inBalmoral Park, and that theDepartment of Health was assessing its potential as a second Nightingale facility in preparation for a possible second wave later in 2020.[76]
A "Nightingale" field hospital was completed in Gibraltar at the Europa Point Sports Complex, during the week of 3 April 2020.[78] In May it was described as being about to be progressively mothballed, with its equipment to be kept stored and the facility to be available for use at 5–7 days' notice.[79]
A"Nightingale" field hospital was completed as a 'wing' ofJersey General Hospital (on a playing field 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) away) and opened on 11 May 2020.[80]
At full capacity, it was estimated that theNHS Nightingale Hospital London alone would need up to 16,000 workers to keep it running.[81]
Nursing leaders expressed concern about where the extra workers to staff the new hospitals would be found.[82] The government issued a call for airline cabin crew to volunteer to be cross-trained as specialist health assistants.[83]
| Authority | Hospital | Site location | Max. Capacity | Official announcement | (planned), Opened/ first patients | 'Standby', Autumn 2020 | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NHS England | NHS Nightingale Hospital London | ExCeL London, England | 4,000–5,000 | 24 March 2020 | 3 April / 7 April 'Mothballed' 4 May Closed 15 May | [84][85][24][86][87] | |
| NHS Nightingale Hospital Birmingham | National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham, England | 496 (initial) 800 (phase 1) 2,000 (phase 2) 4,000 beds (worst-case scenario).[26] | 27 March 2020 | 10 April 2020/ N/A | [24][87] | ||
| NHS Nightingale Hospital North West | Manchester Central Convention Complex, Manchester, England | 1,000 | 27 March 2020 | 13 April 2020/ 'late June, Standby' | 12 October 2020 | [24][9] | |
| NHS Nightingale Hospital Bristol | UWE Bristol Exhibition and Conference Centre, Bristol, England | 1,000 | 3 April 2020 | 27 April/ N/A | 'Dormant' 8 October | [33][34][88][87][89] | |
| NHS Nightingale Hospital Yorkshire and the Humber | Harrogate Convention Centre, North Yorkshire, England | 500 | 3 April 2020 | 21 April/ 4 June (radiology outpatients) | 12 October 2020 | [90][34][91][87][9] | |
| NHS Nightingale Hospital NE | Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Advanced Manufacturing,Washington,City of Sunderland,Tyne and Wear, England | 460 | 10 April 2020 | 5 May 2020/ | 12 October 2020 | [56][9] | |
| NHS Nightingale Hospital Exeter | Former Homebase store, Sowton Industrial Estate,Exeter, England | 116 | 10 April 2020 | ('late May')/ 6 July 2020 (diagnostic screening) | [Partly] repurposed 5 October; taking Covid patients (December) | [40][92][93][94][95] | |
| Cumbria field hospitals | Leisure centres inWhitehaven,Carlisle,Penrith,Kendal, andFurness Academy inBarrow, England | 500 | 1 April 2020 | [37][96][97] | |||
| HSC Northern Ireland | HSC Nightingale Hospital Belfast | Belfast City Hospital Tower Block,Belfast, Northern Ireland | 230 | 2 April 2020 | /stood down May 2020 | 14 October 2020; taking Covid patients (December) | [76][77][98][99][95] |
| NHS Scotland | NHS Louisa Jordan | SEC Centre, Glasgow, Scotland | 1,000 | 30 March 2020 | 19 April ready, 30 April official opening/ | 4 August 'stay open' over winter | [58][100][101][102] |
| NHS Wales | Dragon's Heart Hospital (Ysbyty Calon y Ddraig) | Principality Stadium, Cardiff, Wales | 2,000 | 27 March 2020 | 13 April/ 28 April | September: 'To be moved' | [60][103][104][105][106][107][63] |
| New facility | next to theUniversity Hospital of Wales, Cardiff. | September 2020 | September: 'To replace Dragons Heart' | [63] | |||
| Rainbow Hospital (Ysbyty Enfys) | Venue Cymru,Llandudno, Wales | 350 | 2 April 2020 | by 5 May 2020/ | 29 Sept: beds to be on standby | [68][108][109] | |
| Hywel Dda Health Board field hospitals | Parc y Scarlets,Llanelli, Wales | 500 | 27 March 2020 | 29 Sept: beds to be on standby, some at Selwyn Samuel Centre, Llanelli | [64][67][109][72] | ||
| Bluestone National Park | 144 | 2 April 2020 | 29 Sept: beds to be on standby | [64][109] | |||
| Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board field hospitals- Rainbow Hospitals (Ysbytai Enfys) | Venue Cymru,Llandudno | 350 | 2 April 2020 | by 5 May 2020/ | 29 Sept: beds to be on standby | [64][108][109] | |
| Brailsford Centre,Bangor University | 250 | 2 April 2020 | by 5 May 2020/ | 29 Sept: beds to be on standby | [64][108][109] | ||
| Ysbyty Enfys Deeside,Deeside Leisure Centre | 250 | 2 April 2020 | by 5 May 2020/ | 29 Sept: beds to be on standby | [64][110][108][109] | ||
| Glan Clwyd Hospital,Bodelwyddan | 80 | 2 April 2020 | [64] | ||||
| Cwm Taf Morgannwg Health Board field hospitals | Welsh Rugby Union centres inHensol andAbercynon, Wales, amongst others | 900 | 2 April 2020 | 29 Sept: Harman Becker unit, Bridgend Industrial Estate on standby | [110][111][109][72] | ||
| Swansea Bay University Health Board field hospitals | Bay Studios,Fabian Way,Swansea, Wales | 1,000 | 2 April 2020 | 7 May 2020/ | Expanded September 2020 | [110][69][112] | |
| Llandarcy Academy of Sport,Llandarcy,Neath Port Talbot, Wales | 340 | 2 April 2020 | Beds transferred to Bay Studios Sept. '20 | Closed returned to former use | [110][69][112] | ||
| Gibraltar Health Authority | Florence Nightingale Field Hospital, Gibraltar | Europa Point,Gibraltar | 300 | Completed 'in under 3 weeks' | Opened Week of 3 April/ | 16 May running down but available at 5 days' notice | [78][113][79] |
| Jersey Health & Community Services department | "Nightingale" field hospital, Jersey | A 'wing' ofJersey General Hospital,St Helier (3 km from the main part) | 180 | Announced 9 April | Opened 11 May | 14 August: lease to run to 31 March 2021 | [78][113] |
More NHS temporary hospitals are to be opened across England, Wales and Scotland to cope with the coronavirus outbreak.
The UK is creating five new hospitals to cope with the coronavirus pandemic. [...] The temporary hospitals will be in London, Birmingham, Cardiff, Glasgow and Manchester.
Several more emergency NHS field hospitals could be set up across the UK [...]
The expansion of the NHS Nightingale project to other parts of the country is an absolute necessity at this time. The UK Armed Forces will do whatever is required to support the Scottish Government and the Health Services across the United Kingdom during this crisis, and bring this vital capability to wherever it is needed in our combined effort against coronavirus.
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