Harrogate hospital visitors urged to be respectful after instances of abusive behaviour

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It comes after volunteers reported a few instances of people refusing to follow the rules and being abusive.

They are now pleading with members of the public to abide by the measures which are in place to curb the spread of Covid-19 and keep the hospital, as well as the general public, as safe as possible.

A statement from the hospital reads: “We’ve had some really disappointing feedback from our volunteers on our mask station at the entrance to Harrogate District Hospital.

“A very small minority of people coming to hospital have been unpleasant and rude to our volunteers when asked to wear a mask provided by us.

“Please remember that these are our colleagues who are kindly giving up their time for free to help us during the pandemic. They don’t deserve to be spoken to in this way and are doing what they’ve been asked to do to help keep us all safe.

“Please, wear one of the masks provided by us and be polite and courteous.”

No visitors for inpatients are currently allowed at the hospital, except those who are visiting patients at end of life, patients with physical or cognitive impairments, long stay patients or in

instances where difficult conversations need to take place.

Visitors must wear PPE including a mask and a visor, which will be provided on arrival at the ward.

Anyone attending the hosptial for any reason, whether as a visitor or patient, must wear a face mask at all times.

Surgical face masks are available at the main entrance for anyone entering the hospital and anyone arriving in their own mask is asked to replace it with a fresh one on arrival.

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The statement adds: “We can all play a role in reducing the spread of Covid-19 and keeping our hospitals safe. If you are coming to hospital as a visitor or for planned outpatient care, it is important that you wear a face mask at all times.”