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17
Aug 2020
Harrogate Nightingale contract extended until March 2021
Harrogate's Nightingale Hospital will remain in place until March 2021 after its contract has been extended
It comes after weeks of uncertainty after NHS bosses and Harrogate Borough Council negotiated for the hospital to remain in place until next year, but will review its need in October.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson last month announced £3 billion of funding for the Nightingale hospitals across the UK to be maintained until the end of March if needed.
The temporary hospital, which cost £15 million to build, has to yet to treat a single coronavirus patient but has been used as a facility for outpatient CT scans since early June. The NHS is not paying any rent to the council for use of the convention centre.
Now, the Nightingale will could remain in place for a further seven months amid fears of a second spike in coronavirus cases.
Paula Lorimer, director of Harrogate Convention Centre, said:
Meanwhile, earlier today, Cllr Jim Clark, North Yorkshire County Council chairman, and Cllr Helen Hayden, chair of West Yorkshire Joint Health Scrutiny Committee, wrote to NHS England to request that Harrogate’s Nightingale is kept until next year.
Read more:
- The construction of Harrogate’s Nightingale hospital cost almost £15 million
- Kings Road B&Bs and bars are trying to stay positive despite losses
In a letter to Richard Barker, regional director at NHS England, the councillors call for the contract to be extended until April 2021 as it is needed to serve the Yorkshire area.
Cllr Clark and Cllr Hayden said they disagreed with “dismantling” the Nightingale amid the threat of a second wave of coronavirus.
They said:
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