BRITAIN’s empty hotels will be turned into makeshift hospitals and operating theatres will be transformed into wards to help the NHS cope with the coronavirus.
The military could even have to open field hospitals if the pandemic hits the worst case scenario, ministers admitted today.
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Non-essential surgery such as knee and hip operations will be cancelled because doctors will need to divert oxygen supplies in theatres to treat coronavirus sufferers.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: “They have oxygen supplies in them because they’re operating theatres and they can be turned into wards.
“So that’s one of the ways we can change the NHS because the specific needs of this disease are now clear.”
Asked if elective surgery is going to have to be cancelled, he told BBC’s Andrew Marr Show: “Yes, of course.”
But eventually buildings that aren’t normally used to treat patients will be needed to help the NHS treat and house those diagnosed with coronavirus, Mr Hancock said.
And he said said hotels are the obvious option because many are currently empty due to the virus outbreak and are also “ready-built” for looking after people.
Asked whether army field hospitals could even be needed, Mr Hancock replied: “I’m open to all options.”
The news comes as:
- The UK death toll yesterday shot up from 11 to 21 and there are now 1,140 positive cases for the disease
- Hancock confirmed that elderly people would be told to stay inside “in weeks” as the crisis continues
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Spain and Italy are on a 15-day lockdown with flights cancelled and tourists told to ‘stay indoors’
- The Health Secretary couldn’t guarantee that everyone who needs a ventilator will get one – as the PM asked Rolls Royce and JCB to build more
- The Queen has quit Buckingham Palace over coronavirus and has been whisked off to Windsor castle
- Pubs and restaurants could be shut like in Italy to stop the spread, as Matt Hancock refused to rule out extreme measures
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Hotels will be turned into hospitals and operating theatres packed with beds
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Families will be told to self-isolate together if just ONE shows symptoms
The Health Secretary said: “Some people are saying ‘should you build a hospital?’ Actually, we’ve seen that many hotels are empty so we’ve got ready-built facilities for looking after people.
“But the critical thing is that they need oxygen supply and the ventilation equipment – whether it’s the invasive ventilation or just the mask on your face.
“So what matters is not just the space, it’s making sure that the equipment and the trained staff are there as well.
“There is a massive effort going on to try to make sure that capacity is as big as possible.”
It comes after Boris Johnson ordered officials to buy up private clinic beds to boost capacity if the killer virus quickly spreads.
The drastic action came amid fears that some hospitals will be forced to stop treating the most severely-ill victims to make room for those with better survival chances.
Hospitals are quickly increasing their intensive care capacity, though doctors say wards are already reaching breaking point.
But Mr Johnson has given NHS chiefs the go-ahead to approach private clinics should they be needed. It will help ensure all elderly or vulnerable patients are treated.
NHS chief Sir Simon Stevens said: “The scale of the challenge means we can’t do this alone. On Monday we will be providing further operational instructions to all hospitals.” In a further move, the PM will ask leading British manufacturers of ventilators to join the national effort.
