Harrogate Hospital teams aiming to ease the festive pain for patients this Christmas

Although visiting is currently restricted at Harrogate District Hospital, those working there say spirits will not be dampened over the festive period.

Teams are doing everything they can to make sure patients can still enjoy the magic of Christmas as much as circumstances allow, with special meals, festive music and calls home to family members.

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Domestic staff such as porters, cleaners and caterers will also be working over Christmas, as well as those from medical departments.

Steve Thirkwell, Catering Services Manager at Harrogate Integrated Facilities, said: “We are really committed to making things as nice as they can be for patients.

“We will be serving a full Christmas lunch and a buffet for the evening meal.

“This will be available on the wards as well as in the restaurant so everyone can enjoy it.

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“The Christmas music will be on and we will make sure there is a good atmosphere as we do every year.

“All members of the team here take pride in what they do. It is a mammoth task to undertake but they do it so well. There is a feeling of coming together.

“We get a lot of positive feedback from patients about the quality of our food.

“They are served the same thing we would serve at home, all fresh and homemade. There are also lots of special festive treats to brighten everyone’s day.”

Mr Thirkwell has thanked his staff for working tirelessly throughout the pandemic.

They have been providing up to 1,000 meals a day throughout the year, ensuring patients and staff have been well-fed no matter what else has been going on.

He added: “The catering team has been fantastic during the pandemic, providing free meals for staff across the site as a perk for getting through the first wave.

“Everyone has been so busy and it has been a real challenge but I am so proud of every single one of them.

“They have really stepped up to the plate and I want to say a huge thanks to the team, they’ve done so well.”

All teams across the hospital will be working throughout the Christmas period to support those who need it the most.

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Biomedical Scientist Tracy Booker, from the Pathology department, said: “I am proud to be working in Haematology and Blood Transfusion throughout Christmas, including Christmas Day and Boxing Day, providing blood testing and provision of blood products to the hospital and surrounding district.

“Be reassured we are here for you with all our departments within Pathology of approximately 100 staff.

“The whole team will be working on a special staff rota, 24/7 throughout the Christmas period.”

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‘Christmas is just a part of the job...’

Radiologists at Harrogate District Hospital will be offering their services to inpatients and those in A&E this Christmas.

The department will not be holding routine appointments over the Bank Holiday, but staff will still be working hard to support patients in other fields.

Alliya Gulbhar, who works in the department, said: “Working over Christmas is just part of the job - we know we have to work on lots of special occasions and we have to make the best of it.

“We split the shifts and share it out between us so we still get to enjoy some of Christmas.

“We want to let people know we are here for them - this is not a 9-5 job, we are still offering this service.

“Radiology is a big part of everything and most patients will need to use it at some point.

“Whether they are referred to us from their GP or they are treated in the emergency department, we will make sure they get the help they need from us.

“We are always there to support our patients whenever they need us.”

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The team says pulling together has been one of the most important aspects of the year and has helped staff get through the difficulties of the pandemic.

Radiologist Jenny Burns says her colleagues are the reason she has been able to work so hard.

She said: “Coming together is so imortant and we have all been offering moral support.

“We lift each other’s spirits and come together as a team. We need each other.”

She says the team will be doing all it can to make sure the Christmas period is as festive as possible and patients are made to feel at home.

“We want to bring the Christmas spirit onto the wards and into the hospital in spite of everything that’s going on right now.

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“Every year we try and make the most of it to lift the spirits of both staff and patients.

“We wear festive earrings and bring in treats for everyone to enjoy. We know things have been really difficult for everyone and this can’t make up for it, but we just want everyone to know that we are pulling out all the stops to make sure everyone feels a little bit of the Christmas magic.”

The main Radiology Department at Harrogate District Hospital offers a range of imaging techniques, including X-rays, ultrasounds, MRI and CT scans, Mammograms (X-rays of the breast) and Bone Mineral Density scans, among others.