Rubber Box supports NHS and emergency Nightingale hospitals
Our products have a long history of being used to supply temporary facilities and events, and this month we’ve been busy with one of the most time-critical orders in recent memory – supplying our electrical distribution equipment to the National Health Service, to help them set up the new Nightingale hospitals in locations across the UK.
With adaptable, scalable products and a speedy, efficient service, we’ve supplied equipment for four separate Nightingale hospitals. The products in question comprised several types of stock units and cables, which will be used to power ventilators and other lifesaving equipment. Here, we explain a bit about the purpose of Nightingale hospitals, and how they’ll be used to serve public health at large.
What are the Nightingale hospitals?
In a nutshell, the Nightingale hospitals are emergency field hospitals – temporary facilities that are being set up across the UK to provide critical care to patients affected by Covid-19, otherwise known as the coronavirus. Under the oversight of NHS England, these Nightingale hospitals are being set up in major cities and urban centres in large venues which are normally used for lifestyle shows, expos and conferences. (Examples include the Birmingham NEC and Manchester Central convention centre.)
The full list of locations includes:
- Glasgow SEC
- Belfast City Hospital
- Harrogate Convention Centre
- Manchester Central
- Birmingham NEC
- London ExCel
- Cardiff Principality Stadium
- Bristol UWE
Why do we need Nightingale hospitals?
They’re being set up to receive Covid-19 positive patients who have just come out of critical care facilities in hospitals, but have not yet been declared fit to go home. The idea is that the Nightingale hospitals can give patients a stable, safe place to recover, while freeing up the most critical facilities and staff in permanent hospitals so that they can more effectively treat newly-diagnosed patients.
The Nightingale hospitals were set up in only a matter of weeks, and the component systems that are normally used to build exhibition stands are now being used as the basis of most of the medical facilities and equipment. (This is where our cables and electrical distribution boxes came in, helping to lay the groundwork for these new installations.)
The scale of the facilities is particularly impressive, especially given the speed with which they were constructed. The Manchester Nightingale hospital will have capacity for up to 750 people when complete, and it contains enough flooring to fill Wembley Stadium twice. The London ExCel facility was constructed in just four days with the help of up to 200 soldiers a day from the Royal Anglian Regiment and Royal Gurka rifles. It currently has capacity for 500 patients, but at full capacity can accommodate as many as 4000.
Update: as of 5th of May 2020, the London site is being closed down for now, as it was only caring for 20 patients – nowhere near its full capacity. Very positive news!
Rubber Box is still open for business!
Despite the ongoing crisis, we’re still open for business here at Rubber Box, and we’re still completing contracts for our existing clients, as well as brand new ones like the NHS. Our full range of products and cables are available to view on our website, but if you need any help or advice (or you’re looking for something specific), you can always give us a call on 01282 677910. We’re here to help!