Oxygen use at Sheffield's hospitals 'increased significantly' during the pandemic
One of the major stores of oxygen is now being relocated so it can be topped up more easily
A large oxygen tank which supplies Sheffield’s hospitals is to be relocated after its use increased significantly during the pandemic.
The tank is currently housed at Weston Park Hospital but will be relocated to the Hallamshire Hospital.
In a planning application, JTP Architects say:
“The existing oxygen tank is currently located within an area of Weston Park Hospital car park.
“Access for deliveries is very difficult but until recently this hasn’t been a major problem as the tank is only used as a back-up supply to the main tank at the Hallamshire Hospital and deliveries were very infrequent.
“The need for oxygen supplies due to the Covid-19 pandemic has increased significantly.”
The other reason for relocation is to allow for the redevelopment of Weston Park hospital.
The application adds:
“Whilst the detailed plans for the redevelopment have still to be concluded, all options under consideration require the tank to be reallocated as its current location would not meet health and technical requirements.
“The site selected is in a corner of the car park serving the Jessops maternity wing of the Hallamshire.
“The pipework from the tank can rise into the new pedestrian bridge link between Jessops and Weston Park and then feed through to all parts of the Sheffield Teaching Hospitals campus.”
Sheffield Teaching Hospitals were unavailable for comment when asked how much the use of oxygen had increased during the pandemic.
The multi-million pound redevelopment of Weston Park Cancer Centre aims to make it a world-leading integrated centre of research.