London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 31, 2025

London’s 4,000-bed Nightingale hospital to be SHUT after treating just 51 Covid-19 patients

London’s 4,000-bed Nightingale hospital to be SHUT after treating just 51 Covid-19 patients

NHS England’s flagship Nightingale hospital in London – which opened to much fanfare a month ago – is to close its doors and be placed on ‘standby’ after treating just 51 Covid-19 patients, despite having room for 4,000.

The construction of the ‘field hospital’ at the ExCeL Centre in East London, which was opened by Prince Charles on April 3, was hailed as a huge success by the UK government. Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the makeshift hospital showed the “best of the NHS.”

The hospital’s chief executive, Professor Charles Knight, emailed healthcare staff on Monday morning, telling them the site would be placed on standby after the remaining 20 patients are transferred to other medical facilities over the next four days. Knight added that they will be “ready to resume operations as and when needed in the weeks, and potentially months, to come.”

The 4,000-bed capacity hospital in the UK’s capital has remained largely empty, treating some 51 patients in its first three weeks.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s official spokesman insisted it was “positive” news that the Covid-19 hospital was suspending its operations, and added that although the London Nightingale will be placed on standby, they are “not anticipating” it will ever be needed again.



News of the hospital’s pending suspension comes after the PM’s spokesman revealed that other ‘Nightingale’ facilities in England – hurriedly constructed to ease pressure on the public healthcare system in the event of a surge in admissions – were either taking just a few patients, lying empty, or haven't even opened.

Critics of the UK government’s strategy say they have placed too much emphasis on resourcing hospitals and not enough on care homes – which provide vital shelter and support for the elderly, a vulnerable group particularly affected by the pandemic.

The latest official UK Covid-19 figures show that 186,599 people have tested positive for the deadly virus, while the death toll is nearing 30,000. The country has the second-highest number of coronavirus deaths in Europe, behind Italy.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
The British propaganda channel BBC News lies again.
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
×