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Royal opening for Nightingale Hospital Bristol
Prince Edward said all NHS workers are owed a huge debt of gratitude as he officially opened the new Nightingale Hospital Bristol.
Reiterating the sentiments of health bosses and city leaders, the Earl of Wessex said the hope is that the facility, which has been built in UWE’s exhibition and conference centre, will never be needed.
The Nightingale Hospital, with provision for up to 300 intensive care beds for coronavirus patients, was officially opened on Monday when a semi-virtual ceremony was held, with health secretary Matt Hancock and Prince Edward both speaking via video link.
The Earl of Wessex said: “Today, we once again owe a huge debt of gratitude to everyone working in the health service, whatever your role. Whether you are tending those suffering from COVID-19 or looking after all the other patients who still need your care or keeping our hospitals running.”
He added: “It is a somewhat curious experience to be asked to open a facility which we hope will never been required.”
The Earl of Wessex speaks via video link during the formal opening of Bristol Nightingale Hospital. Photo credit by Ben Birchall/PA Wire
The hospital was built in just 24 days. Photo by Ben Birchall/PA Wire
Michele Romaine, the chair of North Bristol NHS Trust, said: “Our new NHS Nightingale Hospital shows what can be achieved when a group of passionate and talented people come together with a shared purpose – to provide hope and save lives.”
Marie-Noelle Orzel, chief officer of NHS Nightingale Hospital Bristol added that the hospital, which was built in just 24 days, is “an extraordinary achievement and a testament to the hard work of all those involved”.
The new facility is one of seven Nightingale hospitals to be set up around the country in response to what has been described as the “greatest global health emergency in more than a century”.
The extra capacity is on top of the 33,000 additional beds freed up across NHS hospitals and up to 8,000 beds available through a deal with the independent sector.
Matt Hancock urged people to continue following government advice to stay home and save lives. Photo by Ben Birchall/PA Wire
Hancock added his thanks to all involved in establishing the new hospital, saying: “I want to take this opportunity to thank all of our health and social care staff who will be working at NHS Nightingale Bristol, serving people locally and providing vital extra capacity for local hospitals should it be needed.
“We all continue to have a role to play in staying home to support our NHS and save lives.”
Sir Simon Stevens, CEO of the NHS added his congratulations to all involved. He added: “Fortunately, it now looks as if, thanks in part to the actions the public are taking, we are coming through the peak of that number of hospital beds, but we know that coronavirus is going to be with us for months if not years to come.
“And we also know that there is going to be continuing pressure on services meaning that the capacity that the Nightingale hospitals represent will be useful to have not just over the coming weeks but potentially over months beyond that as well.”
More than 100 companies and hundreds of volunteers were involved in the mammoth effort to get the new hospital up and running, including the military and Bristol-based BDP architects.
Professor Steve West, vice-chancellor at UWE Bristol said he was proud the university was able to help the NHS and support the region during such challenging times.
More than 100 companies, the military and hundreds of volunteers joined forces to build the hospital. Photo by Ben Birchall/PA Wire
Main photo by Ben Churchill/PA Wire
Read more: Nightingale Hospital Bristol expected to open by the end of April
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