Wigan Infirmary officially opens its new Covid-19 ward

A new ward at Wigan Infirmary, dedicated to looking after patients with Covid-19, has been virtually opened.
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From March 2020, Wrightington Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s (WWL) Bryn ward was built from scratch as a response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The ward contains 50 beds, with 27 of those as intensive care beds.

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The new ward – which will become operational this week – will ensure that the hospital has the extra capacity and resilience to cope with patients who will need hospital treatment for Covid-19 in the borough of Wigan.

Bryn WardBryn Ward
Bryn Ward

In a first for the Trust, Bryn ward was officially opened, virtually, by Leader of the Council, Councillor David Molyneux.

Councillor Molyneux said: “I’m honoured to virtually open Bryn ward. It is a fantastic achievement and a testament to what ‘Team Wigan’ can do when we pool our resources and get our collective heads together. Everyone involved should be immensely proud of their rapid response, to the urgent and emerging situation, which has allowed this ward to open so quickly.”

Silas Nicholls, Chief Executive at Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “The WWL team have worked tirelessly to make the new ward a reality.

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“In doing so, the new ward also allows us the capacity to free up other areas of Royal Albert Edward Infirmary for our recovery planning and enables Bryn ward to be a dedicated space for treating patients with Covid-19.

Bryn WardBryn Ward
Bryn Ward

“I’d like to thank Wigan Council and contractors Darwin Group Ltd for all their support in helping the WWL team, led by Chris Knights, Deputy Director of Strategy and Planning, to build and get the ward up and running in such a short space of time.

“It has taken an enormous amount of hard work from everyone involved under unprecedented circumstances.”

Bryn ward was officially handed over to the Trust by contractors the Darwin Group Ltd at the end of April and is now operational to care for patients from this week.

A message from the Editorial Director, Gillian Parkinson:

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Bryn Ward

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