Covid: Work starts on surge hub at Stevenage Lister Hospital

Work has started on a new coronavirus "Nightingale surge hub" being built to deal with a possible wave of hospital admissions due to the Omicron variant.

Lister Hospital in Stevenage, Herts, is one of eight across England to have the temporary units, expected to house up to 100 patients each.

The aim is to free up beds in the main hospital for those who need them most.

It is still not known whether the hubs will need to be used, but groundwork outside the Lister has now started.

The temporary structure will be built outside the main entrance to the hospital, known as the Plaza.

If it is eventually used, it will take patients from the main hospital who are on the road to recovery, but who are not fully fit for discharge.

The new hub will be for those who require less support than they would in the main hospital, as they get over the illness.

It will be staffed by a combination of hospital consultants, nurses, and other clinical and non-clinical staff.

The other hubs will be set up at the Royal Preston Hospital in Lancashire, St James's University Hospital in Leeds, St George's Hospital in Tooting in London, William Harvey Hospital in Ashford in Kent, North Bristol Hospital, Solihull Hospital in Birmingham, and University Hospitals Leicester.

The temporary structures are being set up in the grounds of hospitals so staff, equipment and emergency departments are close at hand.

NHS England said the move was precautionary and the newly-created structures may not be needed.

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