News / coronavirus

Coronavirus ‘surge hub’ to be set up at Southmead Hospital

By Martin Booth  Thursday Dec 30, 2021

Around 100 patients will be able to be treated in a temporary ‘Nightingale’ unit that will be set up at Southmead Hospital.

It is one of eight coronavirus “surge hubs” at hospitals across England in preparation for a potential wave of Omicron admissions.

A full-scale Nightingale Hospital built in 2020 within the exhibition centre at UWE Bristol’s Frenchay campus was never needed to treat patients with Covid-19.

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But this time, temporary structures like that at Southmead will be set up in the grounds of hospitals so staff, equipment and emergency departments are nearby.

NHS medical director, professor Stephen Powis said the service was on a “war footing”, and “cannot wait to find out before we act” given the number of infections and uncertainty about Omicron’s severity.

Main photo: James Koch

Read more: Cost of Nightingale Hospital Bristol revealed

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