Harrogate hospital records another covid death but infection rate falls

Harrogate District Hospital has reported another death from a patient who tested positive for coronavirus.

The death toll from covid at the hospital since March last year now stands at 193.

According to NHS England figures, the latest death was recorded on October 22.

Meanwhile, a further 97 covid cases have been reported in the Harrogate district according to latest Public Health England figures.

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The district’s seven-day covid rate has dropped to 612 per 100,000 people and is no longer the highest average in the county.

The North Yorkshire average is 548 and the England rate stands at 484.

A total of 130,232 people have received a first covid vaccine in the Harrogate district and 121,915 have had a second dose.

Today, Knaresborough’s vaccine centre welcomed its first 12 to 15-year-olds for covid vaccine appointments.

Harrogate hospital invests £110,000 in staff and dementia care

Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust has been awarded £110,000 to fund better dementia care support, improved outdoor spaces and wellbeing projects.

NHS Charities Together, the national charity raising funds for hospitals, awarded the sum to the trust.

The trust used some of the money to buy new DVD players and tables for dementia patients at Harrogate District Hospital for entertainment and to help them stay in touch with family, especially when the hospital has to limit visits.

Hospital patients and visitors will also notice that some outdoor spaces have been transformed with physical and mental wellbeing in mind.

The new look includes fresh seating, garden pods, planting, wind chimes and even an outdoor barista. The spaces can be used as an escape for both staff and patients.

Funds have also been used by the hospital on microwaves, coffee and tea making facilities for staff.

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Matron Tammy Gotts said:

“It is important our patients never feel lonely and the tablets will help improve how they can communication with their friends and family.

“It also means that our patients would still be able to communicate with their loved ones should we ever face another lockdown.

“Having access to more entertainment options will also improve the hospital experience for patients. The outdoor spaces also provide the opportunity for patients to spend more time outside the wards in a pleasant environment.”

Sammy Lambert, business development, charity and volunteer manager, said:

“The funding we have been awarded is helping us to further improve the high level of care we are able to provide.

“Whilst it is wonderful that the funding will be of benefit for patients suffering from dementia, we are also pleased that it will have a positive impact on the wellbeing of our NHS colleagues who have worked tirelessly over the pandemic.

“Their wellbeing is vitally important and simple changes, such as developing outside spaces where they can relax for a moment, will ensure they feel well, healthy and happy at work.”

Harrogate Hospital Radio set to begin FM broadcasting

Harrogate Hospital Radio will begin broadcasting on FM next week after a three-year fight for its’ licence.

It will be launching on 95.3FM at 9:53am next Wednesday, September 1.

The station has been broadcasting since 1977 but will now move to FM radio to allow greater access for patients and staff.

The station will be heard from around a 2km radius surrounding the hospital. It will also continue to be available online and through the station’s app.

The transmitter will be switched on by Andrew Jones MP who gave his support during the battle for an FM licence.

The rest of the day will be hosted by the radio’s chairman Mark Oldfield, alongside guest presenters.

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After being rejected for an FM licence twice, Mark set up a petition online which gained over 500 signatures and the attention of MP Andrew Jones.

Mark said;

“Support from Andrew Jones and those signing the petition helped us immensely; we can continue to run a station for patients, families and hospital staff.”

The licence approval makes it one of the first hospital radio stations in the country to be broadcast on FM.

Harrogate hospital reports second coronavirus death in a week

Harrogate District Hospital has reported a second coronavirus death in a week — after going more than four months without any covid fatalities.

One patient died on Wednesday last week and the hospital reported today that another person had succumbed to the virus.

It takes the total number of coronavirus deaths at the hospital to 181.

Since lockdown restrictions were fully lifted in July, daily coronavirus cases have remained at about the 70 mark. Today’s figure is 82 and brings the total number of cases to 12,908.

The seven-day infection rate for the Harrogate district has increased to 315 people per 100,000. That is just above the North Yorkshire average of 311 and just below the England average of 330.

It was reported today that the number of patients at Harrogate District Hospital being treated for covid had risen to 10.

Elsewhere, 123,979 people have received a first covid vaccine in the Harrogate district and 111,861 have had a second dose.

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Harrogate district bucks trend of rising covid hospital patients

The number of covid patients in North Yorkshire hospitals has increased by 40 per cent in the last week — but just three are in Harrogate.

A media briefing today revealed there are currently 112 covid patients in the county compared with 80 a week ago.

There are three patients in each of Scarborough and Harrogate hospitals, 19 in York and 87 in South Tees.

Coronavirus rates have soared to record levels. Harrogate’s seven-day average rate of infection is now 511 cases per 100,000 people, surpassing the previous January peak. But the number of hospital patients being at Harrogate District Hospital is well below the 67 seen in February.

The North Yorkshire average rate of infection is 570 and the England rate is 520.

Locally, Ripon south and east has become the new covid hotspot, with 69 infections in the last seven days.

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Richard Webb, North Yorkshire County Council’s director of health and adult services told the media briefing of the North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum there had been no cause for celebration following Freedom Day on Monday. He said:

“As we meet today it is quite a bleak and depressing record even though we have had on Monday the lifting of restrictions.

“The current county average across North Yorkshire is 570 per 100,000 and that is the highest recorded figure that we have had in North Yorkshire.

“We have the highest figure we have ever had in Scarborough, higher now than the surge that we had in November.

“So that is quite stark in terms of the situation that we are currently facing.”

Mr Webb added there had been a “significant spread of the virus amongst younger people”. However, case numbers were increasing in all age groups. He said:

“I would ask you to continue to wear your face mask, to keep your hand hygiene and to keep ,where you can, to a distance from other people.

“You may feel confident personally, however, other people may be anxious and they may not feel confident and they may be worried about the spread of this virus.”

Double organ transplant patient to walk 850 miles for charity

A Harrogate man who has had kidney and pancreas transplants aims to walk 850 miles this year to raise money for organ donation.

Mark Smith, a diabetic, had both organs removed 12 years ago and has since raised funds to support others facing the same situation.

His 850-mile target represents the 850 million people suffering from kidney disease across the world.

He began the challenge at the start of the year and has so far walked nearly 350 miles, moving towards his goal by walking in bursts, sometimes up to 22 miles.

Funds raised will go towards Kidney Care UK and Friends of Harrogate Hospital.

He has previously raised nearly £17,000 for Kidney Care UK through a variety of fundraising challenges. He also volunteers for the charity as an advisor for patients going through transplants.

The charity offers both emotional and practical support both pre and post-operation for those going through kidney disease.

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He chose to take on this year’s mammoth walking challenge because it allows him to continue his long-distance trekking passion whilst still conforming with covid restrictions.

Some of the hardest legs of his journey have taken up to eight hours and have included walking across the Yorkshire three peaks.

One of his most notable past ventures involved walking across Hadrian’s wall with the mother of his own organ donor.

Despite receiving a double transplant himself, Mark didn’t seem too concerned about the physical implications of his challenge, saying that his main concern would be to stay hydrated.

He said that his most important aim was to make people consider what they would do in a situation where a loved one needed an organ donation;

“People need to have conversations with their family about their organ donation wishes. I am now an organ donation ambassador, I have completed many fundraisers and I have my own daughter through IVF. None of this would have happened if someone hadn’t said “I’ll donate”.”

Mark is still taking donations for the second half of his journey, which can be made here.

 

 

Six more covid cases in Harrogate district

Six more cases of covid have been recorded in the Harrogate district, according to the latest Public Health England data.

No more covid-related deaths at Harrogate District Hospital have been recorded, which means it is almost a month since the last one.

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The seven-day average rate of infection in the district is 12 per 100,000 people. A week ago it was 16.

The rate in Harrogate is below both the North Yorkshire and England averages, which stand at 20 and 22 respectively.

The highest rate in North Yorkshire is in Selby district, at 64.

The district’s total number of infections since the beginning of the pandemic now stands at 7,709.

Stray Views: Planters, pruning and the NHS Nightingale..

Stray Views is a weekly column giving you the chance to have your say on issues affecting the Harrogate district. It is an opinion column and does not reflect the views of the Stray Ferret. 

We need to focus on the economy and move on

I fail to see why on earth we need a public enquiry into the nightingale hospital.

Has Cllr Jim Clarke and others forgot when covid took momentum we had to be prepared for the worst surely?  It could have been overwhelming had the NHS not been able to cope and save peoples lives.  What cost can you put on this?

Let’s move forward, concentrate on getting the economy back on track, support people less fortunate than others and not waste money on inquires. I often wonder if councillors understand what their real role is .

Mike Fisher, Harrogate

Are councils trying to deter visitors to Harrogate?

Are North Yorkshire County Council and Harrogate Borough Council deliberately trying to drive away visitors and shoppers with the constant downgrading or lack of maintenance and repair of the West Park Stray area?

First we had derelict and much-loved shelters in need of repair. How long have they been an eyesore to visitors or through traffic, which probably wont want to return if this is the standard.

Now we have horrible timber planters blocking traffic on Beech Grove. Surely we are better than this in Harrogate.

Ken Richardson, Harrogate 

Vicious hedge pruning a mistake

This year’s vicious hedge pruning has had a secondary effect; drivers are able to drive over verges with no fear of bushes and trees damaging their vehicles’ paintwork.

Lanes are becoming wider, the verges turn to mud and when it rains the deep ruts turn into torrents, wearing away the road edges.

I have lived in Blubberhouses for 26 years and the pruning has been excessive this spring.

Deborah Power, Blubberhouses

Making Oatlands one-way would harm St Aidan’s students

I have attended St Aidan’s High School for over five years and am now in year 12 in the associated sixth form.

I live in Wetherby, which mean I am required to get a school bus every morning.

Implementing a new one-way system on Oatlands Drive could have a devastating effect on my education and the education of all pupils of both St Aidan’s and St John Fisher’s high schools who get school buses.

Wetherby Road is notoriously busy and as a result I am often late for school. However, If a new one-way system is implemented, this will mean remaining on Wetherby Road until the Empress roundabout, which will probably add 20 minutes to my journey.

I get to school at around 8:55am. Adding 20 minutes to this will mean missing the start of period one, which will severely reduce the amount of teaching I am getting and therefore affect my A-level grades. The first 5-10 minutes is when most of the instruction is given for the lesson – missing this will therefore mean having to wait until the teacher is finished then having to get them to explain again, wasting both my time and theirs.

I have already missed a large amount of learning due to lockdown restrictions.

While I understand the motivation behind the one-way system, there are already usable bike lanes on Oatlands Drive and two wide pavements for pedestrians.

If this one-way system is allowed, it will not only be a waste of public funds that could be used to improve Wetherby Road or to provide technology for online learning to those less fortunate than I am. It will also have a negative effect on my learning in a year that is pivotal for my future.

Tom Adamson, Wetherby. St Aidan’s and St John Fisher’s Associated Sixth Form

Amazing treatment at Harrogate hospital A&E 

My son broke his arm yesterday afternoon. We went to Harrogate hospital A&E. I would like to let everyone know that we were looked after fantastically, that the team were so helpful and that even on a Sunday evening at 10.30pm they operated on him. We had amazing aftercare in the Woodland children’s ward.

The doctor who first saw Oliver was saying goodnight to his work colleagues. He took one look at my son and said ‘I’m not going anywhere’, assessed the damage, administered pain relief and got the X-ray sorted. He stayed for an extra hour and a half to ensure my son was looked after.

Just a fantastic service and I can’t thank them enough.

Simon Wade, Langthorpe, Boroughbridge

Got an opinion on the Harrogate district? Email us at letters@thestrayferret.co.uk. Please include your name and approximate location details. Limit your letters to 350 words. We reserve the right to edit letters.

Coronavirus surge forces Harrogate hospital to postpone surgeries

Harrogate District Hospital has announced it is to postpone some non-emergency surgeries to free up space and staff to deal with coronavirus patients.

There are currently 46 coronavirus inpatients in the hospital — more than double the figure of 19 just a week ago.

The hospital has said previously it has the capacity to care for up to 100 coronavirus patients. But this is only possible if the hospital frees non-covid wards.

It is not clear yet how many appointments will be affected by the news.

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Tim Gold, the chief operating officer at Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust, said:

“Clearly, this past week has seen a very significant increase of people needing inpatient care.

“This is placing a significant strain on services at the trust.

“In response to rising numbers we are increasing the number of beds available for patients with covid on wards and in critical care.

“We will be continuing to provide urgent and cancer care during this time.”

Dr Jacqueline Andrews, the executive medical director at Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust, said:

“The trust and the wider NHS remains open to all who need us. My colleagues here at the trust are working extremely hard to ensure your safety is paramount.

“The vaccine means there is light at the end of the tunnel, but we have still have some way to go.

“We know these next week few weeks will be very tough, it impacts on all of us here as people.”

Art event will raise money for Harrogate hospital charity

Local artist Jos Haigh will sell her work at a preview event to raise money for Harrogate Hospital & Community Charity.

The event, at the Cedar Court Hotel in Harrogate on November 27, will showcase Ms Haigh’s vibrant wildlife art while also generating funds for the charity.

One hundred percent of the sale prices will go to the charity, which funds specialist equipment, training and services at Harrogate District Hospital outside what the NHS provides.

The charity recently funded colouring and art materials for patients at the hospital during the pandemic.

People who attend the preview event will have the opportunity to meet Ms Haigh, who lives in Harrogate and exhibits all over the country, as well as enjoy mince pies and mulled wine.

Christmas gifts and the charity’s newly launched 2021 calendar will also be on sale.

Ms Haigh told the Stray Ferret her works of art had been in a gallery in York for three weeks but lockdown had restricted viewings so she decided to donate them to the charity. She added:

“I chose to donate these paintings after the extremely tough year HDFT has had dealing with a global pandemic as well as the usual challenges that healthcare brings.

“I wanted to say a rainbow thank you to my local NHS trust for all it has done and continues to do.”

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Sammy Lambert, business development, charity and volunteer manager at HHCC, said: 

“We are so grateful for this incredible donation of paintings from Jos. They are beautiful and will brighten up people’s homes, even more so in the knowledge that they are supporting their local NHS.”

The preview evening is free to attend but tickets must but pre-booked. To get one, email hdft.hhcc@nhs.net.

If you can’t make the evening, Ms Haigh’s paintings are available to view and purchase here.