Three major Harrogate hotels are ready to offer up beds to the NHS for coronavirus patients should they asked to help.
The Crowne Plaza, Cedar Court Harrogate and the Majestic Hotel and Spa have all thrown their weight behind the proposals.
Each have hundreds of beds which could be used to ease pressure on the NHS.
The hotel beds could be used for those patients on the recovery path, the Health Secretary Matt Hancock confirmed on Sky News.
NHS England’s media team has declined to give more details.
When asked about the potential for hotel beds to be used Mr Hancock said:
“We would only ever do that if it was clinically the right thing for somebody.
“But in some cases, people need step-down care, they don’t actually need to be in a hospital bed.”
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Wayne Topley, the managing director of the Cedar Court Hotels Group Yorkshire, told the Stray Ferret:
“We are here to help and in the spirit of kindness we are focused on what our hotels can do to support the now critical effort.
“In Harrogate we are in touch with number of care providers, primarily the hospital itself. We have reached out to offer our support and they know we are here if they need us.”
A spokesman for the Cairn Hotel Group, which owns and operates the Majestic Hotel and Spa, also said:
“We are delighted to be partnering with other industry leaders to offer support and help to the NHS if and when needed.”
A spokesman for the Crowne Plaza, which is connected to Harrogate’s Nightingale Hospital and pictured above lighting up for the NHS, said:
“We already have a good working relationship with the NHS team in Harrogate. We are open to further conversation.”
Harrogate District Hospital confirmed yesterday that it currently has 47 coronavirus patients, up from 28 a week ago.
This surge in patients has forced the hospital to postpone some non-emergency surgeries to free up space and staff to deal with coronavirus patients.
