London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Jun 20, 2025

Five ways hospitals will change to tackle virus

Hospital beds in hotel rooms and ventilators made at car factories are among coronavirus plans for the NHS.

1. Hotel room or hospital ward?

The health secretary said empty hotels across the country would help ease the pressure on hospitals that are filling up with patients.

"Some people are saying: 'Should you build a hospital?'" Mr Hancock told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show.

"Actually, we've seen that many hotels are empty so we've got ready-built facilities for looking after people."

Asked about whether military field hospitals might also be used to spread the load, Mr Hancock said: "I'm open to all options."

He said he was more concerned that enough staff members and equipment were available to cope with an influx in patients, rather than worrying about where those patients would go to receive care.

"The critical thing is that [the hotels] need oxygen supply and the ventilation equipment - whether it's the invasive ventilation or just the mask on your face.

"So what matters is not just the space, it's making sure that the equipment and the trained staff are there as well."

Hotel chain Best Western said it was considering turning some of its properties into temporary hospitals to help the NHS.

Chief executive Rob Paterson said Best Western would discuss the idea this week and "would be willing to take unprecedented steps to support the national effort".

The chain reported an increase in cancellations over the last month as a result of the pandemic.


2. NHS or private hospital?


The Labour Party and the GMB union have called on the government to use empty beds in "plush private hospitals" to ease the pressure on the NHS.

Downing Street confirmed on Sunday that the health service would buy up thousands of beds in private hospitals if they were needed to cope with a surge in patient numbers.

The government said "negotiations" with private healthcare providers have already begun.

But the GMB union is calling for these beds to be given to the NHS for free.

"This is a public health emergency, not a business opportunity for shoddy private healthcare chums to profiteer from distress," said GMB's Rehana Azam.


3. Ventilators made at car factories


How will thousands of new ventilators - machines needed to help patients breathe - be made quickly enough to cope with an increase in demand?

Mr Hancock said there were 5,000 ventilators available in the UK at the moment but that many times that number would be needed as the number of people with Covid-19, the disease caused by coronavirus, increased.

Asked if the likes of military engineers and car manufacturers would be asked to meet the demand, the health secretary said: "Yes, we're talking to all those companies."

"We've got high quality engineering in this country. And we want anybody who has the manufacturing capability to turn to the manufacture of ventilators to do that," he added.

The speedy manufacturing might not stop once the UK has enough ventilators either, with Mr Hancock suggesting the equipment could be sent abroad to help other countries in need.

Digger manufacturing company JCB confirmed Prime Minister Boris Johnson had asked if they could help to make ventilators.

Chairman Lord Bamford said the British company - which cut production and working hours in February as coronavirus led to a shortage of components - would do "whatever we can to help during the unprecedented times our country is facing".


4. Operating theatres converted into wards

The cancellation of swathes of non-urgent - or "elective" - surgery will help to free up space, Mr Hancock said.

He said the sorts of operations that could be delayed "in this emergency" situation included hip and knee operations.

Operating theatres where these procedures are normally carried out are equipped with oxygen supplies, meaning they "can be turned into wards" for coronavirus patients.

This measure is "one of the first things that we're going to do", he added.


5. New (and old) staff

All those extra ventilators will throw up another problem - there are not enough trained nurses and doctors to operate them.

To fix this, Mr Hancock said the government wanted to bring recently-retired doctors "back into service".

But, the health secretary said, some of those workers would need to be trained up to deal with the specific needs of Covid-19 - which is a respiratory disease,

"We will be stopping some other activity, and asking doctors who normally do other things to retrain to be able to, for instance, use the ventilators."

He would not say how long it might take to train people up but did say: "We will do it as fast as we can."

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
UK Home Secretary Apologizes Over Child Grooming Failures
Trump Organization Launches 5G Mobile Network and Golden Handset
Towcester Hosts 2025 English Greyhound Derby Amid Industry Scrutiny
Gary Oldman and David Beckham Knighted in King's Birthday Honours
Over 30,000 Lightning Strikes Recorded Across UK During Overnight Storms
Princess of Wales Returns to Public Duties at Trooping the Colour
Red Arrows Use Sustainable Fuel in Historic Trooping the Colour Flypast
Former Welsh First Minister Addresses Unionist Concerns Over Irish Language
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
France Bars Israeli Arms Companies from Paris Defense Expo
King Charles Leads Tribute to Air India Crash Victims at Trooping the Colour
Jack Pitchford Embarks on 200-Mile Walk to Support Stem Cell Charity
Surrey Hikers Take on Challenge of Climbing 11 Peaks in a Single Day
UK Deploys RAF Jets to Middle East Amid Israel-Iran Tensions
Two Skydivers Die in 'Tragic Accident' at Devon Airfield
Sainsbury's and Morrisons Accused of Displaying Prohibited Tobacco Ads
UK Launches National Inquiry into Grooming Gangs
Families Seek Closure After Air India Crash
Gold Emerges as Global Safe Haven Amid Uncertainty
Trump Reports $57 Million Earnings from Crypto Venture
Trump's Military Parade Sparks Concerns Over Authoritarianism
Nationwide 'No Kings' Protests Challenge Trump's Leadership
UK Deploys Jets to Middle East Amid Rising Tensions
Trump's Anti-War Stance Tested Amid Israel-Iran Conflict
Germany Holds First Veterans Celebration Since WWII
U.S. Health Secretary Dismisses CDC Vaccine Advisory Committee
Minnesota Lawmaker Melissa Hortman and Husband Killed in Targeted Attack; Senator John Hoffman and Wife Injured
Exiled Iranian Prince Reza Pahlavi Urges Overthrow of Khamenei Regime
×