Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust is to receive an additional £527,000 to support Accident & Emergency (A&E) capacity ahead of the winter months.
It is believed that the extra cash means that the Trust will be able to increase its A&E capacity, put enhanced infection prevention and control measures in place and make improvements to emergency care and urgent treatment services.
Across England, the Government is providing £300 million to A&E departments, with work to be completed by the start of next year so hospitals can benefit from the upgrades during the peak of winter. The funding is part of a £1.5bn package to upgrade hospitals, accelerate hospital building and expanding A&E facilities.
Andrew Jones MP said:
Winter may seem a long way off but planning ahead is essential if we want our NHS to cope with the additional pressures that cold weather brings. In addition to those seasonal pressures we can expect the Covid-19 pandemic to still be with us although hopefully in a much reduced and more contained way.
Our local NHS services are highly-rated by users; our staff are talented and dedicated professionals praised by the Care Quality Commission as outstanding for their caring approach. We need to ensure that facilities like A&E match the public expectation and the professionalism of our staff. This investment will enable that expectation to be met during a time of peak pressure.
So while we hope for the best this winter, its right that we plan for the worst. This funding to upgrade A&E across the Trust will ensure that we are in the best possible position for the challenges that the winter months may bring.
