MORE beds, ventilators and thousands of staff have been made available for the NHS by private hospitals across the country.

The first ever deal of its kind will allow extra capacity for the NHS to tackle the coronavirus pandemic.

20,000 fully qualified staff, 8,000 hospital beds in England, as well as 1,200 ventilators will be available.

NHS chief executive Sir Simon Stevens said: “We’re dealing with an unprecedented global health threat and are taking immediate and exceptional action to gear up.

"The NHS is doing everything in its power to expand treatment capacity, and is working with partners right across the country to do so.

"But it is absolutely vital that this is matched by successful and comprehensive adoption of the public measures needed to cut the spread of the virus.

"We all have to play our part to help offset the enormous pressure that our nurses, doctors and other specialists will otherwise face.”

This includes over 2,000 hospital beds and more than 250 operating theatres and critical beds in London, the worst-affected area of the UK.

It was reported earlier this week how parts of the capital are struggling to cope with the growth in cases, with reports that some had reached capacity.

The extra resources will also help the NHS deliver other urgent operations and cancer treatments.

The agreement means that the independent sector will reallocate almost all of its capacity to the NHS, with the cost being reimbursed and no profit being made by the private sector.

David Hare, Chief Executive of the Independent Healthcare Providers Network said: “Independent hospitals are boosting emergency capacity to put at the disposal of the NHS over these coming weeks.

"We have worked hand-in-hand with the NHS for decades and will do whatever it takes to support the NHS in responding to this pandemic.

“This significant additional capacity across the country will be a major boost to the NHS’s efforts to treat those patients that need hospital care over the coming period and the independent sector stands ready to maintain that support for as long as needed.”

Of the twenty thousand new, fully-qualified staff available to the NHS, it includes more than 10,000 nurses, 700 doctors and over 8,000 other clinical staff.

Matt Hancock, Health Secretary said: “I know how hard the NHS have been working to secure extra beds and staffing.

“This is great news for the hospitals and staff doing everything they can to combat coronavirus. I want to pay particular tribute to those heroes returning to front line to support their colleagues and help as many patients recover from the virus.”