With the Birmingham Nightingale Hospital lying underused and still to take in any coronavirus patients, the NHS is hoping that it stays that way – as it would be a tribute to the work that they are already doing in and around the region.
Since it was opened by The Duke of Cambridge, Prince William, the temporary hospital - built on the outskirts of the city – has remained empty.
Created to provide extra capacity to ease pressure on ever-increasing local services as far as Derbyshire Shropshire and Staffordshire, the 4,000 patient capacity site has remained idle, with use of the 70,000 sq metres building yet to be taken up during the pandemic.
The chief executive of University Hospital NHS Foundation, Dr David Rosser, has said that “it’s a good thing that the hospital has yet to receive a patient.
“It shows that the NHS has absorbed the extra pressure”.
He added: “It was never going to be a great thing to have to open this extra capacity because it didn’t come with new staff”.
The Midlands has matched London in being the highest number of coronavirus-linked deaths.
Birmingham Nightingale Hospital was created to be a step-down facility – meaning that it would be receiving patients who are recovering from coronavirus, or who are not ideal for use of ventilators.
