Health chiefs urge people to show some love for the University Hospital of Hartlepool

North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust has launched the ‘Love Your Landscape’ project.

The aim is to encourage both staff and patients to take pride in their local hospitals and help them look as good as they can.

The University Hospital of North Tees and University Hospital of Hartlepool work hard to deliver state-of-the-art care using the most advanced techniques but bosses say it’s no secret that the buildings are ageing.

In the same year that the University Hospital of North Tees was built (1968), Harold Wilson was in No. 10 Downing Street and the world was consumed by the ongoing war in Vietnam.

Four years later in 1972, Hartlepool’s hospital was built. Edward Heath was Prime Minister and Yorkshire soap Emmerdale (then Emmerdale Farm) was broadcast for the first time.

Trust Chief Executive Julie Gillon said: “While our unwavering commitment to patient care has never been in question, it’s important our buildings and our landscape always reflect this same commitment.

“We are very aware that our buildings present us with challenges.

“Some issues are minor, like repainting walls or repairing leaks but more major works like upgrading and relocating services represents some real difficulties.

“Our staff are doing all they can to keep the hospital to the clean and tidy standards any patient would expect. Even ‘behind the scenes’ areas that patients rarely see are kept to a high standard. These are hospitals after all and we expect all of our staff to do their bit in making them presentable.

“We’re asking the public to help us in this as well.”

Julie added: “The vast majority of our patients and visitors treat the hospitals and grounds with respect and for this we are grateful. But as ever, there is a minority who litter, don’t leave waiting areas as they found them or smoke on site, despite the clear signage explaining our hospitals are smoke-free.

“We want everyone to share our pride in our buildings, no matter how old they may be.”

Measures to improve the area around the University Hospital of North Tees include additional tree planting, complete with bird boxes.

And both North Tees and the University Hospital of Hartlepool will soon have electric vehicle charging points installed to help reduce local pollution levels.

The Trust is also inviting the public to share memories of their experiences at the hospitals on the Trust’s Facebook page.

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