Prime Minister set to announce extra £3 billion for NHS to prepare for potential second wave of coronavirus

Following a dire warning of the consequences of Covid-19 rebounding, Downing Street said the funding will allow extra hospital capacity while allowing routine treatments and procedures to continue.

The Prime Minister will also use a Downing Street press conference on Friday, July 17, to commit to a new target of reaching the capacity for 500,000 coronavirus tests a day by November.

The funding for the NHS in England will allow private hospital capacity to be used and for Nightingale hospitals to be maintained until the end of March 2021.

It comes after a report commissioned by the Government's chief scientific adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance, warned there could be 120,000 hospital deaths in a "reasonable worst-case scenario".

Winter always places a great strain on the health service, but there are concerns a resurgence of the virus during the annual flu season could be crippling.

A Downing Street spokesman said: "Thanks to the hard work and sacrifices of the British people, the virus is under control and we have eased restrictions in a cautious, phased way.

"But the Prime Minister is clear that now is not the time for complacency, and we must make sure our NHS is battle ready for winter.

"He will set out a broad package of measures to protect against both a possible second wave, and to ease winter pressures and keep the public safe."

The spokesman said the immediate funding for England was new and not previously allocated, while expenditure will be set out for the devolved nations in due course.

Mr Johnson is also expected to publish an additional chapter to the Government's "road map" for recovery.

NHS Providers, which represents NHS organisations, welcomed the financial support to prepare with the "triple whammy of pressures" from winter, a possible second surge and trying to recover from the strain of the pandemic so far.

But deputy chief executive Saffron Cordery called for "urgent clarity" over what the funding will cover, saying funding is already in place for the Nightingale hospitals and private beds.

"Trusts need more than that. They have got to recover the lost ground of the last four or five months and put measures in place to manage the additional activity that always happens in winter," she added.

"Sadly what we do know won't be included is social care.

"Social care across the country is in a critical condition and the Government has still failed to commit to providing the sector with the funding it needs to be fully sustainable."

The British Medical Association also called for details on how the money will be used.

Council chairman Dr Chaand Nagpaul said: "The Government talks of winter planning, but we need transparency on this, including how far this money can stretch in tackling a modelled worst-case forecast - including a second peak, additional non-Covid demand and a possible flu outbreak.

"Crucially, the Government must make prevention a priority and take every necessary step to try and avoid a national second spike all together."

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