The chief executive of Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust has been called away from south east London to help run NHS Nightingale, the new hospital based in the ExCel convention centre.

In a statement, the trust said that as part of the efforts from everyone across the NHS to pull together to fight Covid-19, Mr Trainer had been seconded to help run the new hospital.

The new 4,000-bed temporary facility at the ExCel convention centre in east London is due to open this week despite building work only starting last Wednesday.

Split into more than 80 wards containing 42 beds each, the Nightingale will become one of the biggest hospitals in the world, according to its chief operating officer Natalie Forrest.

NHS Nightingale Hospital will be run by Barts Health NHS Trust, whilst Matthew will act as deputy chief executive underneath Professor Charles Knight.

Matthew Trainer said: "People right across Oxleas and the wider NHS are having to work differently to rise to the challenge of the Covid-19 crisis.

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"For me, this will involve a three-month secondment to the NHS Nightingale Hospital at ExCel. I know that the trust will be in great hands in my absence under Dr Okocha’s excellent leadership."

Greenwich Council leader Dan Thorpe said that whilst he was sad to see him go, everyone at the council were really proud that Matthew had been chosen to help at NHS Nightingale.

Local school children at Windrush Primary School created some colourful rainbows to say thank you for all the hard work Mr Trainer and other NHS workers are doing.

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At Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust, Dr Ify Okocha will be acting chief executive until 1 July.

Dr Okocha has worked at the trust for many years as Medical Director and was appointed last year as deputy chief executive.

NHS Nightingale will be used to treat Covid-19 patients who have been transferred from other intensive care units (ICU) across London.

More than 16,000 members of staff could be needed to run the facility to treat coronavirus patients should it reach full capacity.

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Military personnel have been working 15-hour shifts to help build London's new 4,000-bed NHS Nightingale hospital.