Harrogate District Hospital has unveiled a rainbow tunnel to celebrate diversity and bring smiles to people walking through it.
The decorated tunnel connects the main hospital building to the Briary Wing and was revamped in time for LGBT+ History Month, which runs throughout February.
Rainbow symbols put in windows to show support for the NHS at the start of the coronavirus pandemic inspired hospital staff to add some colour to the tunnel.
https://twitter.com/harrogatehcc/status/1361695147243810823
Last year the hospital created a rainbow crossing to welcome LGBTQ+ patients, visitors and staff.
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Steve Russell, chief executive at Harrogate District Hospital, said:
Ripon hospital patients moved after covid outbreak“We love our new rainbow-styled tunnel linking the main Harrogate District Hospital building to our Briary Wing.
“The idea for having a rainbow in the tunnel came about at the time when members of the public were painting and drawing fantastic rainbows to put in their windows at home to show support for the NHS.
“Walking through the arches of the tunnel, we thought it would make a great location to bring those rainbows from the community into the hospital.
“The rainbow is a lasting landmark within the hospital, a symbol for equality and diversity, and as a space to walk through when you need some colour in your day.
“Most importantly – We hope it brings a smile to faces that walk through it!”
Patients at Ripon Community Hospital have been transferred to Harrogate District Hospital after an outbreak of covid.
The Ripon hospital, which is part of Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust, has one 16-bed ward, called Trinity Ward.
A Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust spokesperson said:
“We can confirm that following positive covid tests for some patients on the ward at Ripon Community Hospital, the ward has been closed for cleaning and covid-positive patients moved to Harrogate District Hospital to continue receiving care on dedicated covid wards.
“As we always do, appropriate actions have been taken and we are carrying out an investigation into the root cause.”
Harrogate District Hospital has also suffered from an increase in covid transmissions acquired in the hospital since Christmas.
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The trust has instigated extra measures, including more regular testing and ensuring windows are open for 10 minutes every hour, in response to the increase.
Harrogate hospital covid levels remain stubbornly high: North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum, which represents the agencies leading the fight against the pandemic, revealed at a press briefing yesterday it currently has 65 patients with the virus.
This is as high as at any point during the pandemic, even though the average rate of infection in the Harrogate district has been falling since January 8.
Harrogate hospital still treating record number of covid patientsHarrogate District Hospital is still treating a record amount of covid patients.
Figures from North Yorkshire Clinical Commissioning Group today revealed that 65 people are in hospital with covid.
The number is among the highest since the start of the pandemic.
Last month the hospital urged people to follow lockdown rules and stay at home as its covid wards were “exceptionally busy”. But numbers have remained stubbornly high since.
It comes as a further 27 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in the Harrogate District, according to today’s Public Health England statistics.
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It takes the total number of cases since March to 7,086.
The district’s seven-day covid rate has fallen to 95 per 100,000 people.
The North Yorkshire average is 90, while the England rate stands at 132.
Killinghall and Hampsthwaite remains the area in the district with the most covid cases in the last seven days, with 19.
No further covid-related deaths have been reported at Harrogate District Hospital.
Four covid deaths at Harrogate hospitalFour further deaths from patients who tested positive for covid have been reported at Harrogate District Hospital.
According to NHS England figures today, two deaths occurred on Friday, one on Saturday and another yesterday.
It takes the covid death toll at the hospital to 146.
Meanwhile, Public Health England today confirmed a further 14 coronavirus cases in the Harrogate district.
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The total number of cases since March now stands at 7,042.
The seven-day infection rate in the district has fallen to 97 per 100,000 people.
North Yorkshire’s average now stands at 99, while the national rate is 141
Killinghall and Hampsthwaite is still the sub-district with the most cases, having recorded 25 in the last seven days.
Harrogate East and Starbeck have the second most with both areas reporting 15 cases.
Harrogate man claims he caught coronavirus in hospitalA Harrogate man who claims he caught coronavirus in hospital has called for greater protections for patients.
Tom Linden, who is 64, was taken to Harrogate District Hospital by ambulance a couple of weeks ago on January 27.
With chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), heart failure and diabetes, Mr Linden is in the at-risk group for coronavirus.
He feared going into hospital but when he developed fluid retention complications, a symptom of COPD, he had no choice.
On entering hospital he tested negative for coronavirus so was taken to the Byland Ward with five other COPD patients.
Mr Linden, who in normal times is in and out of hospital quite regularly, told the Stray Ferret:
“We were all tested for coronavirus on a daily basis. The staff came in on one night and told one of the six of us that they had coronavirus. As I was awake they told me as well.
“The same happened again another night. We raised our concerns about coronavirus safety in the ward and asked them to leave the door open and open the window but they dismissed us.
“On the third time they told me I had coronavirus. They moved me into the Nidderdale ward with the other coronavirus patients and I have a private room where I am calling you from now.
“Now I have to keep telling them to close the door behind them when they come into the room. I am absolutely terrified. I don’t think I am going to make it.”
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Harrogate District Hospital is under significant pressure at the moment. As of yesterday, it had 61 coronavirus. Down just three from an all time high of 64 patients last week.
A spokesperson for the hospital said:
“We have reviewed the comments made by Mr Linden and we are confident that the care provided has been what would be expected.
“Hospitals are safe places to be to receive care if needed.
“At Harrogate District Hospital, we follow strict infection prevention and control measures to protect both our colleagues and our patients, and these are adhered to at all times.
“Some of the measures include opening the windows where possible once every hour for 10 minutes.
“We have plastic curtains in between all beds (that are not two metres apart) which are wiped clean regularly.
“All colleagues involved in patient care are asked to self-test for covid-19 twice a week and report in the results.
“This helps to keep people safe and prevent asymptomatic spread of covid-19.
“Should anyone’s subsequent tests come back positive, then we have plans in place to provide appropriate care.”
The hospital’s press office also added that staff are well versed in PPE and that patients get PPE when they arrive.
Harrogate hospital records further covid deathA further patient who tested positive for coronavirus has died at Harrogate District Hospital.
It takes the death toll at the hospital up to 142.
The death was recorded on February 9, according to NHS England figures.
It comes as statistics from the trust show that 65 patients are currently being treated for covid at the hospital.
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The hospital has also discharged a further 25 people in the last week.
Meanwhile, a further 32 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in the Harrogate district.
It takes the total number of cases since March to 6,960, according to today’s Public Health England figures.
The district’s covid rate has fallen to 121 per 100,000 people.
Elsewhere, the North Yorkshire average stands at 123 and the national rate is 186.
Harrogate hospital records another coronavirus deathHarrogate District Hospital has reported another death from a patient who tested positive for coronavirus.
According to NHS England figures, the death was recorded on February 7.
It takes the death toll at the hospital since the start of the pandemic to 140.
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Meanwhile, the district has had a further 17 coronavirus cases confirmed.
Public Health England figures today show the total number of cases since March have increased to 6,884.
The district’s seven-day covid rate has fallen to 139 per 100,000 people.
The North Yorkshire rate currently stands at 127, while the England average is 201.
Harrogate district records 18 further covid casesThe Harrogate District has recorded a further 18 covid cases, according to today’s Public Health England figures.
It takes the total number of cases since March to 6,867.
A further patient who tested positive for coronavirus has died at Harrogate District Hospital.
The latest death was recorded on February 5, according to NHS England figures.
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It takes the total covid-related deaths at the hospital this week to 10 and the death toll since the start of the pandemic to 139.
Meanwhile, the district’s seven-day covid rate has fallen to 151 per 100,000 people.
The North Yorkshire average stands at 135, while the national rate is 211.
Two further covid deaths at Harrogate hospitalTwo further covid deaths have been reported at Harrogate District Hospital.
Both deaths were recorded yesterday (February 5), according to NHS England figures.
It brings the number of covid-related deaths at the hospital this week to nine, and the total since the start of the pandemic to 138.
Meanwhile, a further 37 covid cases have been confirmed in the Harrogate district.
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Public Health England figures today show the total number of cases since March has increased to 6,849.
Elsewhere, the district’s seven-day covid rate has fallen to 155 per 100,000 people.
The North Yorkshire average stands at 140, while the national rate is 221.
Harrogate district records another 35 covid casesA further 35 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in the Harrogate district, according to today’s Public Health England figures.
It takes the total number of cases since March to 6,812.
Meanwhile, Harrogate District Hospital has recorded another covid death. NHS England figures show the death was reported on February 3.
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The death toll at the hospital since the start of the pandemic now stands at 136.
The hospital has also discharged a further 28 patients this past week. In total, 461 patients diagnosed with coronavirus have been discharged since March.
Elsewhere, the district’s seven-day coronavirus rate has fallen to 164 per 100,000 people. The North Yorkshire average stands at 145, while the England rate is now at 231.