Huge oxygen tank returned to University Hospital of Hartlepool as trust sees fall in Covid-19 cases

The 500-litre liquid oxygen cylinder was relocated to the University Hospital of North Tees in Stockton in April at the height of the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic to support patients needing increased oxygen.

But it is now back ‘home’ at the University Hospital of Hartlepool after upgrades to the North Tees site’s supply and ‘very few’ cases of Covid-19 in the hospital trust.

Deepak Dwarakanath, Medical Director of North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust, said: “The upgrades to North Tees’ medical oxygen supply means we no longer need the additional tank from Hartlepool.

“While we currently have very few cases of Covid-19 in the Trust, we still must ask everyone to continue to practice physical distancing, wear a mask when required and wash their hands regularly and thoroughly.

“COVID-19 remains a threat and we all need to do our bit to minimise its impact.”

Working with supplier BOC, the University Hospital of North Tees’ internal oxygen supply has been improved and is now capable of supporting a large number of patients requiring medical oxygen.

The Hartlepool cylinder was lifted by crane from its temporary position and transported back to the hospital site in Holdforth Road by a specialist crew who also oversaw its reinstallation.

Town MP Mike Hill previously raised concerns about the cylinder’s removal saying it had implications on the viability of the hospital to treat Covid-19 patients.

Hartlepool Borough Council leader, Cllr Shane Moore has also spoken out on the move.

As of Sunday, August 2, the trust had not recorded any new Covid-19 deaths since Saturday, June 26 (36 days).

There have been 140 deaths at the trust since the start of the pandemic.

Across hospital trusts for the whole North East, a total of 1,425 people who had tested positive for coronavirus have sadly died.

Public Health England figures for Hartlepool reported the town had one new case of Covid-19 on Sunday, August 12, taking the total officially diagnoses to 616.

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