First look inside 'Nightingale for the North' Covid-19 field hospital

It has been dubbed 'Nightingale for the North' and it is set to open next week to support hospitals across the North West cope with the demand of those infected by coronavirus.

Nightingale North West, which will be based at Manchester Central, is one of a number of temporary field hospitals to be set-up in a nationwide response to the Covid-19 pandemic and will be equipped and staffed to receive up to 750 patients from across the North West.

Project Lead for NHS Nightingale North West, Ian Williamson, said patients who are admitted to the field hospital will be those who have tested positive for coronavirus and who have already been in hospital, but are now stable enough to be transferred.

NHS Nightingale North West will be staffed by consultants, junior doctors, nurses, healthcare support workers, physiotherapists, pharmacists, occupational therapists, social workers, and other non-clinical support workers and administrators.

Credit: ITV News

In a video uploaded to Twitter, Leader of Manchester City Council, Sir Richard Leese, said he hoped not all 750 beds would need to be used.

A new executive leadership team for the hospital has been put in place is now working to recruit the right staff without destabilising the rest of the NHS in the region.

Juliette Cosgrove, Chief Nurse and Director of Governance at NHS Professionals, who will be the hospital’s Chief Nurse, said: “Nightingale North West is a key part of our region’s response to Covid-19. If you share our passion for caring for patients at this time of need and you’re available to work, we want to hear from you."

The field hospital is recruiting workers who have skill sets for the jobs listed below and who are from the North West and can commit to working for a minimum of four weeks.

  • Doctors (Tier 1, 2 and 3)

  • Advanced Nurse Practitioner

  • Registered General Nurses

  • Healthcare Support Workers

  • Physiotherapists

  • Pharmacists

  • Pharmacy Technicians and Assistants

  • Occupational Therapists

  • Ward Clerks & other administration roles

  • Social Workers

For those interested in applying visit here.

Major Matthew James-Fry, Military Assessment Team Commander said NHS staff are working just as equally as his team would would during military operations.

NHS Nightingale Hospital at the London Excel Centre was the first to open last week (April 3).