The army is set to approve the fast-track construction of a 300-bed hospital in Chineham, near Basingstoke, Hampshire, as the Coronavirus pandemic spreads across the county, according to the Hampshire Chronicle.
Hampshire currently has 251 recorded cases of COVID-19, and fears that Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital may soon not be able to cope with a rapid increase in serious infections have prompted officials from Hampshire Hospital NHS Foundation Trust to suggest that construction plans are underway.
The spokesman said:
The NHS in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight is working with its partners to ensure we are as prepared as possible for any increase in demand for services, as a result of the current coronavirus pandemic. These discussions are ongoing, and we will keep local residents updated as plans are finalised.
Only three field hospitals have been planned for the entirety of the UK so far, in Manchester, Birmingham, and London, despite Hampshire, until last week, being the second most affected region of the UK outside of London.
