Specially-commissioned coronavirus beds to be set up at Shropshire care homes

Shropshire Council has put a call out for companies to supply block orders of ‘Covid-19 recovery beds’ which will allow people to be discharged to recuperate outside hospital.

The move will in turn help to free up much-needed hospital beds for the anticipated increase in coronavirus patients over the coming months.

It comes as Shrewsbury & Telford Hospital NHS Trust is continuing to ramp up preparations to allow it to treat the number of expected Covid-19 patients.

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The council has not put a figure on how many recovery beds may be required, but potential suppliers will be asked to provide orders of beds until at least the end of July.

Firms interested in tendering to supply the beds are asked to register their interest via the council’s website as soon as possible.

A tender notice issued by the council said: “Shropshire Council is interested in urgently acquiring block purchased Covid-19 recovery beds.

“Covid-19 recovery beds contracts will be for a range of bed types to include, nursing, residential with and without dementia care, in care homes, in, or on the borders of, Shropshire.

“The Covid-19 recovery beds are to support hospital discharge.

“The contracts will be for a term through to 31 July 2020, with provisions to extend.”

The move could be key to reducing pressure on the NHS at a time where resources and staff are being tested more than ever.

Writing earlier this week Dr Arne Rose, medical director at Shrewsbury & Telford Hospital NHS Trust, said they are satisfied at the way preparations have been going.

He said: "Myself and Louise Barnett, our Chief Executive, spent some time with teams in clinical areas on Sunday. It was impressive to see how advanced some of their preparations were and some of the innovative ways they had overcome boundaries.

"Our teams at SaTH are pulling together magnificently and I want to publicly thank them for all they are doing. Some people are putting in very long hours, but we are looking at ways to resolve this, as we know there is a long way to go yet, before this is over."