Harrogate District Hospital reports improvement in waiting times at A&E

The department has been under-pressure throughout the winter due to a higher average number of admissions as well as a fresh wave of Covid and flu inpatients that has saw the hospital almost completely full every day.

Harrogate has also been a high number of patients aged over 70 attending A&E compared to nationally.

While attendance figures have returned to near pre-Covid levels, many patients have experienced longer-than-usual stays due to the high bed occupancy.

It’s meant some A&E patients have had to stay overnight, which has put further strain on staff who have had to conduct medicine rounds, serve meals, wash patients and conduct ward rounds.

Industrial action by paramedics, nurses and junior doctors has also put pressure on the hospital.

To try and improve the situation in A&E, the hospital introduced a new streaming model for for minor injuries so staff can focus on patients with more serious conditions.

Speaking at a public board meeting of Harrogate & District Foundation NHS Trust last week, chief executive Russell Nightingale said the changes have worked.

Mr Nightingale said the number of people waiting for 12 hours was down to the single figures in March.

He said: “It’s come down hugely and we’re aiming for zero by August.

"It’s been driven by improvements in the streaming model and that’s been the primary driver.

“We’re working through some of those sticky admittance issues plus the industrial action.”

As the hospital moves out of it’s challenging winter period, next week’s junior doctors strike means there is likely to be some disruption for patients.

The strike is set to take place from 7am on Tuesday, April 11, until 7am on Saturday, April 15.

Jonathan Coulter, chief executive of Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust, told the meeting the hospital has a “robust plan” in place to deal with any disruption should the strike goes ahead as planned.

He said: “The strike is obviously concerning but I’m confident we’ll have safe services.

"There’s a cost of people covering the work and planning it and the cost to the patients who have work delayed.

"Services will be safe and let’s hope there’s a solution relatively quickly.”