NHS Nightingale Hospital Birmingham

The NHS Nightingale Hospital Birmingham is the second of the temporary NHS Nightingale Hospitals set up by NHS England to help to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. It was constructed inside the National Exhibition Centre, Solihull, and opened on 16 April 2020.[1]

This article is about the NHS temporary COVID-19 hospital in NEC Birmingham. For other hospitals named "NHS Nightingale", see NHS Nightingale Hospitals. For other hospitals named "Nightingale", see Nightingale Hospital (disambiguation).

NHS Nightingale Hospital Birmingham
University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust
View of the National Exhibition Centre, the site of the hospital, in 2015
Geography
LocationNational Exhibition Centre
Solihull
B40 1NT, West Midlands
Coordinates52°27′12″N 1°43′10″W
Organisation
Care systemNHS England
TypeCOVID-19 critical care
Services
Beds
  • 496 (phase 1 on day 1)
  • 800 (phase 1 if needed)
  • 2,000 (phase 2 if needed)
  • 4,000 beds (potential)
HelipadBirmingham Airport
History
Opened16 April 2020
Links
Websitenightingale-birmingham.nhs.uk

As of 30 August it had not treated any patients.[2]

Background

To add extra critical care capacity during the COVID-19 epidemic in the UK, and to treat those with COVID-19, plans were made to create further temporary hospital spaces for those in need of treatment and care.[3][4] They have been named "Nightingale Hospitals", after Florence Nightingale who came to prominence for nursing soldiers during the Crimean War and is regarded as the founder of modern nursing.[5]

Details

The hospital was announced as operational on 10 April 2020,[6] and was scheduled to receive its first patients on 12 April, to help Midlands hospitals cope with the COVID-19 pandemic.[7][8] It will support 23 Midlands hospitals by taking patients who are convalescing from having COVID-19, patients who are require less intensive treatment, and patients who need palliative care.[7] It is intended to relieve pressure on conventional hospitals where the most seriously ill patients are treated.[7] It is the second temporary 'Nightingale Hospital' to be built in England,[7] following NHS Nightingale London, that opened on 3 April 2020 in the ExCeL London exhibition and convention centre.[9]

It falls under the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust.[7]

The hospital occupies halls 8-12 and 16 of the NEC, connected via the Atrium.[10]

It had 496 beds divided into four wards from day one, with the option to expand to 800 immediately if needed.[11] Should things worsen a phase two is envisaged that would bring the number of beds in use up to 2,000.[11] In the worst-case scenario 4,000 beds would be available.[11]

The hospital was formally opened by Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, via remote video link, on 16 April.[12]

It will include a new Tesco store exclusively for the use of its staff.[13]

Personnel

The following have been involved in the creation of the hospital:

  • Paul Thandi (CEO of the NEC Group).[14]
  • Anthony Marsh (West Midlands Ambulance Service Chief Executive).[14]
  • Major Angela Laycock (66 Works Group, 170 Infrastructure Support Engineer Group, Royal Engineers).[14][11]
  • Dr David Rosser (Chief Executive, University Hospitals Birmingham).[14][11]
  • Lisa Stalley-Green (Executive Chief Nurse, University Hospitals Birmingham and Chief Nurse of NHS Nightingale Birmingham).[11]
  • Morag Gates (Project Director, NHS Nightingale Birmingham).[11]

References
  1. "Birmingham's NHS Nightingale Hospital officially declared open by Prince William". Birmingham Mail. 16 April 2020.
  2. "Coronavirus: Birmingham's Nightingale hospital 'has no patients'". BBC News. 26 April 2020. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
  3. Sabbagh, Dan (16 March 2020). "Army likely to embed medics in NHS hospitals to help fight coronavirus". The Guardian.
  4. Schraer, Rachel (24 March 2020). "ExCeL Centre to be used as coronavirus hospital". BBC News.
  5. "Coronavirus: Nightingale Hospital opens at London's ExCel centre". BBC News. 3 April 2020.
  6. "Birmingham Nightingale hospital 'operational'". BBC News. 10 April 2020. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
  7. "Inside NHS Nightingale Birmingham at the NEC". ITV News. 8 April 2020.
  8. "Birmingham's Nightingale Hospital to be operational within days". Express and Star. 3 April 2020. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
  9. Davies, Caroline (3 April 2020). "Prince Charles to open NHS Nightingale to treat Covid-19 patients". The Guardian.
  10. "Site Map" (PDF). UHB. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
  11. "Birmingham NEC Nightingale Hospital 'phenomenal' effort". Express & Star. 8 April 2020.
  12. "Prince William opens Nightingale Hospital". BBC News.
  13. "Birmingham's Nightingale hospital Tesco store for NHS staff only". BBC News. 7 April 2020.
  14. "NHS Nightingale Hospital Birmingham on Track to See Patients Within a Week". NEC. 8 April 2020. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
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