Matt Hancock insists it's fantastic the Nightingale Hospital has been put on stand-by

5 May 2020, 08:14 | Updated: 5 May 2020, 08:59

Matt Hancock insists not using Nightingale Hospital is a success

By Adrian Sherling

The Health Secretary insists it's great that the Nightingale Hospital has been put on stand-by after treating just 54 patients.

The hospital was built with great fanfare in just nine days and had the capacity to treat 4,000 patients with coronavirus.

But since being opened by Prince Charles on 3rd April, just 54 patients have been there and it has not admitted a new patient for a week as other London hospitals have had spare capacity in their own intensive care units.

Some have claimed that makes it a waste of money, but the Health Secretary insists this is a good news story.

READ MORE: How does the coronavirus tracing app NHSX work?

Matt Hancock says the Nightingale Hospital has been a big success
Matt Hancock says the Nightingale Hospital has been a big success. Picture: LBC / PA

He said: "I think it is a very, very positive thing that we haven't had to use the full capacity of the Nightingale.

"I've seen some media reports saying 'the London Nightingale Hospital isn't needed any more, what a scandal'. It's absolutely fantastic for the nation that we haven't had to fill up a 4,000-bed hospital with people with coronavirus. It's good.

"The number one objective as Health Secretary in this crisis is to flatten the curve to control the spread and to make sure there's always been enough NHS capacity and we've achieved that."

Nick asked how many staff were employed to staff a hospital that was barely used. Mr Hancock responded: "We had the staff needed to take up to 500 patients and then we had the plans ready to expand it further. The number of staff wasn't an issue."

Asked how much it cost, Mr Hancock insisted: "It hasn't finished yet. We are putting it on stand-by, so it still will be there in case there is a spike, but we don't want a second spike."

Watch the full interview at the top of the page.

Listen & subscribe: Global Player | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify

More Nick Ferrari

See more More Nick Ferrari

Exclusive
The mural on the wall of the Golden Chippy

A Greenwich fish and chip shop that's causing a stink over painting, as owner tells LBC he's 'determined to keep mural up'

Rishi Sunak’s job is under threat from a plot of backbench Tory MPs who want to replace him with Penny Mordaunt before the general election.

Tories 'need to stop messing around and get behind the Prime Minister,' Business Secretary tells LBC

Exclusive
'This is trivia': Kemi Badenoch hits out at continued furore over Tory donor 'racism' row

'This is trivia': Kemi Badenoch hits out at continued furore over Tory donor 'racism' row

Government suspends tariffs on key imports to boost SMEs launching £660 million northern powerhouse fund

Government suspends tariffs on key imports to boost SMEs launching £660 million northern powerhouse fund

'Floating voters' unconvinced by Jeremy Hunt's Budget

LBC's 'Floating Voters' left unconvinced by Jeremy Hunt's Budget

Leila Khaled, who hijacked planes, will appear via video link at a fundraiser hosted by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign. Andy Street wants police to look at the event

'I'm not comfortable with it': West Mids Mayor to speak to police amid fury over Palestinian hijacker’s fundraiser

Andy Street taking calls from the public on Nick Ferrari at Breakfast

Tory MP's claim that Birmingham has 'no-go areas' was 'ridiculous', West Midlands Mayor tells LBC

Minister quizzed on tweet where he described Trump as 'cancer'

Minister Bim Afolami says tweet in which he referred to Donald Trump as 'a cancer' is appropriate

Lee Anderson

Police 'looking into hate speech complaint against Lee Anderson' after MP said Sadiq Khan was controlled by Islamists

Richard Tice said he turned down two Tories who tried to join the party

Reform UK leader Richard Tice says he rejected two Tory MPs who tried to defect in the last year

Michael Tomlinson repeatedly refused to answer Nick Ferrari's question

Nick Ferrari cuts off minister who refuses to answer his questions nine times over Lee Anderson's 'Islamophobic remarks'

Rishi Sunak is facing a revolt for sacking Lee Anderson

Lee Anderson refuses to apologise for 'Islamist' comments as he doubles down on criticism of Sadiq Khan

Rishi Sunak is facing a revolt for sacking Lee Anderson

PM denies Tories have 'Islamophobic tendencies' as minister says Lee Anderson's comments were 'profoundly wrong'

Dame Esther Rantzen has told LBC why she is campaigning to change the law on assisted dying

‘Dogs get treated better than humans’, Esther Rantzen says, as TV legend demands assisted dying law change

Rishi Sunak (l) puts on a brave face to the Tories by-election defeats on a visit to Harlow. New Kingswood MP Damien Egan (top r) and Wellingborough MP Gem Kitchen (bottom r)

Rishi Sunak begs frustrated Tories 'not to put Starmer in power' after party suffers double by-election disaster

New Labour MPs Damien Egan and Gen Kitchen

'They are not very good results': Tory chairman admits after double by-election drubbings as MPs call for tax cuts