Continued strikes by doctors are having a "draining impact" at Harrogate District Hospital, according to its boss.
Strikes having a 'draining impact' at Harrogate hospital Continued strikes by doctors are having a “draining impact” at Harrogate District Hospital, according to its boss. Jonathan Coulter, chief executive of Harrogate & District NHS Foundation Trust, was speaking at a meeting of the trust’s board in Harrogate on Wednesday afternoon. Junior doctors who are part of the British Medical Association union staged two seperate walk-outs between December 20-23 and January 3-9. These have followed around 12 months of other strikes and took place at a time when the hospital is already under pressure due to seasonal viruses like flu and covid. It led to 370 appointments being cancelled and rescheduled with cancer treatments particularly affected. Mr Coulter said there was “understandable anxiety” about the challenges faced by the NHS this winter. He said:
“It’s not just the time but the draining impact on the organisation. It’s fair to say it’s becoming more strained. "The junior doctors are reballotting for further potential industrial action next week and there is a significant amount of uncertainty.”Between December and January’s strikes, an average of 65% of the junior doctors in Harrogate were on strike with some of their roles covered internally by consultants. But Mr Coulter insisted staffing levels had improved when compared with the winter of 2022/23. He said:
“It was better here than last year and the organisation has managed through winter.”A long-term problem at the Lancaster Park Road hospital is staff being unable to discharge healthy patients as they are wait to be placed into a care home or home. As of last week (1st February), there were 60 patients of these patients, although some were able to be discharged as the day progressed. By Thomas Barrett, Local Democracy Reporter Read more local stories from Your Harrogate here.
Pateley Bridge to host first New Year's Day cyclo-cross event
Harrogate MP welcomes government U-turn on family farm inheritance tax
Santa Paws: Festive photo competition winners revealed
DalesBus reveals timetable over Christmas period
Festive tractor run raises £45,000 for charity
CCTV appeal after Ripon shop theft
Yorkshire Vet Julian Norton meets fans in Harrogate
Santa delivers gifts to Harrogate children on all-electric sleigh
Rudy's Pizza set to open new Harrogate restaurant
75-year-old Ripon cyclist completes epic birthday challenge
Miriam Margolyes to visit Harrogate as part of upcoming tour
Towns must see benefits of any tourist tax, warns Harrogate MP
Police appeal for wanted man who could be in Ripon
Harrogate school 'takes Law into its own hands' with rare A Level course
CCTV appeal after motorbike stolen in Harrogate
Specsavers Harrogate hosts free after-hours clinic for homeless residents
Man charged following Pateley Bridge hit-and-run
Banyan in Harrogate set to close
Knaresborough boys 'devastated' after beloved cat goes missing
Knaresborough tug-of-war tradition to return on Boxing Day
