Nightingale Hospital here for the winter

Thursday 13 August 2020

The Nightingale Hospital is staying until next spring in case the island has a second wave of covid-19 this winter.

Health Minister Richard Renouf has confirmed that the lease for temporary wing at Millbrook will be extended until March 2021, with the contract being signed imminently.

The lease extension will cost £1.6m, which will come out of the existing £14.4m budget that was allocated when the Government decided to build a hospital in April.

By the end of June, £8,417,054 of the £14.4m had been spent.

Most of that figure - £5,655.465 – was the cost of preparing Millbrook Playing Fields and then building the 180-bed wing.

Pictured: The Government spent more that £5m to build the Nightingale Hospital on Millbrook Playing Fields.

The hospital, which opened on 11 May, has its own oxygen generation plant and was erected to treat Islanders who needed ventilation but not intensive care.

It has not yet had a patient, but has been used for training.

Deputy Renouf said: “Medical experts acknowledge that there is still a risk of an increase of cases over the winter months, so it’s important the Government continues to listen and respond to that advice. 

Pictured: Health Minister Richard Renouf has welcomed the decision to extend the lease of the temporary hospital.

“The Nightingale Wing offers us security, and the knowledge that, if we are to face a second wave of COVID-19 in the Island, we have the infrastructure in place to look after our patients. 

“The Nightingale Wing is Jersey’s insurance policy, and although this means an increase in cost, it is reassuring that we have a top-class facility if we need it. 

“We have a much better understanding of how this virus works now, and our strategy is still to take medical advice. We will continue to implement all necessary measures to reduce the risk of spread to Islanders and protect the wellbeing of our community.”

Last month, some panels were damaged during heavy thunderstorms, which caused some leaks, but the Hospital was quickly repaired by contractors at their own cost. 

Advanced life support clinical training resumes - a challenge to deliver with distancing rules, essential for clinicians & good use of space at the Nightingale Wing - well done @resuservicejsy #learninginteams https://t.co/VVr9Mn5Ram

— Rose Naylor (@ChiefNurseJsy) July 28, 2020

The site is protected by security guards from G4S.

A recent response to a request under the Freedom of Information Law revealed that Health had spent £121,788 on security to the end of June.