Providing first class healthcare to our community

Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust (HDFT) delivers a range of acute and community services across a rural and urban footprint serving a population of approximately 900,000 people.

As well as caring for the population in the Harrogate district from our hospitals in Harrogate and Ripon, we also provide care and outreach support through our community services from more than 180 locations across North Yorkshire, and parts of the Leeds area, including the Trust’s hospitals, outpatient clinics and in patient’s homes.

We are also the largest provider of children’s 0-19 services in England, with responsibility for providing this service in County Durham, Darlington, Gateshead, Middlesbrough, Stockton-on Tees, Sunderland, Northumberland, Wakefield and North Yorkshire.

Last year, HDFT had around 40,000 emergency department attendances, provided community services to over 400,000 people, undertook 118,000 visits to people’s homes, and delivered over 80,000 virtual outpatient appointments.

Being discharged from hospital

recuperating in a familiar environment, such as your home, can aid recovery. If you meet the SDS criteria and the ward staff determine that you are well enough to go home, they will refer you to the SDS team.

Transport home

You will be required to arrange your own transport home, unless the ward has deemed it necessary that you require an ambulance. However, we can assist with helping you to book transport. Please liaise with the nurse in charge to agree a suitable time for your own transport to collect you so that we can ensure everything is ready.

Discharge Medicines

If you need medicines to take home, your doctor will prescribe them. The medicines will be given to you by your nursing staff together with information about them, including what each medicine is for and any

If you need medicines to take home, your doctor will prescribe them.

Nobody wants to spend longer than necessary in hospital. The doctors and nurses at HDFT will discuss an expected date of discharge with you in advance so that you can make the necessary arrangements for going home. They will ensure that you have everything you need, you understand the procedure of discharge fully and are aware of any follow-up appointments that may be necessary.

We also have a dedicated Supported Discharge Service which provides treatment and rehabilitation to patients in their own home and other care settings in Harrogate and the local community. The team aims to discharge patients, who are medically fit but still requiring support, as soon as possible as we know common side effects associated with them. You will have at least two week’s supply to take home, which will give you time to see your GP and arrange to get ongoing supplies of your medicines if you need them.

Our Community Care service can be accessed by adults who are unable to leave their own home or require treatment at home.

Community Care – Adult Community Services

Our Community Care service can be accessed by adults who are unable to leave their own home or require treatment at home. HDFT’s Community Care Team works closely with a wide variety of organisations including GPs, medical specialists, adult social services, voluntary agencies and residential care homes to provide the right care for those people who need it.

The Community Care Teams provide nursing and therapy interventions in a wide variety of conditions and work out of four locations - Knaresborough, Ripon and two teams in Harrogate. Each team covers a specific geographical area providing long and short-term nursing through patient centered care planning, whilst also supporting and managing long term conditions.

Harrogate and Rural Alliance (HARA)

Local health and social care partners are working together to improve how community health and social care is provided for adults in the Harrogate district. The Alliance partners work with hundreds of different service providers in the wider public sector, the voluntary sector and independent care provision. At the heart of the Alliance are nearly 300 community health and social care colleagues, who are responsible for providing prevention, care and support services.

ARCH Service

The ARCH Service has rehabilitation at its core, assessing and treating patients in their own homes rather than in a hospital so that they can maintain their independence. Last year the ARCHs team supported over 4,500 patients to be discharged earlier and looked after them in their own homes.

Harrogate Health Hub

The Harrogate Health Hub website provides information and help regarding a variety of medical conditions and their treatments. Designed by the Physiotherapy Team at HDFT you can find helpful advice about your aches and pains and what you can do to help yourself. From muscular conditions that affect your neck, arms, legs and back; to neuro rehab; women’s and men’s health; and rheumatology, the website is a ‘hub’ of useful information. https://www.harrogatehealthhub.co.uk/

Further information on Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust can be found at www.hdft.nhs.uk