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Principality Stadium to become NHS Wales field hospital
By Online Editors
Wales’ Principality Stadium is to be converted into a temporary hospital providing around 2,000 additional beds to support the NHS.
The Welsh Rugby Union, which owns and operates the venue, has been working with the Cardiff and Vale government officials and the University Health Board as part of contingency planning for the ongoing coronavirus crisis.
The facility is now being assessed by specialists and contractors to complete the transformation, mirroring efforts elsewhere in the United Kingdom, including the three announced ‘Nightingale Hospitals’ in London, Birmingham and Manchester.
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“We have made the entire Principality Stadium available to be used based on NHS requirements, including hospitality areas and a variety of further rooms and facilities,” said the WRU’s chief executive, Martyn Phillips.
“It is a privilege to be able to offer our services, facilities and a significant number of operational staff, at their individual choice, to help at this time of national emergency. We have made advanced plans to transform relevant spaces into fully functional hospital environments, working closely with Levy UK, who are responsible for overseeing similar transitions elsewhere.”
Len Richards, chief executive of Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, welcomed the move which could help ease the pressure on a healthcare system that is anticipated to be put under considerable pressure in the coming weeks.
Richards said: “It is difficult looking at the numbers to appreciate the size and the scale of the task ahead of us in the NHS. However we have been using the past few weeks wisely in order to put structures and processes in place across our main hospital sites, University Hospital Wales and University Hospital Llandough.
“In addition to this we have secured the Principality Stadium, Cardiff as a temporary field hospital with the capacity to hold up to an additional 2,000 beds. The facility will allow us to free up capacity at our other hospital sites so that we can continue to provide services to patients with other health conditions.
“I understand the concern that this will cause, not only in the community but among my staff too. However we are planning on the basis of what we think we might need to ensure we are as ready as we can be. I sincerely hope we don’t need to use all of the capacity but it is far better to have developed plans based upon the scientific evidence and modelling of the experts.”
- Press Association
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I didn't mean to sound down on Dmac. Just looking hard at the bench sub's role of providing impact. I don't think he can do that at 15, and the bench is not really about injury cover anymore (you need to maximise it's use more than that).
He's my first choice of any New Zealander for the 10 jersey with the All Blacks.
Go to commentsAgreed. And I don't have much more to say on it, but I had been having one thought that sprang to mind at the tail of this discussion, and that is that it's not all about Razor.
It's not about any coach being "right". I think a lot of selections can become defense and while it doesn't really apply here I really enjoyed that Andy Farrell just gave into the public demands and changed out his team for the change that had been asked for. Like why not? This is the countries team, keep them engaged. The whole reason i've only just finished watching the game was because I wasn't interested in watching any of the selected players against a team like Italy (still actually enjoyed the first half with the contest Italy made of it).
Faz leap frogs a younger half back into start. He hands the golden child the game over July's golden child. He gives an old winger a go, a new flanker and hooker. None of them really did any good, certainly not enough to suggest they should have been promoted above others, but who cares? You won, and you gave the country what they wanted, that's all that matters after all. It's for the country, not the one in charge who thinks they have to have their own pied piper tune playing.
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