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Part of the Birmingham National Exhibition Centre has been converted into an emergency field hospital to treat Covid-19 victims. It will initially provide 800 patient beds equipped with ventilators.
It was officially opened today (Thursday 16th April) by the Duke of Cambridge and health secretary Matt Hancock via a video link.
As the principal contractor, Interserve Construction delivered the first phase of the hospital on behalf of the NHS and the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust. More than 400 employees and contractors and 60 Gurkhas from the British Army worked more than 86,000 construction hours on the project.
The project has required more than 64 miles of cable to be laid, 10 miles of copper piping, 15,000m2 of plywood and 82,000 m2 (or 11.5 football pitches) of vinyl flooring.
According to Interserve, this was all installed while maintaining social distancing rules protocols, with all workers remaining at least two metres apart at all times while on site.
Interserve Construction is continuing its work at the NHS Nightingale Birmingham to increase patient capacity up to 4,000 beds.
Paul Gandy, managing director of Interserve Construction was, naturally, chuffed. He said: “Interserve Construction and Interserve Engineering Services together with all our contractors can be proud of what has been achieved delivering the new Nightingale Birmingham Hospital on time. Drawing upon our considerable experience delivering construction projects for the NHS, we have worked 24 hours a day to build this hospital. Despite the major logistical challenges, it shows what can be achieved when people come together from across the construction sector.”
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