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Apr 2020

Last Updated: 03/04/2020

Harrogate

HCC Director says staff are proud but emotional

by Tamsin

| 03 Apr, 2020

Paula Lorimer says it's been a steep learning curve turning the centre into a hospital and that her team have a deep respect for the bravery of medical staff who'll be working there

2nd-april-2020convention-centre-harrogate-new-signage

Harrogate Convention Centre is currently home to NHS Nightingale Yorkshire and the Humber

Paula Lorimer has revealed that the NHS and MOD looked at a number of arenas in the region before deciding to choose the Harrogate Convention Centre as a Nightingale hospital. She said it was the centre's vast halls that made it more convertible into a hospital. Her team had to quickly return to the venue, having shut it down due to coronavirus.

"We are so proud and happy to help and play our part but we also feel very emotional at times. It's given us a deeper respect for the NHS . Getting the building ready is one thing, staying here and delivering the care another. You get that feeling of how brave they're going to be - we can walk away from this when they are arriving and the duty and bravery they'll show to combat this"

Ms Lorimer said the HCC had to bring back its security, cleaning and stewarding teams. The contract caterers returned and volunteered to work for nothing to feed the 400 strong team of contractors building the hospital.

"It's been a steep learning curve for everybody. We do have the knowledge though- it's a vast site and very detailed engineering drawings have had to be got out. We had to teach the Royal Engineers their way around the building so they can put in the complex facilities that are needed."

Paula Lorimer said the public have been calling the centre offering support and that, when the hospital is built , she thinks there will be real opportunities for the community to get involved -but not yet.

When asked how long she was expecting the centre to be used as a hospital she said:

"We just don't know -- it could be months, it could be longer. We just don't know if it will ever be used. We hope there won't be a requirement for this - the government has thrown everything into this and we're here to do our bit".