Covid-19: Exeter Nightingale stands down from coronavirus care

Coronavirus care at an emergency field hospital in Devon is to be stood down, the NHS has announced.

Health bosses said the focus on Covid-19 care at the facility in Exeter would be cut from 1 April.

The 116-bed hospital was one of seven initially built in England in 2020 to prevent the NHS from being overwhelmed.

The NHS said discussions were under way "to maintain a long-term service at the site, continuing the hospital legacy and supporting care in the region".

The facility, which was also used for vaccine trials, "was continuing to support the work in Devon through hosting diagnostic testing", it added.

A hospital spokesperson said: "The NHS Nightingale Hospital Exeter has proven to be an invaluable resource to support care for the Devon and wider South West community during the pandemic, providing care for people with Covid-19 and access to important diagnostic tests."

Named after Florence Nightingale, considered to be the founder of modern nursing, the building of the Exeter site was completed in July 2020.

The facility received its first Covid patients in November.

Diagnostic work carried out at the site since August has included, CT, ultrasound and echocardiography tests and scans.

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