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Apr 2020

Last Updated: 25/04/2020

Staff return to work elsewhere as NHS Nightingale hospital stands ready for first patients

by Vicky Carr

| 25 Apr, 2020

The first patient has yet to be admitted to the NHS Nightingale hospital in Harrogate, as staff trained on site have returned to their usual workplaces. NHS England says they are ready to return if needed.

NHS Nightingale Hospital Yorkshire and the Humber, Harrogate

The first patient has yet to be admitted to the NHS Nightingale hospital in Harrogate, as staff trained on site have returned to their usual workplaces or been redeployed in support roles in local NHS trusts.

Following the official opening at the Harrogate Convention Centre facility on Tuesday, the temporary facility remains on stand-by in case existing hospital beds are filled and more capacity is required.

The NHS Nightingale Yorkshire and the Humber is one of seven of its kind around the country, created in addition to 33,000 beds being freed up in existing hospitals, according to NHS England. Its 500 beds will only be used in the event of a surge in demand.

Following the three-week construction beginning in late March, staff began arriving on site on April 15 before the official opening took place on April 21.

On Thursday this week, senior NHS staff visited the Nightingale hospital in Harrogate after arriving on the Stray in a Chinook helicopter.

Now, both medical and support staff are working elsewhere until they are called back should the Nightingale hospital need to be opened to patients.

An NHS Nightingale Yorkshire and Humber spokesperson said:

“Staff training has been taking place so that we are ready to receive patients whenever the need arises. Until that time, and as was always planned to be the case, staff will remain with their current employers. For some non-clinical colleagues this will be through supporting local NHS trusts as part of our on-going work against Covid-19.”