New Nightingale surge hubs are being set up at hospitals across the country in preparation for a potential wave of Omicron admissions.

The temporary structures, set up by the NHS, will be capable of holding around 100 patients and will be put in the grounds of eight hospitals in England.

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The North West hub will be located at Royal Preston Hospital. Having these hubs in hospital grounds will make it easier to flex staff and equipment in the instance there is a surge in admissions.

NHS trusts will also be asked to identify other areas than can be converted to accommodate patients, places such as gyms and education centres will be considered.

The Nightingale surge facilities are the latest in a series of actions taken by NHS leaders in the last couple of weeks in response to the rapid spread of the new Omicron variant and the prospect of another major wave of people needing hospital treatment for the virus.

The first eight of the Nightingale surge hubs will be at the following hospitals:

• North West – Royal Preston
• North East and Yorkshire – Leeds, St James’ site
• Midlands – Solihull Hospital, University Hospitals Birmingham and University Hospitals Leicester
• East of England – Lister Hospital, Stevenage
• London – St George’s
• South East – William Harvey Hospital, Ashford
• South West – North Bristol

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