Ashford specialist Nightingale Ward may not be used

The Nightingale Ward was built in the middle of the hospital's car park

NHS managers have major concerns that a ward built in case Covid-19 hospital admissions spiked may not be useable - or needed.

The Nightingale Ward at the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford is one of eight specialist hubs around England.

Issues including staffing levels mean the East Kent Hospitals University Foundation Trust is "unable" to make it functional, board papers revealed.

It is also "likely" the hub, which cost about £3m, is surplus to requirements.

Papers from the trust's board meeting on Thursday reveal a plethora of issues in delivering services in the Nightingale Ward.

These include problems with building regulations, IT in the building and a lack of staff.

The specialist ward can accommodate 70 beds

The hub could also "adversely impact other trust services" because it restricts access to other parts of the hospital site, the board papers revealed.

Built in the middle of the hospital car park, it also limits parking for staff and patients.

Construction work on the hub finished last week. It cost between £2.7m and £3.5m and was paid for by central government.

However, the board papers acknowledge that "mobilisation of the facility is no longer a likely scenario," due to omicron levels peaking in January and admissions now reducing.

The construction of the new ward was funded by the government

In a report included in the board papers, the trust's chairman, Niall Dickson, said: "At the time of writing this report we are still considering whether and how the building could be used."

Removing the hub would be an NHS England decision.

A spokeswoman for NHS England and Improvement said: "As has been the case since December, the Nightingale hubs are there to be used if local health systems come under very intense pressure."

Follow BBC South East on Facebook, on Twitter, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to [e-mail].