Harrogate Nightingale Hospital told to 'mobilise'published at 11:35 British Summer Time 12 October 2020Breaking
Harrogate's Nightingale Hospital is one of three being told to prepare to take patients as the number of coronavirus cases continues to rise, it's been confirmed.
The 500-bed field hospital opened at the North Yorkshire town's convention centre in April in order to care for patients suffering from Covid-19.
A virtual ceremony involving fundraiser Captain Tom Moore was held to open the facility, the first of seven field hospitals built outside a city.
The site, along with Nightingale Hospitals in Manchester and Sunderland, has been asked to get ready for patients, according to NHS England medical director Professor Stephen Powis.
He says: "They are being asked to mobilise over the next few weeks to be ready to accept patients if necessary."
It will be for local clinicians to decide whether they are used for Covid patients or to provide extra capacity to maintain services for people without coronavirus.