Harrogate District Hospital has received new equipment to improve lung cancer treatments.

Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust said the new equipment would allow staff to carry out endobronchial ultrasound scans (EBUS), which are used for diagnosing and staging lung cancer.

Patients currently have to travel to other hospitals for the scans.

The trust added the equipment can also be used to test for infections and chronic inflammatory diseases.

It added the procedure, which takes less than an hour, will improve patient care and waiting times.

Dr Khizer Khan, consultant in respiratory medicine at the trust, said:

“Previously patients would need to be referred to other NHS trusts for the EBUS procedure, leading to patients waiting during the referral process and inconvenient trips for patients between hospitals.

“However, with the ability to perform EBUS scans at Harrogate District Hospital, patients can receive more timely assessment and then treatment based on their current cancer diagnosis.”

A trust spokesperson told the Stray Ferret the equipment cost about £200,000.

The hospital’s lung and cancer service has also introduced a new treatment for lung cancer patients who develop liquid between their lungs and chest cavity.

The trust said the treatment, known as indwelling pleural catheters, means once patients have had the specially-designed drainage tubes fitted they no longer require visits to the hospital to drain the fluid. Instead, nurses can drain the fluid at the patient’s home.

Dr Khan added:

“I have already performed several procedures at Harrogate District Hospital which have been a great success for both the patients and our team.

“The indwelling pleural catheter serves as a bridge between pain and comfort, empowering patients to navigate their days with dignity and grace.”

Pictured are (left to right) Dr Sana Ahmad (respiratory registrar), Dr Khizer Khan (respiratory consultant), Benice Mpholle (endoscopy nurse), Howard Richardson (endoscopy nurse), Michael Wakefield (respiratory sonsultant), Brian Drummond (endoscopy nurse).

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A community diagnostic centre has opened at Ripon Community Hospital.

The £1 million centre aims to provide Ripon residents with faster access to checks, scans and tests for a wide range of health conditions.

It has the capacity to deliver more than 27,000 checks a year and will enable Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust to offer more appointments for tests, reduce waiting times and make it easier for the local community to access diagnostic services closer to home.

The centre offers services to people who have been referred by their GP for conditions including musculoskeletal problems, lung conditions, cardiovascular conditions and hearing issues.

A number of services have not been available at Ripon Community Hospital before, including ultrasound, echocardiography, audiology, blood tests, ambulatory blood pressure monitor fitting, electrocardiogram (ECG), spirometry (breathing and lung function tests) and tests for asthma.

Later this month, a new x-ray room will be opened in the centre using the latest diagnostic imaging technology that can capture and processes images faster than current equipment, which will reduce waiting times.

Located on the ground floor of the hospital, the centre will initially be open five days a week from 8am to 6pm, with plans to expand to seven days a week by the end of 2024. The x-ray service once opened will be available seven days a week.

Matt Graham, director of strategy at Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust said the centre would provide “a huge benefit for the people of Ripon and the surrounding area”.

He added:

“It is a significant step forward in improving the range of diagnostic tests available in Ripon and it is helping us improve access to healthcare for our rural population. People now have the opportunity to have tests completed on their doorstep rather than having to travel further afield.

“We have been working closely with GPs in Ripon since the start of the project so that we can streamline access to our community diagnostic centre for those people who need it.”

Wendy Balmain, NHS Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board director for North Yorkshire, said:

“This is fantastic news for people living in Ripon and surrounding area and will mean they will have convenient access to a wide range of diagnostic tests.

“It’s a revolution in the way patients access diagnostic services and will speed up the detection of many serious illnesses, meaning patients can start their treatment and recovery much sooner.”

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An 18-year-old man was airlifted to hospital with serious injuries following a two-vehicle collision at Moor Monkton.

The man, who was a back seat passenger in a white Mazda 2, had to be extracted from the vehicle by firefighters.

Two other males from this vehicle, the 18-year-old driver and a 17-year-old front seat passenger, sustained what are believed to be minor injuries.

North Yorkshire Police today appealed for witnesses to the incident, which took place yesterday at 9.18am on Friday, December 15. It occurred on Marston Lane, between the junctions of Green Lane and Atterwith Lane.

The road is located off the A59 to York.

The crash involved the Mazda, which was heading south, and a grey Volkswagen Touareg SUV that was heading north.

The driver of the Volkswagen, a 33-year-old woman, suffered minor injuries. The three-year-old child in the vehicle was uninjured.

The stretch of road remained closed until 4.45pm while collision investigators worked at the scene and to allow both vehicles to be recovered.

Today’s police statement said:

“In support of the investigation, police are urging witnesses to the collision and motorists with relevant dashcam footage to come forward as soon as possible.

“Officers also want to hear from anyone who may have noticed either the white Mazda 2 or the grey Volkswagen Touareg prior to the incident.”

You can email martin.hayes@northyorkshire.police.uk or call North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2, and ask for Martin Hayes.

Quote reference number 12230237251 when providing information.

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North Yorkshire Council looks set to bid for up to £1.7 million worth of funding to help ease pressure on hospital emergency departments.

The Department of Health and Social Care has invited local authorities to apply for grants to help with discharges in social care, which in turn will support accident and emergency units.

Ministers have allocated North Yorkshire as one of the authority areas which has the “greatest health and care challenges”.

The government has given the council an indicative funding amount of £1.1 million, but has encouraged it to apply for up to £1.7 million.

A report by Abigail Barron, assistant director for prevention and service development at the council, has proposed a number of measures as part of the council’s bid.

Among them include employing additional agency social workers to speed up discharge allocations, establishing winter grants for the voluntary sector to help with prevention and developing additional support for unpaid carers.

Ms Barron said the measures would help to “avoid hospital admissions and expedite discharge and flow”.

She added:

“The schemes will also assist North Yorkshire Council’s strategic objective of both supporting hospital discharge and reducing reliance on short stay residential beds.”

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The move comes after Harrogate District Hospital managers raised concern that patients were staying in hospital longer than they should because of a lack of private care services.

Last year, Jonathan Coulter, chief executive at Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust, said the issue had a knock on effect on emergency departments and was the “biggest issue” that the trust faced.

In September 2022, the trust also outlined plans to launch its own home care service in a bid to free up hospital beds.

At the time, the move was met with some concern by councillors who said it could “distort the market”.

Two men have been interviewed under caution after a collision in Harrogate yesterday that left two teenagers in hospital.

The men, both aged in their 40s, were the drivers of the Ford Ranger van that collided with a wall on Yew Tree Lane, and of the Vauxhall Astra also involved in the incident.

Both had remained at the scene yesterday to help police with their investigations, along with the driver of a Ford Fiesta, who has not been interviewed under caution.

The two 15-year-old boys who were injured remain in hospital today, North Yorkshire Police has confirmed.

A spokesperson for the force said:

“Officers investigating the collision are continuing to appeal for anyone who witnessed the collision or who has a dashcam and was travelling in the area around the time of the collision to come forward.

“Members of the public should contact 101 and quote reference number 12230019910.”

The incident happened yesterday morning around 8.45am.

The boys, both pupils at Rossett School, were both walking along Yew Tree Lane and were left with serious injuries.

Nearby pupils rushed to the scene before Ashville College staff provided first aid until emergency services arrived.

The boys were taken to hospital by road ambulance. Police have not provided any further update on their condition.

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