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Two hotels operating under the Best Western GB brand have become the first to be turned into NHS discharge hospitals.
The Grange at Oborne and the Best Western Hotel Rembrandt will offer its accommodation to low-risk patients and care workers in a bid to help free up space in NHS hospitals.
The Grange will house around 12 patients who are recovering after an operation as well as around six carers. Meanwhile the Rembrandt hotel in Weymouth will house 31 beds for patients and 10 live in staff.
The Rembrandt general manager Massimo Menin said in a video tweeted by Best Western: “As a result of the Best Western initiative to turn hotels in hospitals and in cooperation with Dorset Council we are getting ready to reopen partially and accommodate low-risk patients from local hospitals in order to free up hospital beds and help the NHS deal with the virus.
“As well a accomodation and live in care staff we will provide full housekeeping and full catering to patients and care staff. To all my colleagues at Best Western hotels good luck and stay safe.”
Super proud too of @bwrembrandt opening on Monday to take low risk patients and carers and free up emergency bed space in #NHS. Best Western is committed to being part of the national solution, lets keep doing this! 👏🏥🏨👏 pic.twitter.com/rIHQQRPinP
— Best Western GB (@BestWesternGB) April 3, 2020
Earlier this month Best Western GB said it would offer over 15,000 hotel bedrooms and over 1,000 meeting rooms to help the NHS and local authorities through the coronavirus crisis.
At the time, Andrew Denton, head of hotel services at Best Western Great Britain, said: “Since our offer to help at the weekend we have had an overwhelmingly positive response from our hotels.
“Local hospitals, councils and local authorities have also been in touch directly asking for help and today we are repurposing our technology and our call centre to manage the interest and the demand.”
He added: “We would love to plug our supply and support into the NHS system in a coordinated and organised manner. Every day counts now for people on the frontline of this crisis, so we want the NHS to know we are here to help.”
