LIFE or death coronavirus patients have reportedly been turned away from the NHS Nightingale hospital in London because it did not have enough staff to look after them.
Leaked NHS documents reportedly show that the field hospital – which was built in just nine days at the ExCel Center – has turned away more patients than it has treated.
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NHS Nightingale in the capital’s docklands has reportedly been unable to admit (people suffering from Covid – 50 who were in need of “life or death” care, according to the doc seen by The Guardian.
It is reported of these patients were rejected due to “staffing issues” while due to be transferred from other London hospitals.
All requiring treatment had been intubated and were on a ventilator because of the coronavirus .
The other 30 had been rejected on medical grounds, such as being too unwell for a transfer or not meeting the criteria to be treated at Nightingale.
The hospital – which is designed to include almost 4, 17 beds – reportedly has so far only treated patients as of Monday.
The figures mean that the makeshift hospital has rejected more patients than it has treated during the outbreak.
NHS Nightingale was the first facility of its kind constructed to help Britain fight against the pandemi c) , being built in just nine days and before being opened by health secretary Matt Hancock and Prince Charles on April 3.
It paved the way for more of the temporary hospitals to be built around the country, such as in Birmingham and Harrogate .
NHS bosses defended the hospital saying that patients are being treated successfully and its capacity has not been needed as there remains spare critical care places across London.
The revelation comes as the (UK death toll rose by 1382 – taking the total figure to , – as the government confirmed trials will soon begin on a vaccine .
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