The mayor of London has written to each of the capital’s Premier League clubs to ask for doctors and medical staff to join the NHS’ fight against coronavirus.
Sportsmail can reveal that Sadiq Khan sent a letter on Tuesday, requesting support.
In a historic move, it can be disclosed that the mayor has asked for three different areas of help. He wants doctors, physios and other clinically-trained staff to assist the NHS as they continue to deal with the pandemic, which has hit London harder than any area of the country.
He also asks for key equipment from training grounds which will then
be used at a number of field hospitals which are being set up across the
capital.
The equipment requested features mobile catering
facilities such as food heaters and refrigerators, which could prove
invaluable.Khan also asks clubs to assist in providing accommodation for
NHS workers while the struggle continues.
Sources have said that there is a keen desire among the clubs to assist. Each club has a trained doctor for each of its teams. They may well send academy doctors, while retaining a first team doctor should the Premier League restart over the coming weeks.
Anyone who answers the call may well be subject to a 14-day quarantine period before they can return.
Across
the country, clubs have already offered assistance to the NHS. Chelsea
were one of the first to respond, opening the doors of the Millennium
Hotel at Stamford Bridge to NHS staff for an initial two-month period.
London
is the epicentre of the outbreak in the UK. NHS Nightingale Hospital
London, a temporary facility with between 4,000 and 5,000 beds is due to
open at the Excel Centre this week, with other field hospitals planned
across the UK.
In the letter, Khan adds that there is a belief that each club will have clinically-trained personnel, who could be retrained quickly to join the frontline effort.
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