Harrogate Hospital (Harrogate District Foundation Trust – HDFT) has increased the cubicle capacity in its Emergency Department, but is urging people to only use the Emergency Department if absolutely necessary.
As part of WYAZ (West Yorkshire Accelerator Zone) funding from NHS England, the Trust received capital funding to increase the cubical capacity. This increase is vital to enabling the team to work efficiently and to avoid long waits for patients due to surges in demand – staff numbers remain the same yes, this works gives us more physical space for those staff to work in and for patients.
The project team delivered a six month capital scheme in three months and the benefits of the new environment have been noticeable immediately. The Emergency Department staff continued to deliver excellent care and high levels of performance during this period.
Dr Matt Shepherd, Lead Consultant for the Emergency Department at Harrogate District Hospital, said: We’re really pleased with the extra capacity we have, as well as our redesigned teaching space and staff room. The Emergency Department has long been constrained by its cubicle capacity and therefore a reduced ability to manage the surges in demand. We are delighted to have been able to convert admin space in the department into clinical space giving us an additional five cubicles. Not only will this enable us to assess more patients at once but it has also given us the chance to modernise the cubicles. The new cubicles all have computers on the walls, fitted monitoring, new trollies and other kit.
However, despite this extra capacity, unnecessary attendances at the Emergency Department mean longer waits for those patients who really do need urgent care, as well as extra pressure on our staff. Colleagues work very hard to cope with demand but we need local people to help by only coming to the Emergency Department when absolutely necessary.
To help us deliver the best possible emergency care to those who need it, if you have an illness that is not severe, then please visiting www.nhs.uk/111, calling NHS 111, contacting your own GP or seeing a local pharmacist for advice before choosing to come to the Emergency Department.
