In just 10 days, Principality Stadium has been transformed into a field hospital for coronavirus patients in Wales.
In March, Cardiff and Vale University Health Board revealed that the pitch famous for hosting international Welsh rugby matches would be covered. The stadium has been named the Dragon’s Heart Hospital.
What a great team. Just taken possession of 300 beds at the Dragon’s Heart Hospital. Great support for the NHS system. @WelshGovernment @WelshRugbyUnion @principalitysta @CV_UHB @cardiffcouncil Great response to #Covid19 pic.twitter.com/EWezDZwGyO
— Len Richards (@CAV_LenRichards) April 12, 2020
The hospital opened on Easter Sunday with 300 beds and is ready to start taking patients.
Work on the pitch continues. Fantastic tented structures to create enclosed Ward environments. A feat of engineering and construction @CV_UHB @WelshGovernment @WelshRugbyUnion @principalitysta @cardiffcouncil Teamwork pic.twitter.com/yhotJqBB9K
— Len Richards (@CAV_LenRichards) April 12, 2020
Once fully kitted out, the stadium will be able to look after 2,000 patients.
A 27 bed Ward in The Dragon’s Heart Hospital. Thank you to the team – a real collaborative effort. Teamwork @CV_UHB @WelshGovernment @WelshRugbyUnion @cardiffcouncil @principalitysta pic.twitter.com/xfrtDeOUCG
— Len Richards (@CAV_LenRichards) April 12, 2020
Hospitality suites have also been made available by the WRU to house hospital beds.
To our @CV_UHB
colleagues we are ready to support you. To our patients we are ready to care for you. Our hope is you will not need the #dragonshearthospital but the team work here will continue in case you do. @principalitysta @david_oreilly76 @Graymattrs @CAV_LenRichards pic.twitter.com/SmAMCQhYno— Victoria Le Grys (@mrs_legrys) April 12, 2020
Speaking ahead of the opening, Len Richards, Chief Executive of Cardiff and Vale UHB said:
“Cardiff and Vale University Health Board has been planning and making preparations based upon the modelling and predictions of numbers of patients and admissions across a range of different scenarios, including best to reasonable case scenarios.
“The assumptions have been well documented following publication by Imperial College, London last week and as a Health Board we felt it incumbent to ensure that we plan and prepare for all scenarios.
“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.”
