34 critical care beds being freed up in WHSCT for COVID-19

Twenty-four of the beds will be at Altnagelvin with a further 10 in Enniskillen.

The beds will be needed for both COVID-19 patients and people with other critical conditions.

A Trust spokesperson said: “The Minister announced a plan to implement a Nightingale Ward at Belfast City Hospital for the sickest patients requiring mechanical ventilation, combined with stepped increase in capacity at the Ulster Hospital and at Altnagelvin - second phase surge for critical care.

“The operational aim across the Western Trust is to free up critical care beds to a maximum with the potential to go to 24 beds in Altnagelvin and 10 beds in South West Acute Hospital and to free up adult beds whilst protecting some baseline capacity – both critical care and adult beds - for patients whose conditions are time critical for example stroke care, heart attack, aneurysm.”

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