Almost £1 million has been invested in a complete refurbishment of the Intensive Care Unit at Harrogate District Hospital, increasing capacity and creating a much-improved environment for patients and staff.
The whole unit was stripped down to its structural shell and rebuilt. This has allowed for the creation of an additional side room giving a new total of five side rooms as well as six beds across two open bays. 
New flooring, ceilings, doors and wall cladding has been installed as well as dimmable lights, engaging wall murals and LED ceiling panels featuring blue skies, clouds and trees in two of the side rooms.
There are two newly-refurbished relatives’ waiting rooms, and brand new televisions in each of the side rooms. Also featured are new wash basins throughout the unit, a new emergency lighting and fire detection system, fully integrated patient monitoring systems and upgraded medical gas pipework. Bespoke floor to ceiling medical columns providing medical gases and the electrical supply for each bed space have been installed, which now makes it easier for staff to move all around the bedspace as well as increasing the supply of medical gases and power points to each bed.
The work has been led by the hospital’s Capital Planning Team and members of the Intensive Care Unit team and has taken place over a comparatively short timescale over the past few months. The ICU had already moved to a larger ward within the hospital to facilitate the increase in demand for intensive care beds during the Covid-19 pandemic, which then allowed the unique opportunity for access to the old unit for refurbishment.
Intensive Care Consultant Dr Sarah Marsh said: “We had already begun to make plans to upgrade parts of the intensive care unit before the arrival of the pandemic so had given a lot of thought to what could be possible. So, when the opportunity arose for a more significant refurbishment, we were in a really good place to move forward quickly. A huge thank you to everyone involved in making this transformation happen so quickly. 
“We are so pleased with the new unit – it has a completely different look and feel now. It’s given everyone on the team a huge lift and moving back in will hopefully help to draw a line under the pressures we’ve faced over the last 12 months. It is a really lovely location – modern, bright and airy. After an incredibly challenging year, this is a fantastically positive step forward.
“There are so many new changes to the environment that will make a huge difference to patients being cared for in the unit as well as for the staff working there too. Patients may be with us for many months so by improving the ward in which they will be cared for really does impact on their progress medically and as well as their overall wellbeing. We now have more natural light, illuminated ceilings and floor to ceiling vistas on the walls for example which can help to reorientate patients and provide a sense of the outside inside. The intensive care unit is a 24/7 service so we are always busy, but we believe we have created the best possible environment to help people feel as comfortable as possible, looked after and on the road to recovery.”
As part of the recent works undertaken to refurbish the ICU at Harrogate District Hospital, Harrogate Hospital & Community Charity were able to, because of the exceptional fundraising efforts of our local community, fund some of the works to improve and enhance the environment within ICU. These works included vital improvements to the lighting on the ward, providing patients with soothing scenes that they are able to view while receiving care. A relative’s room has also been updated to enable families to stay with their loved ones offering a space to rest and access facilities including a pull down bed and TV. The Charity would not have been able to provide funds for these incredible works without the amazing generosity and ongoing fundraising initiatives of its HHCC supporters.
ENDS
For further information please contact:
Paul Widdowfield, Communications and Marketing Manager, [email protected] and 01423 557470.
Rebecca Huddleston, Communications and Marketing Assistant, [email protected] and 01423 557732.
Kate Moore, Communications and Marketing Assistant, [email protected] and 01423 557732