Dr Duncan Petty PhD has urged the public not to be tempted to stockpile drugs and told the Stray Ferret that preparations for Brexit has helped with the supply of medicines during the crisis.

Dr Petty, who lives in Harrogate and is a member of the English Board of The Royal Pharmaceutical Society Society,  said in the early days of the outbreak pharmacies came under huge pressure as people tried to get hold of their drugs in advance before self-isolating. It put a serious strain on community pharmacies at a time when they had reduced staffing due to the coronavirus.

Dr Petty said there is sufficient supply if people order at the correct time.  There will only be a shortage if everyone tries to get their medicines early.

“Interestingly, the government had been stockpiling because of Brexit which is fortuitous as we now have plenty of medicines in the country. A lot of the medicines we supply come from abroad and there will be supply line problems coming from places like India and Italy- many inhalers for example come from Italy so you may find you are prescribed a different type of inhaler but we do have supplies of the vast majority of medicines”

Dr Duncan Petty PhD

Dr Petty says pharmacies do deliver to people who are unable to leave their homes but most have a very limited capacity to do this. He sad the government is organising “hubs” through local councils for patients who are self-isolating to organise volunteers to do the deliveries.

In a statement Harrogate Borough Council said: “The government has contacted vulnerable residents with information about how they can get in touch with support networks, such as community hubs, should they need them”.

WATCH: The sign going up, being tested and then switched on.. marking the HCC’s transformation

Paula Lorimer has revealed that the NHS and MOD looked at a number of arenas in the region before deciding to choose the Harrogate Convention Centre as a Nightingale hospital.  She said it was the centre’s vast halls that made it more convertible into a hospital. Her team had to quickly return to the venue, having shut it down due to coronavirus.

“We are so proud and happy to help and play our part but we also feel very emotional at times. It’s given us a deeper respect for the NHS . Getting the building ready is one thing, staying here and delivering the care another. You get that feeling of how brave they’re going to be – we can walk away from this when they are arriving and the duty and bravery they’ll show to combat this”

Paula Lorimer Director of HCC, being interviewed today

Ms Lorimer said the HCC had to bring back its security, cleaning and stewarding teams. The contract caterers returned and volunteered to work for nothing to feed the 400 strong team of contractors building the hospital.

“It’s been a steep learning curve for everybody. We do have the knowledge though- it’s a vast site and very detailed engineering drawings have had to be got out. We had to teach the Royal Engineers their way around the building so they can put in the complex facilities that are needed.”

Paula Lorimer said the public have been calling the centre offering support and that, when the hospital is built , she thinks there will be real opportunities for the community to get involved -but not yet.

When asked how long she was expecting the centre to be used as a hospital she said:

“We just don’t know — it could be months, it could be longer. We just don’t know if it will ever be used. We hope there won’t be a requirement for this – the government has thrown everything into this and we’re here to do our bit”.

A 2017 plan of the Harrogate Convention Centre

Digital Sales and Marketing Manager – The Stray Ferret 20 hours / week

Part-time flexible role—either home or office based given current restrictions

The Stray Ferret is an online news publication for the Harrogate district.

We launched in March this year and have rapidly grown an audience. Our journalists cover all aspects of life in the district – from the huge impact of coronavirus to individual human-interest stories. Our ambition is to be the most read news service in the area.

We are now looking to recruit an enthusiastic Digital Sales and Marketing Manager to increase our advertising revenue and develop our digital presence.

Candidates must live in the Harrogate district and have relevant experience in:

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• Leveraging digital channels such as search engines, social media, email, websites
• Developing new business relationships
• Proven track record in advertising sales
• Brand promotion and marketing

We are looking for a dynamic, creative person who is keen to join a new team and work with us to deliver our 3-year targets. We are offering a competitive salary based on experience.

Closing date for applications is Friday, 5th June 2020. Please email CV with covering letter to: advertising@thestrayferret.co.uk

At 8pm NHS staff clapped and cheered outside Harrogate Hospital as fire fighters returned to salute them.

North Yorkshire County Council has warned people not to fly tip during the temporarily closure of recycling centres because of coronavirus.

The council has asked households to try to create less waste and not be tempted to start carrying out DIY or gardening projects which create extra rubbish.

Speaking for both the district and county council, County Councillor Andrew Lee, Executive Member for Waste Management said:

“We understand that during this time of confinement people are at home when they wouldn’t normally be, so may generate more waste, particularly if they need to have food and other essentials delivered. But we ask them to consider their waste and minimise it as far as possible to support the efforts of the refuse collection teams.. If you overload your general waste bin, it may not be emptied”

In some areas in the Harrogate district green garden waste collections have been delayed until mid-April.  To protect the collection teams residents are being told to:

• Double bag rubbish for collection if they are feeling ill – even if they haven’t been diagnosed with Covid-19
• To clean bin handles before and after collection.

Some residents though have already experienced non domestic waste being dumped in their bins and are concerned. Gillian Parkin who lives in the Rossett Green area of Harrogate told the Stray Ferret that last night she put their black wheelie bin out only to find someone had put two large bin bags full of wallpaper strippings in it overnight.  She fears the situation will get worse.

“I am concerned that we are going to see more of this sort of thing as we can’t go to recycling centres. it is just the beginning. If people can’t dispose of the rubbish they are generating over coming weeks they will become very imaginative and devious”

North Yorkshire Council Council has reminded people that fly tipping is an offence:

“Do not fly tip. It is an offence punishable by fines or imprisonment and offenders will be prosecuted. Beyond that it is an eyesore and a potential health hazard at a time when, more than ever, we should be showing respect for the place we live and those we share it with.”

Yesterday Harrogate Borough Council has posted photographs of messages of thanks and support people have left on their bins for the collection staff.

You guys… We've had some lovely messages today ❤️

Thank you to everyone who has said hello, thanks or just given our crews a wave today! It truly means a lot to all of them. pic.twitter.com/tvldRAPoyp

— Harrogate Borough Council (@Harrogatebc) March 31, 2020

Martin House based at Boston Spa near Wetherby has launched an urgent appeal after most of its fundraising events were cancelled or postponed and its shops closed due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The hospice supports more than 420 babies and children with life-limiting conditions from across Yorkshire and costs £9m pounds a year to operate.

Beckie Wynne, Director of Income Generation at Martin House, said:

“We don’t have the deep pockets and resources of national charities, so we rely on the goodwill of our amazing supporters and volunteers to raise the money we need to provide our care. We only receive around 11 per cent of our running costs from statutory sources, so the money we and our supporters raise is crucial to us.”

The hospice remains open for emergencies and end of life care, but has been forced to cancel its planned respite stays.

The hospice joins a number of charities in the district which have seen their income suddenly dry up. 

Martin House hospice

The charity has launched a Jut Giving appeal. https://justgiving.com/campaign/MartinHouse or those wishing to donate can visit its website www.martinhouse.org.uk/donate.

The Head of Care Services for Harrogate Neighbours, which runs two care homes in the district, said she was made to feel like a criminal when she went to Sainsbury’s on Wetherby Road during special opening hours to buy food for the residents.

Denise McEvoy (pictured above) said she and a small group of care workers from other organisations -all with ID badges and letters –arrived at the store on Friday at 7.30am but were refused entry. Only NHS staff were being allowed in. When Denise insisted on being allowed to enter, the security guard called a second security guard who then called a supervisor who then called a second supervisor before Denise was allowed in. She said, by this time, the other care workers had left in disgust.

“I was furious. As care workers I feel we are undervalued. I was made to feel like a shoplifter, standing there being questioned, whilst NHS staff were allowed in. I refused point blank to leave and finally they let me in”.

Harrogate Neighbours runs Heath Lodge Care Home and The Cuttings – it’s a not for profit organisation that looks after a total of 90 residents who’s average is in the mid 80s.  Management said the staff are working flat out to protect their residents — washing everything that is brought into the homes and will be touched by residents. They are down on staff with 7 members of their team self-isolating.

Staff are even cleaning any cash that is brought into the homes to protect residents

Harrogate Neighbours CEO Sue Cawthray, said she feels the government isn’t fully recognising the contribution of care workers:

“The NHS is vital and the work its staff do is fantastic but we are doing our best to protect vulnerable people and stop them being admitted to hospital. We are doing our utmost and I don’t think it is right that staff in the care sector are often referred to as “unskilled” by the government”.

• Earlier today, Richard Webb, Director of Health and Adult Services at North Yorkshire County Council, praised the efforts of local people to support each other. 

In a statement Sainsbury’s apologised:

“ We are reserving half an hour from 7:30am – 8am from Monday to Saturday in all of our supermarkets to support NHS and social care workers. To help us dedicate this time entirely to these customers, we are asking them to bring a pass or some form of ID with them. We’re sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused and hope our Wetherby Road store is able to welcome the group back into store soon.”

The Stray Ferret has learnt that Jack Wills on James Street in Harrogate will not be re-opening after the coronavirus crisis.

The clothing brand, which was founded in Salcombe in Devon, was bought by Mike Ashley in an auction for £12.7m last year.  Mr Ashley bought the retail chain out of administration after competing against Edinburgh Woollen Mill Group. The brand now forms part of Frasers Group

James Street which is seen as Harrogate’s most prestigious retail street, has seen a steady loss of major retailers over recent years – Next, Austin Reed, Swarovski, Cath Kidston and now Jack Wills.  Next moved to the Victoria Shopping Centre and the space is now filled with a discount store. Swarovski closed in February this year.

The Harrogate store is one a number of Jack Wills stores across the UK to close.

The NHS figures this lunchtime show that a third patient has died at Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust whilst the number of positive coronavirus cases in North Yorkshire has risen to 75 – up 6 from Friday. The patient died yesterday.

At present, most patients are only tested if they are admitted to hospital with severe symptoms, so figures do not include people who have symptoms but are able to stay at home.

An NHS England statement which released today said of all the deaths:

Patients were aged between 39 and 105 years old and all but 4 patients (aged between 57 and 87 years old) had underlying health conditions.

Their families have been informed.