Loughborough Hospital prepares for Covid-19 patients

Two extra wards are about to open to help deal with additional patients during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The wards were previously used as training and meeting rooms but have been brought back to action.

There are now an extra 36 beds at Loughborough on top of the 24 at the existing Swithland Ward.

Other capacity is also being created at Coalville Community Hospital.

Over the past two weeks the Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust has taken delivery of:

• 100 hospital beds
• 100 mattresses
• 100 bedside and over-bed tables
• 50 oxygen concentrators
• 400 infra red non-contact thermometers.

Inpatient matron Jane Howden said: “In response to the potential need for additional beds, Charnwood ward and Gracedieu ward have been renovated with a total of 36 beds.

“We are ready and waiting for patients.”

She added that there had been additional training for ward staff, many of whom had been redeployed from other NHS roles and would be unused to mainly older and immobile patients. The training has included how to safely put on and remove personal protective equipment, and how to safely move otherwise immobile patients."