The Duchess of Cornwall sends a message of support to NHS Nightingale North West Hospital

This afternoon, The Duchess of Cornwall sent a message of support to be played at the official opening of NHS Nightingale North West Hospital in Manchester. 

The new temporary hospital will be able to care for up to 750 people at full capacity.

NHS Nightingale North West Hospital is one of seven Nightingale hospitals to be set up around the country in response to the COVID-19 crisis. The Prince of Wales opened the first of these, NHS Nightingale London, two weeks ago via live video link from Birkhall, Their Royal Highnesses' home in Scotland. 

In reference to the collective name of the new hospitals, The Duchess recalled when Florence Nightingale stayed at Birkhall in 1856. 

She was the guest of James Clark, Queen Victoria’s physician, who lived here at the time. The Queen was immensely impressed by Miss Nightingale, writing afterwards, “Her mind is solely and entirely taken up with one object: the subject of medicine”.

In the same way, we all feel the deepest admiration for the single-minded dedication that has created the NHS Nightingale North West Hospital, and the way all efforts have been directed to one object: caring for those who contract COVID-19. This gives us the hope and the confidence that the virus will be defeated.

Watch Her Royal Highness's video message in full here: