A patient discharge and home recovery company, Hilton Nursing Partners, in partnership with West Kent Clinical Commissioning Group, Kent County Council, and Salomons Estate Hotel, has set up a ‘care hotel’ to free-up NHS beds for those affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Salomons Hotel, a Victorian mansion in Tunbridge Wells, will be managed and staffed by Hilton nursing staff to minimise patient infection and maximise recovery during the outbreak.

The hotel closed its normal operations on 22 March due to the Covid-19 outbreak.

Hilton Nursing Partners approached its partners in mid-March in an effort to maintain focus on the recovery of the frail and vulnerable away from high-risk environments. The four groups agreed to a deal in four days and are now making the necessary preparations to have the care hotel operational by next Monday.

Ann Taylor, chief executive of Hilton Nursing Partners, said: “We’re delighted that the NHS and Kent County Council have agreed to our care hotel proposal so quickly. The ethos of Hilton is about getting patients home as soon as possible and supporting their recovery. We recognised that continuing with this model during the current crisis would result in a bottleneck, and risked rationing of care.”

She added: “These are exceptional times requiring exceptional measures, and the care hotel will enable us to maximise the support that we provide, while maintaining patients in a safe environment. While visiting is not possible in the current circumstances, we will use technology to ensure our patients are kept in-touch with family and friends.”