Vicky Carr, Author at The Stray Ferret

Nidderdale school celebrates top rating from inspectors

A school in Nidderdale has been praised by inspectors for its education – including an ‘outstanding’ rating for its nursery.

Belmont Grosvenor School in Birstwith, which caters for children up to 11 years old, was visited by the Independent Schools Inspectorate, which regulates private schools across England.

It was found to meet all eight requirements in its preparatory school, including pupil welfare, quality of education, and its leadership and management. The ISI does not give a rating to schools it inspects in this way.

Meanwhile, its Magic Tree Nursery was given a full inspection and rated ‘outstanding’. In their report, inspectors said:

“Staff demonstrate a deep knowledge of how children of this age learn and develop. All children under the age of three make at least good and often rapid progress from their starting points and are well prepared for the next stage in their education.

“Children’s personal and emotional development is clearly well supported, and the children consistently demonstrate that they feel safe, secure and happy, willing to engage not only with familiar staff but also with visitors.

“Staff have an excellent understanding of safeguarding and welfare requirements, and they fulfil their responsibility for protecting children diligently. Leaders and managers demonstrate strong commitment to continuous improvement through detailed cohesive self-evaluation and a clear vision for future developments.

“This ensures that all children receive the best possible support and care.”

The report also praised the clear direction given to staff by the leadership, strong links with parents, and the opportunities offered to children at the nursery.

The inspectors added:

“Extremely effective care practices support children’s emotional security and the development of their character.

“The exceptional relationships that children have with the adults around them are built on strong, secure attachments. Each key person’s excellent knowledge of their children’s unique needs ensure they know how to respond effectively.”

The report said there could be more use of natural resources to enhance children’s play, and that the governors could be more involved in providing vision and oversight to the nursery to ensure it continued to perform well.

Headmaster Mr Nathan Sadler, who joined Belmont Grosvenor School at the start of the academic year, said”

“Our school community is very pleased with the outcome of the inspection. Most pleasingly, the inspection team could not sing the praises of our pupils enough, describing them as an absolute delight.

“The inspection process is a great validation tool and will also help us determine what will come next at BGS.”

Council set to use compulsory purchase order on two empty homes in Harrogate district

Two houses which have been empty and in a state of disrepair could be brought back into use with compulsory purchase orders.

Harrogate Borough Council is considering the unusual move after extensive efforts to encourage the owners to improve the homes have failed.

A report due to be considered by the council’s committee tomorrow recommends beginning the CPO process for 16 Greenfields Drive in Harrogate and 4a Beech Lane in Spofforth.

It said:

“Compulsory purchase is usually a last resort, as the preference is to acquire by voluntary agreement wherever practicable. This is in accordance with the council’s empty homes strategy.

“It is considered, however, that the council has made every effort to secure the return to use of these properties and CPO is now the only realistic option. Although the offer of voluntary acquisition will remain open to the landowners throughout this process.”

Housing growth officer James Tuck said the “massive shortage of housing stock within the Harrogate district” justified the CPO for the two homes.

His report said there were 2,006 households on the council’s waiting list for rented housing, with a rented affordable housing shortfall of 208 homes and affordable sale housing of around half that number, according to the council’s housing and economic development needs assessment.

Regarding the Spofforth home, the report said:

“A letter was sent to the property in March 2019 as part of a complaint that it was empty. Initially it was very difficult to make contact with the owner despite numerous letters being sent.

“Once contact was made the owner agreed to resolve the external issues and plan to get the property occupied again. Despite occasional correspondence since, deadlines have frequently been missed and little progress has been made.

“The property was scored as part of the empty homes database and was observed at the time to be in a poor state of repair with overgrowth and looking generally rundown.

“Concerns have been raised by a local councillor and attempts have been made to establish a timeline with the owner but deadlines are regularly missed and the property remains empty.”

The home in Harrogate was brought to the housing department’s attention by the environmental health team, while the owner was being pursued for council tax payments.

The council’s empty homes officer began trying to make contact in July 2021 but received no response, the report said. It added:

“The property was scored as part of the empty homes database and was observed at the time to be in a very bad way with an overgrown garden, disused car in the drive, windows needing paintwork, a board covering the back garden, and in a very rundown state of repair.

“In August 2021 the cabinet member for housing and safer communities approved the empty homes officer to make an offer to purchase the property and a letter was sent to the owner requesting a meeting to arrange a formal, independent RICS valuation of the property.

“No response was received so a second letter was sent advising enforcement action would now be pursued.”

Any CPO would need to be approved by the government’s secretary of state for communities and local government.

Commercial Street shops unite to sweeten Christmas for struggling families

A “mountain” of chocolate will be collected by a group of independent businesses in Harrogate to ensure everyone has treats to enjoy this Christmas.

The Commercial Street Retailers group is inviting people to donate festive chocolates for three weeks, to hand over to Harrogate District Foodbank.

It is the second year the businesses have united to organise the scheme and Sue Kramer, who owns Crown Jewellers, said she hopes they will do even better than last year:

“Last year, we got over 16 stones of chocolate, so we donated them in three parcels over a few weeks. It was a mountain of chocolate!

“It was amazing: heartwarming, humbling and absolutely incredible. It’s a wonderful thing for people to do.

“This year, with everything else going on – the economic crisis, the cost of living etc – it’s a wonderful thing do to again.”

Any chocolates can be donated as long as they don’t contain alcohol. Ms Kramer said everything from large tubs and selection boxes to chocolate biscuits is very welcome.

Collection points will be open from Saturday, November 19 to Saturday, December 10, at five shops on Commercial Street: Foxy Vintage and Interiors, Harrogate Town AFC shop, White Rose Sewing, Curtain and Blind Design, and H Nail Club.

As an added incentive, anyone who donates chocolate by Saturday, December 2 will be given a raffle ticket, with five £10 vouchers on offer from the businesses on Commercial Street. Ms Kramer said the prizes would offer a helping hand to people shopping in the run-up to Christmas Eve.

Sue added:

“The foodbank get food donations, but they don’t get things like chocolate because it is seen as a luxury.

“I can’t bear to think of local families and particularly children not getting chocolate at Christmas. I really hope people will be generous again this year and make sure everyone has a treat to enjoy on Christmas Day.”

Hope for improvements to Pannal duck pond despite confusion over ownership

A popular village pond that has turned into a mud bath should begin to improve over the coming weeks.

Pannal duck pond has been in an increasingly poor state over many months amid confusion over its ownership and who has responsibility for its upkeep.

The neighbouring households even received an anonymous, accusatory letter about the pond, signed off “lots of love, the people of Pannal”. It said:

“You and your neighbours have an obligation, indeed, a duty, to remedy this frightful carbuncle and provide a rejuvenated habitat for the boundless wildlife that exits [sic] on and in the surrounding area.

“You need to collaborate with each other and devise an action plan before there is no wildlife left at all – come on!! Start talking to each other and do something about it. Don’t be fat and lazy – put your backs into it and you’ll soon have it looking like it used to!

“Put on your wellies and clean-up for heaven’s sake – remove the traffic cones, the endless plastic bottles, the drinks cans – it’s an utter disgrace and should be thoroughly ashamed of yourselves.”

However, one of the neighbours, Clare Waligora, posted the letter on Facebook and gave the community an update on the pond, explaining its ownership and upkeep are not as straightforward as the letter writer appeared to believe.

Her husband Brian told the Stray Ferret a solicitor had looked into the situation and even he could not establish the pond’s ownership. While the neighbouring households pay an annual fee for an indemnity policy, it was not clear what their obligations were for long-term maintenance.

Mr Waligora said there was an old water wheel with a sluice that used to help with drainage, but it had not been in use for many years. Silt has since built up in the pond, leading to preventing natural drainage and reducing the pond’s capacity.

The nearby households opened a sluice gate to try to allow some of the accumulated debris to clear slowly. Then, last week, heavy rain washed it away in one day and left the pond almost completely drained.

Mr Waligora, who has lived next to the pond for almost 16 years, said:

“Now is the time to do something, but lot of companies wouldn’t even quote because of the access to the pond being so difficult.

“We managed to get one quote of £20,000, but they said it could go up if they were to encounter any issues.”

Mr Waligora said while there was willingness among the neighbouring houses to try to make improvements, that quote was more than they were able to spend.

However, he said they had since received an email from the Environment Agency concerned about the condition of the pond. Mr Waligora is now hopeful the homeowners can work with the agency to find a solution.

He said although it had been unpleasant to receive the anonymous letter through the door, the response from the community had been very supportive.

“I admit during the summer it looked awful and particularly since the heavy rain where it cleared out centuries of debris and created a bit of a stream through there.

“We’ve closed it back up and it should start filling up when we get a heavy rain. We’ve been pleased, despite the letter where the person seemed to represent the Pannal community, most people are appalled and made it clear they had nothing to do with it.

“Almost everyone has been much more helpful which is particularly reassuring for all of us. Since we’ve posted that, everyone I’ve spoken to has been positive and encouraging and willing to help.

“The ownership is a bit of a grey area, but we live around here and we want it to look good like everyone else. We’re willing to put a disproportionate amount of time and money in because we see it more than anyone else but it’s not straight forward.”

Care home appeals for 103 cards to mark Marjorie’s milestone birthday

A care home in Boroughbridge is appealing for help to make a resident’s birthday extra special this month.

Marjorie, who lives at Boroughbridge Manor on Roecliffe Lane, will turn 103 on November 23.

Its staff are asking for people from far and wide to send birthday cards for her, with an ambitious target in mind.

Posting on social media, the home said:

“We are trying to obtain at least 103 cards.

“We are calling upon our local community, families, visitors and people far and wide to help celebrate this amazing milestone.”

The care home, owned by Barchester, first put out the call for cards in August – having previously found cards would still be arriving long after a birthday if they appealed nearer the time.

Staff this week said they had received almost 70 cards to date and were hopeful of reaching their milestone by the time of Marjorie’s birthday.

Cards can be sent to: Activities Team, Boroughbridge Manor Care Home, Roecliffe Lane, Boroughbridge, YO51 9LW.

Council could create new Pannal business park

Plans to create a new business and industrial site on the southern approach to Harrogate could be progressed next week.

Harrogate Borough Council‘s cabinet will decide on Wednesday whether to begin speaking to developers to gauge interest in the site.

Allocated for employment use in the Harrogate district Local Plan 2014-35, which outlines where development can take place, the site lies along the eastern side of the A61 near Pannal. It is between the railway line and Crimple Beck, north of the Mercedes garage and the M&S Food shop at the petrol station.

A strategic sites masterplanning document prepared by consultants BDP and Colliers will be reviewed by the cabinet as part of the decision next week. It says:

“Crimple Valley Viaduct, to the north-east of the site, is a Grade II* listed building.

“Development of the site should minimise harm to the setting of this designated heritage asset and seek to enhance its significance; this should include retaining key views of the viaduct from within the site and from beyond the site through the site.”

An officer’s report summarising the document said the focus of any development should be on “high quality place-making and low carbon development”, referring to the council’s “aspirations for high-tech/high skilled job creation”.

Access to the site would be via public transport or the A61

The consultants’ report suggests the site could be accessed via traffic lights or a roundabout, with pedestrian and cycle access further south to link with bus stops on Leeds Road and the railway station in Pannal.

It says the site could be used for high-tech manufacturing, research and development, or business headquarters. Buildings would be up to three storeys and 5,000m sq in size.

The total office space allocated for the site is 10,000m sq alongside 31,500m sq of industrial space. The report says:

“In order to support the local economy there is a need to provide a range of office, manufacturing and warehousing accommodation from shared spaces to single occupiers.

“There is also the opportunity to include a hub building at the heart of the development that can offer a mix of business space and shared facilities for the business community.

“The site should feel like an extension of the existing community, rather than a gated ‘estate’. Access to the existing right of way along the eastern boundary of the site is to be retained and enhanced with new pedestrian connections through the site and safe crossing points on Leeds Road.”

With the site designed to encourage sustainable travel, one parking space has been allocated for each 40m sq of office space or 50m sq of industrial space.

As well as tree planting through the site, the document suggests a wildflower meadow and attenuation pond could be created to the north of the site, adjacent to Crimple Beck.

The suggested layout, with industrial space in orange and office in brown

The officers’ report acknowledges that any development of the site is likely to take place after Harrogate Borough Council is abolished next spring, when the new North Yorkshire Council comes into effect. It adds:

“Taking into consideration current market conditions/costs and uncertainties around the new strategic objectives of North Yorkshire Council from April 1, 2023, it is currently not clear how much direct involvement the council should or could have in the development of the site.

“Officers therefore recommend the next steps to be engagement in expressions of interest with developers to test market appetite, focussing on high quality place-making and low carbon development.

“This can then inform a future decision about the appropriate level of local authority involvement and timescales for delivery of the site.”

Harrogate Theatre misses out on Arts Council funding until 2026

Harrogate Theatre will not receive any funding from Arts Council England from next April until 2026.

The funding body had previously given the White Rose Theatre Trust, which runs the theatre, just over £140,000 a year since 2015 through its national portfolio scheme.

The last round of awards from 2018 to 2022 gave the theatre a total of £563,636.

In today’s funding announcement, however, the theatre misses out completely — and no other organisations in the Harrogate district are included either.

Deborah Larwood, chair of the Harrogate Theatre board, said:

“Following this news, the board and leadership team will take some time to reflect and reimagine our plans from April 2023, as we continue to support the [ACE] Let’s Create agenda and ensure that Harrogate Theatre continues to deliver a vibrant cultural offer for people of all ages across the Harrogate district.

“We will continue to work alongside Arts Council England and to advocate for the value of the arts in all our lives.”

In a statement, the theatre said it was disappointed by the news, but was grateful for ACE’s support to date.

It said the money had enabled the theatre not only to bring a “fantastic range” of artists to Harrogate, but also to engage with children and young people and to support emerging artists – as well as putting on the annual pantomime.

Arts Council funding has helped Harrogate Theatre to put on its popular annual pantomime. Photograph: Karl Andre

Theatre chief executive David Bown said:

“I am proud of the positive impact Harrogate Theatre has on our community. Our extensive programme of events and workshops reach an audience of over 150,000 per year due to the extraordinary talent and dedication of our staff, volunteers, board and the incredible artists on our stages.

“Harrogate Theatre has played a key role in the economic recovery of Harrogate post-pandemic and will continue to provide a rich artistic programme to inspire and entertain the town and its visitors.”

‘New organisations’

ACE said it was sharing out £446m each year across 990 organisations around England.

It said the list of organisations receiving funding was “richer and more varied than ever before”, featuring the likes of Blackpool illuminations, Unlimited in Yorkshire which commissions work by disabled artists, and community arts organisation intoBodmin.

ACE chief executive Darren Henley said:

“Together, each of the 990 organisations that have been offered funding today will contribute to a portfolio that is rich, varied and truly national. This is our widest ever spread of investment across the country, ensuring that many more people will have access to a wider choice of exceptional art, culture and creative opportunities on their doorsteps.

“We are in tough times but we must remember creativity brings with it extraordinary dividends, boosting our country’s economic growth, creating jobs, bringing communities closer together, and making us happier as individuals.

“Everyone deserves to enjoy the benefits it brings, and with this investment, we believe we’ve taken a decisive step towards making that vision a reality.”

The organisation’s chair, Sir Nicholas Serota, added:

“As well as continuing our commitment to our many established and renowned cultural organisations, I am deeply proud of the support we will be giving to those new organisations which will help ignite creativity across the country.

“We are facing economic pressures at present but this funding is about an investment in our future. This portfolio will support the next generation of visionary inventors, makers, performers and artists. In particular, the growth of our funding for organisations that support and develop work for children represents a profoundly important long-term investment in our country’s talent.”

Rising nursery costs in Harrogate district ‘could put children at risk’

A parent from Harrogate has raised concerns that the growing cost of living, including childcare fees, could see children put at risk.

The mum, who asked us not to use her name, said rising fees were putting pressure on household budgets as they also faced increased costs for mortgages, fuel and more.

As an NHS nurse, whose partner is in the police, she said she had little money left each month after bills were paid – and now she faces a further rise in nursery fees from January.

She said:

“Even we are struggling on fairly decent wages. I have considered taking my son out of nursery, but we don’t have much alternative – my mum has got health needs and I want to know his needs are being met.

“If I’m considering that on the wage that I’m on, what are other people considering?

“We aren’t paid any more – how are we supposed to afford all of these rises without going bankrupt?”

With a take-home monthly pay packet of £1,700 from her full-time role, the mum said she already pays more than £550 a month on childcare, and her mortgage has recently risen by £200 a month. She also pays for business insurance on her car to be able to do her job, and often buys equipment out of her own pocket because NHS budgets are so stretched.

She also said she worried that families facing growing costs might decide to remove their children from childcare, even after accessing funded hours on government schemes.

Not only could they potentially be left somewhere unsafe or unregistered, such as with an older sibling or family friend, but their contact with professionals would also be delayed and any early warning signs not spotted.

She added:

“From a safeguarding perspective, the reason those [funded] hours have been brought in is because the ages of nought to five are the most vulnerable time in a child’s life, where they are more likely to experience significant harm or death.

“If children are in nursery, parents get that break. If they don’t get that break, we’re putting pressure on people. But if they’re not in childcare, nothing is going to get pocked up until those children start school or end up needing medical care.”

Her son is at Nature’s Little Learners nursery in Starbeck, where he is entitled to 30 hours’ free childcare funded by the government. That provision is given to working parents of children aged three and over and only applies during term-time, so is used by many pro-rata across the full year.

Difference in costs

However, the owner of the nursery said the money paid through North Yorkshire County Council for those funded places was significantly below the cost of offering them.

Sam Williams said parents would pay £62.50 for a full day’s nursery, from 8am to 6pm, from January. By contrast, the money paid to the nursery through the funded hours scheme was just £43.10 per day.

As a result, most nurseries charge a fee to cover extras, such as food and equipment. Nature’s Little Learners had been charging £8 per day for this, but from January will charge £19.40 to cover the difference in costs.

If it did not do so, she said, it would not be able to continue offering childcare.

Other nurseries around the UK have been forced to close their doors as a result of rising costs. Ofsted data for April 2021 to March 2022 showed there was a net decrease of 4,000 childcare providers.

Ms Williams said:

“All businesses have their own operating cost. This will be different for each unique setting. When deciding on the daily rate at Nature’s Little Learners for 2023, we have taken into consideration staffing cost, training, rent, rates, utilities, food costs, resource cost, travel, recruitment cost etc.

“We understand that families need to be able to afford childcare in order for them to go to work, and without working families we wouldn’t have a nursery.”

Ms Williams said the nursery had introduced flexible timings for families who did not need childcare from 8am or until 6pm, allowing them to pay less and use only the hours they needed.

As a result, the nursery’s staffing costs would be lower during those times. She said while staffing was the highest cost for any nursery, there were also growing pressures with rising costs which childcare providers were facing.

She added:

“We have considered that this coming year is set to be challenging for families as well as businesses. We appreciate the financial pressures that families are currently facing, and to minimise the impact of another increase to families’ expenses, we have attempted to amend our sessions, and offer a more flexible approach instead of an increased fixed daily rate.

“We are thankful for all our families who have support the introduction of the new session times and prices and really appreciate everyone’s words of kindness.”

Plans to build 72 flats and care home in Harrogate’s Dragon Road car park

The Dragon Road car park in Harrogate could be used to create affordable flats or extra care housing if a proposal is approved next week.

Harrogate Borough Council‘s cabinet is set to decide on Wednesday whether to take the next steps in planning for the site’s redevelopment.

The project could see 72 apartments created, including 40% affordable homes, and part of the site could be used to create an extra care facility.

However, officers presenting a report for the cabinet have said the use of the car park to support events at Harrogate Convention Centre will take precedence over any development. They said:

“Given the current HCC investment project, it may be more appropriate to keep the site available for that facility until the full details of the HCC project are finalised. However this needs to be balanced with the development opportunity…

“During the course of the masterplanning study and in response to the market-led challenges, housing officers have expressed an interest in the site.

“They are in the early stages of looking at plans to develop the rear part of the site for either extra care (for which there is an identified shortfall in the district) or affordable housing. This provides an opportunity to maximise grant funding to improve viability.

“Officers recommend further discussions are held with housing colleagues to explore this registered provider led opportunity and consider whether this can be achieved without compromising HIC parking requirements. Officers note that adequate parking for HCC associated vehicles takes primacy over site redevelopment.”

The report suggests development of the site would be an opportunity to improve the Nidderdale Greenway entrance to the town centre:

“The masterplan illustrates how a high quality urban residential development could be accommodated within the site. The masterplan proposes three apartment blocks of three storeys that will enhance the character of the site to provide an attractive setting for living and an enhanced gateway to the Nidderdale Greenway.

“The entrance to the site is enclosed by an ‘L’ shaped block to follow the grain of Dragon Road and enclose the route into the site. This is followed by a more regular shaped block, which reinforces the building line and defines the second edge to a green courtyard through which the Nidderdale Greenway passes.

“A third block positioned along the line of the railway replicates the terraced form of adjacent street and creates a buffer to the railway with apartments facing eastward to overlook the greenway.”

It recommends council officers should draw up plans and find a contractor for the work, as well as reporting back on costs and potential sources of funding for the improvements. It also suggests speaking to providers of affordable housing and extra care facilities about the potential of developing the site.

The report recommends speaking to providers about the feasibility of maintaining HCC use of the site for service vehicles during events if it were developed, noting again that adequate parking “takes primacy” over any development.

The proposal suggests access through the site for deliveries to the neighbouring Asda supermarket and to the railway for maintenance would be maintained.

The site is allocated for mixed use in the local plan, but the latest report suggests it is unlikely to be suitable for business development. It said:

“Employment use on this site was discounted early on in the study due to viability constraints and lack of market demand for this location. The masterplan reflects the sustainable, edge of town centre location with a high density apartment scheme.

“[Seventy-two] units are shown including 40% affordable housing. Improvements to the Nidderdale Greenway within the site will provide a welcome entry into Harrogate, much improved from the current provision.

“Access for Asda service lorries is retained through the centre of the site as well as Network Rail access to the railway line. The masterplan assumes the current use of the site as a public and HCC car park is ended, as per the local plan allocation.”

The council’s seven-man cabinet will decide whether to proceed with officers’ recommendations when it meets next Wednesday at 5.30pm. The meeting at the civic centre is open to the public, as well as being live streamed on YouTube.

Staffing problems still affecting mental health services for Harrogate district residents

Mental health services for people across the Harrogate district still require improvement, according to the health regulator.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) found the services provided by Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust (TEWV) were below the standards expected.

However, inspectors said there had been some improvements since the last inspection report in December 2021.

At that time, TEWV’s forensic in-patient and secure ward services were found to be inadequate, with the trust ordered to make urgent improvements. Now, the service is rated ‘requires improvement’, though the ‘safe’ aspect of the inspection is still rated ‘inadequate’.

The report said:

“Fifteen patients we spoke to raised concerns regarding there not being enough staff on the wards. Patients told us staff spent a lot of time in the office which sometimes made them feel neglected.

“Two patients told us that they had not received their prescribed medication on the day we arrived due to staffing. Another patient told us they did not know who their key worker was.

“However, most patients said that staff were caring towards them.”

In-patient and secure wards for Harrogate district residents are provided elsewhere in the north-east after the mental health unit at Harrogate District Hospital, the Briary Ward, was closed down in 2020. The CQC inspection of TEWV’s services was carried out at Roseberry Park Hospital in Middlesbrough.

The Briary Wing, Harrogate District Hospital, which was closed in May 2020.

Inspectors said data provided about staffing levels over an eight-week period suggested the service was regularly understaffed to an unsafe level. However, managers said the data was inaccurate and there was always a nurse and support staff on duty.

The report said:

“Staff were frequently being moved to different wards during their shift based on risk, which meant they were often working in environments and with patients they were unfamiliar with.

“This was impacting on several areas within the service; incident data showed staff were not always able to provide a timely response to incidents. Staff were unable to carry out all clinical duties on time, such as administering medication and completing clinical audits.

“Staff were regularly unable to take their breaks off the ward. Patient’s hospital ground leave, Section 17 leave (permission to leave the hospital) and visits from friends and family were being cancelled daily at short notice.

“Patients told us they felt neglected and did not have enough time with staff. Carers we spoke to highlighted staffing pressures as a concern and felt it was impacting on patient’s continuity of care and their ability to visit their loved ones.”

Areas for improvement

The CQC set out 12 areas where the service must be improved in order to meet legal requirements, including adequate staffing levels, cleaning all wards, ensuring staff have up-to-date training, and reporting all incidents quickly and accurately

Naomi Lonergan, care group director of the secure inpatient services at TEWV, said:

“We have been working hard to improve the service since the previous Care Quality Commission inspection in June 2021 and we are encouraged by the improvement in the rating.

“We have recruited 70 health care assistants since the last inspection and we are working with local universities to support the recruitment of registered nurses. This is in addition to developing an international recruitment strategy which is already making a difference.

“We have set up a health care assistant council and one for nurses to improve how colleagues contribute to the quality of care within our trust.

“We are also focused on creating a community on our wards, through the work we do with our recovery and outcomes team who put on events and activities for people in our care that help their recovery.

“We recognise that there is more to be done. This includes an unrelenting focus on patient safety with our absolute priority being on safe staffing and safeguarding our patients. We continue to prioritise the experience of our patients, their carers and colleagues to make the improvements we need to and we are confident the service is making these changes and will continue to do so.”

Children’s mental health services ‘requires improvement’

Meanwhile, TEWV’s specialist community mental health services for children and young people which were rated ‘inadequate’ in the ‘safe’ category last year have now been rated ‘requires improvement’.

In a report published in September, following inspections over the summer, the CQC said:

“Although staffing levels, caseloads and waiting times for treatment had improved since the last inspection, the service did not always have enough nursing and support staff to keep patients safe. Vacancy rates varied by team…

“Caseload sizes had reduced across the community teams. Most of the staff told us there had been significant improvements to caseload sizes and caseloads were more manageable. Only two of the staff we spoke with raised concerns about staffing levels and caseload sizes.”

Inspectors said a recruitment drive meant two new matrons were about to begin work, with a focus on managing staff caseloads.

The average waiting time for treatment had reduced to 104 days, compared to 371 days in 2021, and the number of children waiting more than 12 months had reduced to 275 from more than 1,000 in the same time period.

The CQC, which inspected six teams within the community mental health service for children, said TEWV must adequately staff its service and continue to work to reduce waiting times.

Brent Kilmurray, chief executive of Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust, said:

“We are pleased that the CQC have raised the rating for our community children and adolescent mental health service (CAMHS) in the safe category.

“The CQC report acknowledges improvements that have been made, including how quickly we responded to address the issues identified at the previous inspection. It also recognises that we are achieving our targets of maintaining contact with children and young people on waiting lists.

“This is a step in the right direction, and a testament to the hard work from our CAMHS community teams across the trust.

“We know there is still work to do and more opportunities to improve the service. We will now focus on embedding the recommendations from the report to ensure that we provide the best care to the young people in our communities.”

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‘New organisations’

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Difference in costs

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Areas for improvement

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Children’s mental health services ‘requires improvement’