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09
Sept 2021
Harrogate hospital bosses warn winter will be ‘more challenging than ever before'
Harrogate hospital bosses have warned this winter will be “more challenging than ever before” as staff continue to battle with covid backlogs and brace themselves for peak pressures.
Although covid patient numbers and deaths are much lower than this time last year, the hospital is now battling to clear a backlog of routine screenings, operations and other appointments delayed by the pandemic.
It is also preparing for a surge of seasonal illnesses.
Dr Matt Shepherd, deputy chief operating officer at Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust, said:
Winter flu resurgence
Last year saw hardly any winter flu, while other respiratory viruses were only circulating at very low levels.
This was put down to lockdowns and social distancing, meaning the normal winter viruses did not get the chance to spread.
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But Public Health England has now warned that immunity to these viruses will have diminished, and very young children will not have been able to develop any at all.
This expected resurgence of winter flu, combined with the risk of increased covid hospitalisations in the colder months, means hospitals locally and nationally are now making preparations for peak pressures from October when seasonal illnesses usually escalate.
At Harrogate hospital, covid patient numbers have remained steady over recent weeks but have climbed into double figures with 11 people needing treatment as of yesterday.
Five recent covid deaths
The hospital has also reported five covid deaths in the last three weeks after going more than four months without any fatalities.
Dr Shepherd said this has shown the risks of covid remain “very real” – even with the success of the vaccination programme.
He also said the virus was still having a knock-on effect on routine health services and causing delays for patients.
He said:
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