We are committed to providing excellent care 24 hours a day to the people of Harrogate and the wider area through our emergency department.
Each day on average a 100 people are treated by our emergency team and this number rises during peak periods. Harrogate is one of the highest performing hospitals in the region for emergency waiting times with 98% of patients seen, treated and discharged in four hours or less.
The emergency department is not an alternative to seeing a GP and our consistent good performance depends on people using the department in the correct way. The following information will help you decide if you need to be treated by our emergency team.
What is an emergency?
The following should be treated as an emergency. If you find yourself or someone else in one of these situations you should either call 999 or if safe to do so, bring the person straight to the emergency department:
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someone has stopped breathing or their heart has stopped
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the person is experiencing severe chest pain or is having trouble breathing
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there is severe bleeding from any part of the body
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the person is, or has been, unconscious
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there has been a serious head injury
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the person has a severe burn/scald
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the person has a severe allergic reaction
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the person has numbness or weakness down one side and/or has problems understanding what you are saying
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there is a suspected broken bone or dislocation
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the person is experiencing severe stomach ache that cannot be treated by over-the-counter remedies
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Someone has overdosed or poisoned themselves
Still unsure?
If you are still not sure whether the situation is an emergency, need urgent help for something less serious or just want some advice, you can contact one of the following:
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GP surgery – If you do not need immediate care, make a GP appointment at your usual surgery.
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GP Out of Hours - If you need a GP out of normal surgery hours please ring 01904 621621
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NHS Direct - A 24-hour advice. Call 0845 4647 or visit www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk.
