In a video message on Wednesday from the new 180-bed emergency facility being constructed at Millbrook playing field, Senator John Le Fondré did not rule out Jersey potentially offering beds to Guernsey should the island need assistance.
‘I have been asked whether we will support Guernsey, for example, through the Nightingale Hospital if they required additional bed capacity when they reach their peak,’ he said.
‘And I will say that our Health and Community Services Department work very closely with our colleagues in Guernsey with regard to our response to the virus and we are always happy to work collaboratively with our island neighbours, as they are with us,’ he added.
In a follow-up statement issued yesterday, the Senator said that ‘neither island was currently in a position where such support would be required’, as there has not been a significant surge in the number of cases.
He added: ‘We have had no approach from Guernsey whatsoever and yesterday I wanted to reassure Islanders that under a hypothetical situation we would maintain our position of always trying to support our island neighbour wherever we can.’
The JEP contacted Guernsey’s Chief Minister, Gavin St Pier, to ask whether he believed they would ever need to use the hospital, given that the number of active cases has dropped during the past ten days and the island appears to be past its peak. He declined to comment.
Separately, the Government of Jersey has issued an update on the progress of the construction of the Nightingale Hospital.
The floor and drainage system have now been installed, and a ‘bed head module’ has been signed off by clinical staff. The module includes all the elements required to provide a patient with the essentials they need, including oxygen supply, nurse call button, power and lights.
A test module has been built, and work is under way to fully install all 180 bed modules, each within its own partitioned area.
Other work which is ongoing includes installing electrics and fire alarms and creating utility connections.
The £14 million hospital is due to open on 4 May and is expected to be used for between four and six months.
