Best Western off ers U.K. hotels as backup hospitals

Best Western is spearheading a plan to turn as many as 500 hotels into “cottage hospitals” that could ease the pressure on the NHS as it reels from surging COVID cases. The reconfigured sites would handle pre- surgery assessments, IV treatments such as for antibiotics or dialysis, as well as MRI and CTI scans and post- COVID recovery support, according to proposals sent to the Cabinet Office this week. The hotel chain is already in talks with St Bartholomew’s NHS trust in London, and Kent and Medway trust. According to documents seen by The Daily Telegraph, Best Western has been working to “support preparations for winter planning and the second wave of COVID-19 regionally or nationally.” It is unclear whether ministers will back the plans and put forward a nationwide response.