By Wilfrid Edgecombe, M.D., F.R.C.P., F.R.C.S.
The history of the Harrogate and District General
Hospital
A desire of the future
Resulting from the increasing use being made of the hospital the
out-patients' department is proving hopelessly inadequate to deal
efficiently with all requirements and consideration was given to the
possibility of enlargement. The architect of the Regional Board was
instructed to draw plans for a complete reorganisation and extension
of the buildings. These plans are in existence, but so far, owing to
financial stringency, they have not been put into effect and the
scheme remains a desire of the future.
By order of the powers-thatbe it was decreed that the stock of
radium held by the hospital should be transferred to the Radium
Centre at Leeds, where all radium therapy in the region was to be
carried on. It will be remembered that the radium was procured
through private subscriptions collected by the senior surgeon, Mr
Frankling, and was used extensively in superficial radium therapy,
and its withdrawal is regretted by the consultants concerned.
Early in 1952 there was started at the hospital a Preliminary
Training School for nurses. During the four years up to and
including 1955, 144 students have been admitted, an average of 38
per year.
A great improvement was made in the out-patients' department by
the introduction of "stacking" chairs to replace the old-fashioned,
exceedingly uncomfortable forms then in use. It was an innovation
greatly appreciated by waiting outpatients.
