UK: The Cedar Court Hotel near Huddersfield has recently reopened after a three-week conversion into the first NHS Nightingale care home.
The hotel is part of a pilot scheme run by the NHS, with the hotel now registered with the Quality Care Home Commission.
The hotel closed on the 20th of March, following government advice, but took the time to retrain its staff in infection control, and the use of PPE to help the 28 specialist carers. Cedar Court now hosts 113 beds that can be used for those needing out of home care during this crisis.
Wayne Topley, managing director of Cedar Court Hotels, said to Boutique Hotelier: “From the moment the need was identified with Calderdale Council our focus was 100% on how can we make this happen with safety and community support being the two main drivers. The challenge of repurposing a hotel business has been a stretching exercise for the entire team and undoubtedly a new skill for us all, I am confident this will serve us well over the next 12-18 months.”
Funding for the conversion comes from the £6m allotted to Calderdale Council as a part of the government’s overall £1.6bn fund for local authorities. The hotel will also act as spillover for medical facilities which are overwhelmed.
Councillor Tim Swift told ITV News: “It’s not intended to be a long term solution it’s for people who need help in the short term who aren’t suffering from Covid but need social care support.”
Other hotels have also changed business to respond to the crisis. The Stays for Heroes initiative, launched by booking platform eviivo, has announced over 1000 sign ups from property owners to house key workers needing a place to stay.
