Harrogate hospital to spend £900,000 on A&E streaming service

Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust is to spend £900,000 on an emergency department streaming service aimed at reducing waiting times.

Under the plans, Harrogate District Hospital patients will be assessed on arrival at A&E.

If they have a less serious illness or injury will be transferred to another part of the hospital, which will have its own designated clinical practitioners.

Hospital officials said this will allow the emergency department to “focus on patients who require urgent stabilisation, resuscitation and/or further assessment in our hospital”.

As part of the £900,000 spend, new staff will be hired and enhancements made to the existing department.

The trust said the streaming model will be introduced gradually over the next four to six months as training and building work takes place. It aims to have the new system fully operational by winter this year.

A spokesperson for HDFT said:

“The streaming model in the emergency department at Harrogate District Hospital is focused on improving the experience and timeliness of care for patients attending the emergency department.

“It will help us to reduce delays and some of the pressure in the main emergency department, which is a significant area of concern for all trusts.

“Patients arriving at the emergency department will be rapidly assessed and if they have a less serious illness or injury they will be transferred into the new stream which will have its own trained clinical practitioners with injury and minor/moderate illness skills.

“This will allow the main emergency department to focus on patients who require urgent stabilisation, resuscitation and/or further assessment in our hospital.”

Long waiting times

Latest figures show that Harrogate District Hospital had 4,331 attendances to its emergency department in April 2022.

The national standard for emergency department waiting times is to admit, transfer or discharge 95% of patients within four hours.

Harrogate District Hospital.

Harrogate District Hospital

According to NHS England figures, 66% of patients were seen within that timeframe at Harrogate hospital.

In April, West Yorkshire Association of Acute Trusts, which is a partnership of six hospital trusts including Harrogate, urged patients to only attend emergency departments for life-threatening injury or illnesses.

Dr Andrew Lockey, consultant physician in emergency medicine with Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust, which is part of the association, warned that units were “extremely busy” with waits of up to 12 hours.

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Officials at Harrogate hospital hope that the new streaming model will help to relieve pressure on the department.

The move comes as other hospital trusts across the UK have introduced similar measures.

In 2018, United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust spent £500,000 on expanding Boston Pilgrim Hospital’s emergency unit in order to introduce a streaming service.

At the time, ULHT said it felt there were too many patients attending the emergency department who could be seen by a general practitioner instead.

Traffic and Travel Alert: Harrogate district travel roundup

Traffic is moving normally on the roads in the Harrogate district this morning.

However, some cancellations have been reported on bus services.

Here is your Stray Ferret traffic and travel roundup.

Roads

Traffic is running as normal this morning, but drivers should be aware of the usual queueing on Wetherby Road and Knaresborough Road during rush hour.

Construction work on the A661 Harrogate Road is Spofforth is due to end today.

Meanwhile, roadworks are still in place in Knaresborough at the junction between Wetherby Road and York Road which will cause delays this morning.

The works are expected to continue until August 15.

Trains and buses

Train services are running as normal from Harrogate to Leeds and York this morning.

However, commuters should be aware of planned strike action on the railways next week. Industrial action is due to take place over three days from June 21 and will affect Northern services from Harrogate.

Northern is expected to publish a timetable of its services which it will be able to run this week.

Meanwhile, the Harrogate Bus Company is reporting some early morning cancellations on the 36 from Leeds to Harrogate at 7.40am and 8.55am.

There is also a cancellation from Harrogate to Leeds at 7.35am.

The bus company is reporting early morning cancellations to the 1A, 1B and 1C services. You can find out more here.

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Police launch urgent appeal for missing Minskip man

North Yorkshire Police has launched an urgent appeal to locate a missing man from Minskip.

Luke Earnshaw, 31, was last seen on Saturday (June 11) when he left his home on Prospect Terrace in the village shortly before 2.30pm.

He was seen walking down Thorndikes Lane towards Staveley.

Officers are extremely concerned for his welfare.

Luke is of slim build with a bald head and bushy ginger beard. He has tattoos on his arms.

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He was captured on a doorbell camera (pictured above) when he left his home. He was wearing a blue jumper, brown jacket, dark blue jeans and a grey flat cap.

A police statement added:

“If you have any information which could help locate Luke please contact police on 101 or call 999 for an immediate sighting. Ref: 12220101715.”

Traffic and Travel Alert: Road and public transport roundup for the Harrogate district

Roads and trains are running as normal this morning, but there are some early morning bus cancellations.

Here is your Harrogate district traffic and travel roundup.

Roads

This morning, rush hour is expected to bring the usual delays on Wetherby Road and Knaresborough Road.

Maintenance work on Skipton Road today by CityFibre near to Regent Grove is due to continue until June 15.

Meanwhile, roadworks are still in place in Knaresborough at the junction between Wetherby Road and York Road which will cause delays this morning.

The works are expected to continue until August 15.

Trains and buses

Train services are running as normal from Harrogate to Leeds and York this morning.

However, the Harrogate Bus Company is reporting some early morning cancellations on the 36 from Leeds to Harrogate at 7.40am, 8.55am and 9.55am.

There is also cancellations from Harrogate to Leeds at 7.35am, 9am and 9.25am. 

There are also early morning cancellations to the 1A, 1B and 1C services. You can find out more here.

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Why Elderflower Homecare is a great place for carers

This advertorial is sponsored by Elderflower Homecare.

Three years ago, Katie Livesley was working as a nanny but, after looking after her auntie who had early-onset dementia, she decided to change tack and she is now building her career at Elderflower Homecare.

Starting out as a homecare and rehabilitation assistant in August 2019, Katie has worked her way up to care co-ordinator. Now, she not only cares for clients in their own homes, but she also spends part of her time working in the office, supporting clients and staff. 

Elderflower Homecare is a care provider covering Boroughbridge, Ripon and local villages and supporting people in their own homes. 

Despite having no previous experience in health and social care, Katie was given the support and training to develop.

Elderflower offered her in-house training and the opportunity to undertake a National Vocational Qualification in health and social care.

The company also supports its carers through paid mileage and providing uniforms and PPE.

Katie said the team has helped her feel at home.

She said:

“It’s just nice to be part of a big family.

“Everybody helps each other out and every day is totally different.”

At Elderflower, she helps a range of clients including people with disabilities and dementia.

But her responsibilities do not stop there, Katie also looks after marketing, social media and publishes a monthly newsletter.

Part of a team of around 40 staff, she said carers at Elderflower are given the space to build a rapport with their clients.

Katie said:

“We are provided with our uniform and a work phone. We get paid our mileage as we all need to drive to see our clients.

“It’s a really worthwhile job and I feel we’re helping our clients lead the lives they want in their own homes.”

For more information on how you can join Elderflower Homecare as a carer, visit their website.

Reduction in Knaresborough retirement flats ‘unviable’, says developer

Developers behind plans for 61 retirement flats in Knaresborough have said reducing the size of the scheme would be “unviable”.

Adlington Retirement Living, part of the Gladman group, wants to build the flats with additional care facilities on land adjacent to the single-track Grimbald Bridge on Wetherby Road, alongside the River Nidd.

Councillors on Harrogate Borough Council’s planning committee have twice delayed making a decision on the proposals after concern over its size, flooding and impact on local health services.

Now, the developer has said reducing the scheme’s size and moving it further away to reduce flooding fears would not be “necessary or indeed achievable”.

In a letter to the council responding to its deferral, Robert Gaskell, planning manager at Gladman Retirement Living Ltd, said:

“The applicant has investigated both of these requests and concluded that neither are necessary or indeed achievable.

“A further reduction in the number of units (bearing in mind the loss of over 11,000 sq ft to date) would make the scheme unviable, mean care and support cannot be provided as efficiently, and lead to unaffordable service and well‐being charges.”

Mr Gaskell added:

“The applicant asks that the council decide on the application as it stands‐ which has been assessed to accord with every single relevant development plan policy and relevant elements of national policy, has no objections from any statutory consultee, has significant material benefits, and has continuously been recommended for approval.”

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The response follows concern at a planning committee meeting in May that the apartments amounted to “overdevelopment”.

Cllr Pat Marsh, a Liberal Democrat member of the committee, said at the time:

“It is the numbers that are being asked for on this site which are problematic.

“It is too large. If they want to do it, I would like to see them cut the numbers down considerably and move that building further away from the river.”

North Yorkshire Clinical Commissioning Group also raised concern over the impact on local health services.

However, this objection was later withdrawn after a £40,000 developer contribution was agreed.

The scheme will now be considered by the borough council’s planning committee at a meeting on Tuesday, June 21.

Council officers have recommended that the development be approved.

Man arrested on suspicion of indecent exposure in Valley Gardens

Police have arrested a man on suspicion of indecent exposure in Harrogate’s Valley Gardens.

Officers were alerted to the incident, which happened in the gardens on Sunday (June 12).

A 67-year-old man from Bradford was arrested on suspicion of outraging public decency and breaching a sexual harm prevention order.

North Yorkshire Police added in a statement:

“Officers would like to thank the quick-thinking members of the public who alerted us to the man and helped detain him.

“He remains in police custody whilst enquiries continue.”

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Traffic and Travel Alert: Roadworks and traffic update across the Harrogate district

Traffic is moving as normal this morning in the Harrogate district, but some disruption remains in place in Knaresborough.

Here is your traffic roundup.

Roads

Rush hour is expected to bring the usual delays on Wetherby Road and Knaresborough Road.

Those travelling through Spofforth should be aware of roadworks on the A661 Harrogate Road coming into and out of the village.

Planned maintenance work is expected to start on Skipton Road today by CityFibre near to Regent Grove.

Meanwhile, roadworks are still in place in Knaresborough at the junction between Wetherby Road and York Road which will cause delays this morning.

The works are expected to continue until August 15.

Trains and buses

Train services are running as normal from Harrogate to Leeds and York this morning.

However, the Harrogate Bus Company is reporting some early morning cancellations on the 36 from Leeds to Harrogate at 7.40am, 8.55am and 9.55am.

There is also cancellations from Harrogate to Leeds at 7.35am, 9am and 9.25am. You can find out more here.

Harrogate Bus Company still has a diversion in place on its 21 service meaning it is unable to reach Ashbourne Road due to a road closure.

The nearest alternative stop is Morrisons in Boroughbridge. This diversion will be in place until June 30.

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Knaresborough scuba diving facility ‘woefully misunderstood’, says businessman

A scuba diving business owner has said plans for a deep diving facility in Knaresborough have been “woefully misunderstood” after the proposals were rejected.

Tim Yarrow, who owns Harrogate-based Diveshack, had planned to build the training pool facility on Thistle Hill.

However, Harrogate Borough Council rejected the plan on the grounds that the proposal would “result in harm to the visual and spatial openness of the green belt”.

Mr Yarrow, who has been a scuba instructor around the world for 30 years, said his facility would have offered an opportunity for “potential local investment”.

He said:

“It is my opinion that the necessity and requirements of a specific training facility for scuba and all it brings with regards to potential further local investment, employment and potential career paths has been woefully misunderstood.”

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The plan would have seen the site at Thistle Hill changed from agricultural land to a deep water diving centre.

Mr Yarrow said that his club, which has been open since 2018, currently trains young and upcoming divers. He said the facility would help to expand this.

However, the council said in its decision notice that the facility was also outside the development limit of any village or settlement.

It said:

“The proposal is for a new tourism and recreational use however the application fails to demonstrate that there is a local need for the facility in this location, that the facility is of a scale and nature appropriate to its location and intended purpose, and that the facility is accessible to the community or catchment population it is intended to serve.”

Council starts legal proceedings against Travellers in Knaresborough

Harrogate Borough Council has commenced legal proceedings against a group of Travellers in Knaresborough.

The group set up camp on the rugby field on Hay-a-Park Lane last week.

It is thought that the Travellers were on their way to Appleby Horse Fair in Cumbria. However, the fair started yesterday and Travellers still remained in Knaresborough today.

Officers from North Yorkshire Police have been at the site this morning.

A spokesperson for Harrogate Borough Council said:

“We have commenced legal proceedings and notices have been served.”

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Travellers also parked on the Stray in Harrogate last week.

Six caravans and several cars arrived on the parkland near to Oatlands Drive on Saturday.

However, the group left the area on Monday.