How Wales created 19 new field hospitals in less than 8 weeks…

Across Wales the Welsh Government is supporting the NHS to create new field hospitals and rapidly increase bed capacity.

Health boards have repurposed existing buildings, including the Principality Stadium, a holiday park and even a television studio to provide an additional 6,000 beds.

Field hospitals are designed to support the NHS during the coronavirus pandemic by providing extra bed capacity but they will also help normal hospital services be restarted and support social care services.

Last month, the first patients were admitted to Ysbyty Calon y Ddraig at the Principality Stadium, in Cardiff.

Four to six weeks

The time it has taken to nearly double hospital bed capacity in Wales, creating field hospitals across the nation.

19 field hospitals in Wales

This includes the repurposing of Bluestone Holiday Park and Parc y Scarlets in west Wales and Venue Cymru in north Wales.

1,500 beds at the Ysbyty Calon y Ddraig

Making it one of the largest field hospitals in the UK.

Five days

The length of time it took to plan Ysbyty Calon y Ddraig, which overlapped with the build phase.

3,000

The number of planning hours, involving more than 20 different disciplines, it took to plan Ysbyty Calon y Ddraig.

£166m

Welsh Government funding for the set-up, construction and equipment for field hospitals in Wales.

138,000

The number of pieces of equipment have been provided to help support field hospitals, including beds, imaging equipment, syringe drivers and medicines.

Three North Wales field hospitals have the name Enfys

Meaning rainbow – the symbol of hope and thank you to the NHS during the pandemic.