Nightingale clinician calls on military veterans to help NHS staff

A senior clinician at the country’s maiden Nightingale hospital has called for military expertise to help protect the mental health of staff and volunteers at the “exhausting” facility.

Professor James Calder, who had a 14-year military career, said it was crucial to call on veterans who have worked in challenging situations around the globe as the UK rapidly expands its hospital care capacity to deal with the unprecedented challenges of the Covid-19 outbreak.

Prof Calder, one of the clinical leads at NHS Nightingale in east London, said he was sceptical about the new facility when he was brought on board but had been overwhelmed by its early success.