This morning, the Post was invited to Royal Preston Hospital for a first-look at two new wards built to house up to 150 recovering Covid patients.
The largest new ward, the steel-framed Nightingale Surge Hub, is being erected on the visitor car park near the front entrance and will have beds for upto 100 patients.
The scenes show dozens of workmen and forklifts handling huge girders as they begin piecing it together, with work to be completed in around three weeks.
Taking a peek inside, we can also show you pictures of the staff restaurant which closed on Tuesday (January 4) to make way for a second, smaller ward for 30 Covid patients.
Pictures show work crews gutting Charters Restaurant to transform it into a brand new Covid ward with 50 beds.
Take a look at the work under way...
1.
A new 100-bed Nightingale ward for Covid patients is being erected at Royal Preston Hospital today (Friday, January 7)
2.
A new 100-bed Nightingale ward for Covid patients is being erected at Royal Preston Hospital today (Friday, January 7)
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The visitor car park (car park B) has been shut to create space for the new Nightingale Surge Hub, but with visiting now suspended, the hospital trust does not expect the reduced number of spaces to be much of an issue
4.
A new 100-bed Nightingale ward for Covid patients is being erected at Royal Preston Hospital today (Friday, January 7)