Feedback sign for people working at NHS Nightingale Hospital London

Blank laminated sign with the words 'Feedback We said We did' used at NHS Nightingale Hospital London to gather staff feedback in a constantly evolving emergency, unknown maker, 2020

With staff coming from all across the country and working in a venue normally suited to conferences, shows, and trade fairs, it was essential to gather feedback from NHS Nightingale Hospital London staff about what was working well and what could be improved. Feedback was gathered in person, through the Bedside Learning Co-ordinators and through the ImproveWell app. This real-time gathering of data enabled changes to be considered and implemented quickly. Prior to COVID-19 gathering feedback may have waited until an annual staff survey and with changes taking time to happen.

With its rainbow coloured wing and NHS badge, this illustrated nightingale by artist Madeleine Floyd wasadopted as the symbol of the NHS Nightingale Hospital London. Opened virtually by Prince Charles on 3 April 2020, the hospital had capacity for 4000 beds in wards named after historic figures from British medical history. The ExCel Centre was the first of seven Nightingale hospitals to be opened after concerns over the ability of the National Health Service to cope with high numbers of people requiring treatment during the first wave of COVID-19. Drawing on the expertise of creating military field hospitals, NHS Nightingale London, the size of ten football pitches, was fitted out in just nine days. Staff were drawn from across NHS England and the armed services for their expertise including critical care, physiotherapy, security, and Family Liaison and Support Teams. Volunteers from St John Ambulance and air crew from Virgin Atlantic and Easyjet helped with way finding and assisting staff.

Only a small proportion of beds were ever used as NHS Trusts could not release staff. Existing hospitals transformed spaces into critical care wards. The NHS Nightingale London Hospital closed on Nurses Day on 12 May 2020 with 700 people debriefed at the 02. In January 2021, it reopened to treat non-coronavirus patients after being on standby since May 2020. Between 11 January 2021 and 25 June 2021, it was a mass vaccination centre, delivering 130,000 jabs. For both uses it was overseen by Barts Health Trust. Described by the NHS as the “ultimate insurance policy”, some questioned the £500 million cost of building and maintaining the seven sites.