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Coronavirus: New virus hospital 'operational for at least five months' Coronavirus: New virus hospital 'operational for at least five months'
(about 4 hours later)
Scotland's new temporary coronavirus hospital will be available and operational for at least five months, its chief executive has said.Scotland's new temporary coronavirus hospital will be available and operational for at least five months, its chief executive has said.
The £43m NHS Louisa Jordan facility at the SEC campus in Glasgow is now ready to receive Covid-19 patients.The £43m NHS Louisa Jordan facility at the SEC campus in Glasgow is now ready to receive Covid-19 patients.
It will provide up to 1,036 additional beds to support the pandemic response.It will provide up to 1,036 additional beds to support the pandemic response.
It is hoped the hospital will not be needed, as ongoing lockdown measures slow the rate of transmission of the virus in Scotland.It is hoped the hospital will not be needed, as ongoing lockdown measures slow the rate of transmission of the virus in Scotland.
But chief executive Jill Young says staff will be available to help the NHS "for as long as we are needed".But chief executive Jill Young says staff will be available to help the NHS "for as long as we are needed".
She told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme: "The timeframe at the moment is five months for us, but clearly with the option to extend that if it is required.She told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme: "The timeframe at the moment is five months for us, but clearly with the option to extend that if it is required.
"We will be looking at a decommissioning strategy but there are no plans or dates for that at the moment.""We will be looking at a decommissioning strategy but there are no plans or dates for that at the moment."
Construction of the hospital began on 31 March after the British Army conducted a feasibility study. The work took 18 days to complete.Construction of the hospital began on 31 March after the British Army conducted a feasibility study. The work took 18 days to complete.
Ms Young said NHS Louisa Jordan was now "fully functioning", with all the facilities available at a normal hospital - including a pharmacy, CT scanner, and cleaning and catering teams.Ms Young said NHS Louisa Jordan was now "fully functioning", with all the facilities available at a normal hospital - including a pharmacy, CT scanner, and cleaning and catering teams.
Many of the staff are student nurses, junior doctors and returners to the NHS.Many of the staff are student nurses, junior doctors and returners to the NHS.
Ms Young said that more than 100 staff were at the hospital last week for training and induction.Ms Young said that more than 100 staff were at the hospital last week for training and induction.
The facility will only be for Covid-19 patients who are aged 18 years or older.The facility will only be for Covid-19 patients who are aged 18 years or older.
It will be for patients who do not need intensive care - or who were recovering after being in intensive care.It will be for patients who do not need intensive care - or who were recovering after being in intensive care.
"Clearly though, we have made provision for high dependency here because we have to take account that some patients may deteriorate after they're here," Ms Young said."Clearly though, we have made provision for high dependency here because we have to take account that some patients may deteriorate after they're here," Ms Young said.
"We have the ability to stabilise them and get them returned back by ambulance to an appropriate critical care unit.""We have the ability to stabilise them and get them returned back by ambulance to an appropriate critical care unit."
Latest figures The hospital opening comes as the latest figures showed that a further 12 people had died in hospital after testing positive for Covid-19.
It comes as the latest figures showed that a further 10 people had died in hospital after testing positive for Covid-19. Monday's figures showed that the death toll had risen to 915.
Sunday's figures showed that the death toll had risen to 903, with 8,187 people now testing positive for the virus - an increase of 367 in the past 24 hours. There were 263 new positive tests for the virus in the past 24 hours, taking the total to 8,450.
There has been a drop of eight patients being treated in intensive care - a total of 174 and 1,797 people are in hospital with confirmed or suspected Covid-19, a rise of four. A total of 1,809 patients are in hospital with suspected or confirmed Covid-19, with 169 being treated in intensive care.
A total of 39,612 tests have now been carried out. Inside Scotland's newest hospital
Only a matter of weeks ago, I could have been at Glasgow's SEC for a conference or a concert.
But standing here today in the middle of hall five in the conference centre, I am in a fully-functioning, hospital. There are cubicles with beds, monitoring equipment, PPE, portable x-ray equipment.
It's all here. But there are no patients.
The plan is to be able to mobilise within 48 hours should Scotland's hospitals reach capacity. Unlike the Nightingale in London, NHS Louisa Jordan has been designed to treat Covid patients who are recovering.
The hospital has intensive care capacity with ventilation if required, but it is not the expectation that the most critically ill will need to be treated here.
It might be, in time, that the Louisa Jordan will have a role to play in freeing up other hospitals to get back to day-to-day duties. To start scaling back up treatments that are currently on hold.
But for now it is on standby with a hope it will not be used.
Louisa Jordan in numbersLouisa Jordan in numbers