500-bed emergency field hospital will help treat those affected by coronavirus
The fourth NHS Nightingale hospital has opened in Harrogate to help cope with the pressure on the health service caused by coronavirus.
Designed by BDP, which was also responsible for the facilities already launched in London, Birmingham and Manchester; the NHS Nightingale Hospital Harrogate opened at Harrogate Convention Centre (HCC) in North Yorkshire yesterday (Tuesday).
Providing a temporary 500-bed level-three critical care field hospital for COVID-19 patients, the unit covers 10,253 sq m of the Grade II listed building.
The opening was overseen, via video link, by guest of honour, war veteran Captain Tom Moore, who has raised over £20m for the NHS effort by completing 100 laps of his garden before his upcoming 100th birthday.
In order to create the specialist hospital, BDP worked under main contractor, BAM, collaborating with clinicians, consultants, contractors and the British Army to deliver the facility in phases, the first of which has now been completed.
The exhibition halls vary in shape, size and location, requiring bed bay configuration plans and ward facilities to be adjusted for each floor, in a process which took just two weeks.
Architect director, Mihalis Walsh, said: “These hospitals are a result of exceptional collaboration in truly-unprecedented circumstances.
”People are all too aware of the need for these projects to be completed in the time allocated and all of our teams have been working tirelessly to ensure that this happens.”
BDP has designed all four hospitals that have opened to date
The construction of the hospital required:
The hospital is the fourth to open in England, with others due to launch in Glasgow, Cardiff, Bristol, and Belfast.
