Team rallies to respond to Britannia Country House Hotel flooding

Significant flooding at the Britannia Country House Hotel has led to a swift response from the specialist services Team. The team rescued equipment and supported service users housed there as part of the Asylum Seeker Contingency Service. The hotel was evacuated on New Year’s Day after the River Mersey burst its banks. Approximately 500 service users were ferried to safety, some in dinghies.

The following day, Jane Knight, head of specialist services, Beth Mitchell, operations manager, Julie Brierley and Fern Soo, care co-ordinators, attended the site as part of the clean-up operation.

Jane said the team worked with determination to locate where the high-risk patients had been moved and salvage what they could before the scheduled rip-out due to water damage.

"We managed to contact a substantial number of service users to ensure they felt some form of security during this difficult
time,” she said.

"Some service users had been moved to other hotels within the Asylum Seeker Contingency Service, while others had been placed in hotels in different areas of the country."

To help recover as much equipment and stock as possible, the team assessed the three rooms the service occupied and collaborated with the hotel manager to find a secure, dry area to store the items.

Beth said during this time, they saw service users return to the hotel in an attempt to recover their personal belongings.

"It was difficult to witness, but everyone worked with care and empathy to support them,” she said.

"The emergency services and hotel staff were exceptional, ensuring everyone’s safety."

The team provided remote GP support to all service users, regardless of their location. From 20 January, service users began returning to the hotel, and the specialist services team resumed on-site primary care. Thankfully, no injuries were reported following the flood.

The Asylum Seeker Contingency Service provides a primary care health service for a cohort of people seeking refugee status in the UK. The Asylum seekers are housed in temporary accommodation at hotels, which act as bridging accommodation until more stable arrangements are made. gtd healthcare manages six hotels covering the Manchester, Trafford and Stockport areas.

If you have any queries about the Asylum Seeker Contingency Service, please email gtd.corporateaffairs@nhs.net.