Work to begin this week on dismantling the Nightingale

Nightingale Hospital Millbrook Jersey Picture: DAVID FERGUSON

Lay-by seven along Victoria Avenue will be closed during the project to allow parking for workers who are helping to take down the temporary hospital on Millbrook playing field.

The 180-bed facility was built in five weeks last May.

It was designed with the ability to extend to 240 Covid patients to provide additional hospital capacity, if necessary. However, the wing was never used.

Earlier this year it was revealed that a total of £11.2 million had been spent on the facility from an initial budget of £14.4 million.

Almost £9 million was spent on set-up and construction, while running costs, security and building and equipment hire cost the government a further £2.3million.

This figure is expected to have increased by the time the wing is taken down.

A decision to decommission the facility was taken by ministers at the end of March following advice from the Scientific and Technical Advisory Cell that it was no longer needed to provide back-up support.

This was due to the vaccination programme being expected to reduce serious illness from the virus, the ability of the Hospital to manage Covid-19 patients and the increased resilience of oxygen supplies.

Almost 60,000 Islanders have now received their first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, while just over 40,000 people are fully vaccinated after receiving both doses.

It is hoped most of the equipment in the wing will be reused, while some beds, furniture and clinical equipment will be put into storage. The existing land at Millbrook will
be returned to its former state.

The Infrastructure Department has apologised for any inconvenience caused by the closure of the lay-by while the work is under way.

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