Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether (a) nurses and (b) other healthcare professionals were displaced as a result of the quarantine of Wuhan evacuees at an accommodation block at Arrowe Park hospital.

The World Health Organization has declared the Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. To ensure the safety of those returning from Wuhan, plus the rest of the United Kingdom population, an isolation facility was required. We are extremely grateful that a small number of staff have vacated their staff accommodation to help their fellow UK citizens leave the epicentre of this outbreak. We have ensured that they have excellent quality alternative accommodation during this temporary period and remain in touch with them throughout.

This vacation of staff accommodation has not impacted upon the operations of Arrowe Park Hospital. All services within the hospital are continuing to run as usual, including emergency services, outpatients and planned surgery.