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15
Jan 2022
Inquiry reveals Harrogate Nightingale cost £31.6 million
An inquiry into Harrogate's Nightingale hospital has revealed the facility cost £31.6 million.
The 500-bed hospital at Harrogate Convention Centre was one of eight Nightingale hospitals set up at the start of the covid pandemic in March 2020. It was dismantled last year without treating a single covid patient.
Of its £31.6 million costs, £17 million was spent on building and dismantling works, £10.4 million on running costs and £4.1 million on equipment.
A further £1.1 million was spent on security and around £500,000 on cleaning and food.
Members of West Yorkshire Joint Health Overview Scrutiny Committee launched the inquiry into the hospital after raising questions over why it was not used to treat any covid patients and how it would have been staffed if needed.
The committee has now concluded that while these questions remain unanswered, the need for the eight Nightingale hospitals across the UK showed there was insufficient critical care capacity in regular hospitals.
Read more:
- Investigation launched into Harrogate Nightingale hospital
- WATCH: NHS takes down Nightingale hospital in Harrogate
- ‘A costly PR stunt’: calls for an inquiry into Harrogate Nightingale
Harrogate Borough Council – which owns the convention centre – also charged £4.2 million for staffing, utilities, business rates.
The committee said while it had not reached a conclusion on the costs, it had asked for its findings to be presented to a full public inquiry into the government’s handling of the pandemic set to be launched later this year.
Meanwhile, the inquiry also found that the nation had to be better prepared for future pandemics.
It said:
'Most frightening experience of my life'
The Nightingale hospital opened in April 2020 amid fears that the NHS might be overwhelmed by covid and it was dismantled almost a year later at a total cost of £31.6 million.
Members of the West Yorkshire Joint Health Overview Scrutiny Committee suggested there was a public view that the seven Nightingale hospitals were a “major waste of money”.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_esu6GKILE
However, senior NHS officials have argued that had the hospitals not been built and it subsequently proved they were needed, the consequences would have been “unthinkable”.
Speaking at a meeting with the committee in September, Steve Russell, chief executive of Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust, said:
The committee also praised the thousands of staff involved in setting up and running the Nightingale, including NHS workers, council staff, contractors and volunteers.
The committee said:
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