It has been announced that the Army may be called to run temporary Covid wards in hospital canteens and car parks, as well as meeting rooms, if the NHS is overwhelmed by Omicron.
NHS England informed health officials of its plans to make ‘lots and little Nightingales’ if hospitalizations exceed last January’s peak. This refers to the seven Nightingale-style hospitals that were set up to deal with Covid patients but never utilized on a large-scale.
NHS England announced Tuesday that makeshift wards will be able to care for 100 patients in conference calls.
The Health Service Journal reported that they will be used for the treatment of the sickest.
Patients with more severe or critical conditions, such as those who require oxygen or ventilators, will continue to receive treatment in the existing specialist wards.
Army medical personnel will operate the “mini Nightingales”, according to health officials. However, formal requests for assistance are still not made.
NHS England informed health officials of its plans to make ‘lots and little Nightingales’ if hospitalisations exceed those last January. (Pictured, Ambulance personnel in the ExCeL London Exhibition Centre car park in London on April 1, 2020 after the building was converted into an NHS Nightingale Hospital).
In a series of conference calls on Tuesday, NHS England said the makeshift wards would care for up to 100 patients (Pictured: Former Health Secretary Matt Hancock is pictured at the opening of London’s 4,000-bed Nightingale Hospital in April 2020)
According to The Times, the regional conference calls indicated that those with no clinical experience working for local commissioning group (CCGs) would be included in the efforts.
This comes just weeks after Sajid Javid, the Cabinet’s earlier representative, spoke of his plans to establish ‘on-site Nightingales.
They will not be as big as the Nightingale seven-bed hospitals that were demolished in April.
As the NHS faces staff shortages, the’mini Nightingales plan’ to use non-hospital personnel for makeshift wards is a good idea.
The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) reports that one-third of all doctors have been affected by Covid.
Sajid Javid, an earlier speaker to the Cabinet this week, mentioned plans to establish ‘on-site Nightingales’ to deal with Omicron surges. (Pictured is a Nightingale Hospital in Exeter within the Sowton Industrial Estate).
London is reporting the highest number of absences, with the health body describing it as ‘the worst we’ve seen during the pandemic’ while PPE has been available.
Andrew Goddard (President of the RCP) stated that if there was proper NHS workforce planning taking into account future and current demand, I believe we’d have thousands more doctors, nurses, or other clinicians.
The spokesperson for NHS stated that Omicron is a potential threat and the NHS should be prepared for an increase in hospital admissions.
‘Hospitals are already putting measures in place.
“Book your booster vaccination. It is the best thing that you can do for yourself and your family.”