Military Help Double Capacity Of Isle Of Wight's Only NHS Hospital

A platoon of 1st Battalion Scots Guards have helped double the size of the only NHS hospital on the Isle of Wight, as the UK continues its battle against coronavirus.

Personnel were part of an effort which increased the number of beds at St Mary’s Hospital from 200 to 400 in just eight days.

Despite being on leave when the call came to help, the 30 Scots Guards and some local reservists helped the island equip itself to respond to COVID-19.

They worked to convert the Laidlaw Day Hospital, the Education Centre and Outpatients Appointments and Records Unit into in-patient accommodation.

Guardsman Joe Macleod,1st Battalion Scots Guards, from the Isle of Lewis was more than happy to help another island community and said it felt good to "be part of the bigger picture".

"To be able come here and be able to do my little part to help make a difference feels really good," he said.

To date, the Isle of Wight has 36 confirmed cases of COVID-19, but much of its 130,000 population is older than the national average, putting many its residents at risk of the virus.

Maggie Oldham, Chief Executive of the Isle of Wight NHS Trust, said she will be "indebted and grateful" to the Scots Guards for the work they have done on the island for the rest of her career.

"We would not have been able to transform the facilities that we have... if we hadn't [had] their support and energy this last few days," she said.

Preparations for those suffering from the virus have seen increased military assistance in recent weeks, with the construction of NHS Nightingale North West and Nightingale Hospital Birmingham supported by the Armed Forces.

This follows the opening of NHS Nightingale in London, which opened earlier this week and began treating patients.