Coronavirus: Belfast Health Trust 'working towards' Nightingale closure

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Staff outside Nightingale hospitalImage source, Pacemaker
Image caption,
Nightingale staff pictured taking part in the weekly Clap for Carers tribute earlier this month

The Belfast Health Trust has said it is "working towards" closing Northern Ireland's Nightingale Hospital later on Tuesday.

It was designed to care for the most seriously-ill Covid-19 patients.

Those were patients who needed mechanical and non-invasive ventilation, which requires extra staff support.

Covid-19 confirmed patients who did not need ventilation were treated at their local acute hospital, where intensive care including ventilation was also available in most cases.

The Nightingale Hospital received its first ventilated patient on 1 April and has treated a total of 112 patients during its time in operation.

Image source, Pacemaker
Image caption,
The Nightingale was designed to care for Covid-19 patients who needed ventilation

At the peak of the outbreak, there were 22 Covid-19 positive ventilated patients being treated in the Nightingale, while another 36 patients were nursed outside of intensive care in the facility.

Figures from the Department of Health's Covid-19 dashboard on Monday showed there were 15 patients with confirmed Covid-19 in Belfast City Hospital (the Nightingale) and that 97 others have been discharged from the facility over the course of the pandemic.

The Belfast Health Trust said it is working to ensure patients are clinically fit for discharge to other facilities, and that Tuesday, 19 May - today - is the date it is working towards for the closure of the facility.

Last week, Health Minister Robin Swann announced the Nightingale was being temporarily stood down but would remain available for use in the future should it be needed.