Covid-19: Jersey's Nightingale hospital to close

The 180 beds for Covid-19 patients in Jersey's Nightingale hospital were never used

Jersey's Nightingale hospital is to be decommissioned and dismantled, the Government of Jersey has announced.

No patients were treated in the 180-bed facility, but Health Minister Richard Renouf said it had offered additional capacity if needed.

Jersey has five known cases of coronavirus, none of whom are being treated in hospital.

There have been 69 deaths and 3,228 cases of the virus since the pandemic began.

The government set aside £14.4m for the hospital, but by the end of February had spent £11.2m of that budget.

The Nightingale was opened in May last year to alleviate potential pressure from severely ill Covid-19 patients and in July the lease was extended until March 2021.

More than 55,000 Covid-19 vaccines have been administered, 44,000 of which are first doses and 11,000 are second doses, amounting to about 51 doses per 100 people in Jersey.

The government said the decision to decommission the facility was based on:

• Advice from Jersey's Scientific and Technical Advisory Cell that the facility is not needed

• The anticipated effect of vaccination reducing serious illness

• The General Hospital's ability to manage Covid-19 patients

• Increased resilience of oxygen supply at the hospital

• The availability of more options for managing and supporting those with serious illness

'Better understanding'

Mr Renouf said the facility had offered additional capacity in case a "severe" number of patients fell critically ill.

He said: "Having now been through two waves of the pandemic, we have a much better understanding of how this virus works and the increased resilience management.

"The support offered within the Jersey General Hospital and throughout the community has meant we no longer require the Nightingale Wing."

Clearing the contents and dismantling the facility will begin soon, the government said, adding the land will be returned to its original state.