Cheltenham-based IT managed services and solutions provider, Axonex, has helped design and provide a completely new network for the NHS Nightingale Hospital in Birmingham.

NHS Nightingale Birmingham provides an additional facility for patients with Covid-19, helping to ensure there is enough critical care capacity within the system. The facility will initially provide 500 beds, with the capacity to scale up to 4,000.

Axonex was already working with the NEC on a number of projects, including a network transformation project across its entire UK estate. To help the NEC with its additional requirement for NHS Nightingale, Axonex was approached to deliver a network that was both scalable to support the required capacity but also a fully resilient, medical-grade solution.

Alongside the NEC, University Hospital Birmingham, MOD and other providers, the Axonex team worked to have the network solution up and running in less than two weeks.

Axonex is immensely proud of its engineers and project team, who dedicated their professional and personal time to install over 150 network switches connected to new structured cabling in just seven days.

Axonex will provide on-going support to the NEC IT team, supporting them to ensure critical services remain live and support the hospital in its full capacity.

Andy Peters-Smith, MD at Axonex, said: "In difficult times, it's been fantastic to see the teams at Axonex and the NEC dedicate themselves to this project. I am immensely proud of our team for their support and dedication, especially given the risks around social distancing during these worrying times.

"Yet we know our role is a small piece of the puzzle compared to all the medical staff on the frontline and many others working around the clock to complete a project that would normally take months, even years. These organisations and individuals have come together to work collaboratively as we work towards the collective goal.

"Our admiration and respect go to all the medical staff dedicated in providing the highest standard of care to those that desperately need their help in these difficult times."