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Birmingham Post
Birmingham Post
Business
Zosia Eyres & Hannah Baker

Inside the 1,000-bed NHS Nightingale hospital in Bristol

The first image inside the 1,000-bed Nightingale hospital in Bristol being built for patients suffering with Covid-19 has been released.

The hospital is being built on the University of West of England's Frenchay campus with the help of local manufacturing business Gilcrest.

The company has designed and developed a fast assembly partition system that is being used to build hospital wards around the UK, including the one in Bristol.

When opened, the hospital be staffed by NHS workers including student nurses, medical students and former doctors, and workers who have come out of retirement to help.

A spokesperson for Gilcrest Manufacturing said: "The system is being manufactured as a priority in our Bristol factory with thanks to our teams both in the factory and design and scheduling. They really are going above and beyond to keep the sites on schedule.

"The partition system is simple and quick to install. Material supply chain is UK based to ensure supply continuity in these critical times. Also, importantly, the system is constructed from fire retardant materials."

They added: "Gilcrest Manufacturing has been producing non-stop in contribution of NHS Nightingale Hospitals for sites throughout the UK."

The image, which was tweeted by deputy leader of North Somerset Council Mike Bell on a recent visit, shows the work in its initial stages, with the site filled with dividers.

He tweeted: "Fantastic to see the progress being made to set up the NHS Nightingale Hospital Bristol, which is due to accept its first patients in the week commencing 20 April. Great work by @NorthBristolNHS@BNSSG_CCG@NHSEngland."

The Nightingale hospitals are part of a nationwide effort to respond to the health emergency caused by coronavirus.

The Government says NHS Hospitals across the country have already freed up more than 33,000 beds - the equivalent of 50 new hospitals - for treatment of coronavirus patients.

Bristol's hospital is expected to open "in the coming weeks", according to a Downing Street spokesperson.

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