First pictures from within Deeside Leisure Centre’s temporary 250 bed hospital

The first pictures from within a temporary 250 bed hospital which will be housed within Deeside Leisure Centre have been published.

Named Ysbyty Enfys Glenna – Rainbow Hospital Deeside, it’s one of  three temporary hospitals being constructed in North Wales in response to the outbreak of COVID-19.

The other two are at Venue Cymru Llandudno, and Bangor University, the three new sites will give Cadwaladr University Health Board around a 1,000 additional beds to help meet increased demand over the coming weeks.

🌈Great to see work progressing well on Ysbyty Enfys Glannau Dyfrdwy – huge thanks to the support from @FlintshireCC , Aura Leisure and Libraries, @wrexhamcbc , and @DLC_IceRink. pic.twitter.com/WaUzO34hlq

— Betsi Cadwaladr #StayHomeSaveLives (@BetsiCadwaladr) April 16, 2020

First Minister Mark Drakeford said earlier this month the hospitals will be, “step down facilities, they will be for people who are recovering.

So some will be for coronavirus patients who are no longer infectious but are not yet fully recovered and continuing care, but they will be other patients recovering from other conditions who can be looked after in a field hospital.

Thus, freeing up the more intensive capacity that a fully equipped hospital will be able to provide.”

Responding to a query on social media, Connah’s Quay Councillor Bernie Attridge said the Deeside Leisure Centre hospital with be for non COVID-19 patients. 

Correct it is being used for none Covid patients so the General hospitals can deal with Covid.

— @BernieAttridge (@bernieattridge) April 16, 2020

Construction firm Vinci is leading Integrated Health Projects (IHP), a joint venture with Sir Robert McAlpine, to build temporary Rainbow Hospitals at Deeside Leisure Centre and Bangor University.

Vinci has teams working across six hospitals in Wales and the northwest of England either to establish field hospitals from scratch, to refurbish existing units or create critical care wards ahead of schedule to provide the NHS with extra capacity.

IHP is also leading on the development of the Nightingale field hospital in Manchester.

Rainbow Hospital Deeside – @BetsiCadwaladr

The council says DLC has been selected as it’s best available to serve the Eastern area of North Wales due to “location and accessibility by road; its size and internal layout; the availability of utilities and facilities such as accessible toilet and washing facilities.”

“DLC also has the advantage of being able to have extended bed capacity beyond the initial 250 target if needed.”

The site was chosen last week “by a team of partners including a multi-disciplinary professional team from the Health Board, the Council as the landlord, the Ambulance Service, the Fire Service and the Military, and in consultation with Aura Wales as the tenant.”

Rainbow Hospital Deeside – @BetsiCadwaladr

The council said: “The decision to demolish the skate park equipment was taken as the most time-efficient option to enable the principal contractor, who will fit-out the hospital, immediate access to DLC from today, Monday 6 April.”

The local authority says: “We now have the important task of transforming DLC into a temporary hospital by the end of April in readiness for the expected peak in demand for hospital admissions.”

Local residents in the immediate vicinity of the three temporary hospitals are being reassured that there is no risk to their health and that they should continue to follow the Welsh Government’s stay at home guidance.