‘Outstanding’ Deeside Rainbow Hospital team wins COVID-19 Response Award

The team behind Ysbyty Enfys Deeside, also known as Deeside Rainbow Hospital, has won an award for its outstanding efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the height of the pandemic a team, deployed from various roles, worked around the clock to transform part of Deeside Leisure Centre into a 400-bed hospital, which consisted of four wards and a mortuary.

The field hospital was announced as the winner for the COVID-19 Response and Recovery Team Award at the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Boards’ 2022 Staff Awards night on Friday, October 21st.

Nominator Claire Perry, Clinical Services Co-ordinator for Cancer Services, who was deployed to work at the Rainbow Hospital, said: “The global pandemic was something that we had never experienced before. Field Hospitals were something that was used in war, never did we think that this would be something as Health Board employees we would have to do.

“Working in the Rainbow Hospital offered development for staff and provided both learning and innovating opportunities, learning new skills, new ways of working, and ideas on how to make the field hospital function, so that patients had the best experience in exceptional circumstances.”

The temporary hospital, built in Deeside Leisure Centre near the beginning of the pandemic, started admitting patients in November 2020 as a second wave of Coronavirus infections took hold and was then stood down in March 2021.

Claire added: “Team Rainbow went beyond putting the patients first. They would assist patients to call relatives, spend time chatting to them. Charities were contacted, and the donations and support for patients and staff was phenomenal.

“The team helped look after a hundred patients, all received outstanding care in an extremely unique environment. It was an amazing experience, and I was proud to have the opportunity of working with Team Rainbow.”

Richard Heaton, Managing Director of Read Construction, said: “We were delighted to be able to present this very important award, which recognised outstanding efforts of a team working in North Wales to lead us through the challenges of the last few years.

“I think everyone owes a debt of gratitude to the teams who have cared for our population through the pandemic, and the team behind Ysbyty Enfys Deeside were a fantastic example of the courageous work which has seen us through.

“Congratulations to all of the team who worked on this incredible piece of work.”