Doctors’ surgeries across the Harrogate district will be offering bank holiday appointments as the NHS continues to deal with the coronavirus crisis.

North Yorkshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) said appointments will be available on Good Friday and Easter Monday, and some practices will be working together as a ‘hub’.

Anyone needing an urgent appointment should call their GP practice, rather than visit in person, and they will be advised over the phone or asked to come in to the surgery.

On Saturday and Sunday, the usual weekend arrangements will be in place, with anyone needing medical advice asked to call NHS 111.

Meanwhile, community pharmacies will be open for a minimum of three hours from 2-5pm on Good Friday and Easter Monday, with some open for longer. Saturday’s opening hours will be the same as normal, while the usual Easter Day opening hours will apply on Sunday.

St Michael’s Chief Executive has welcomed the announcement by Chancellor Rishi Sunak that a £750m fund had been set aside to help charities during the coronavirus crisis. Many charities in the Harrogate district have seen huge falls in revenue with their shops shut and fundraising activities postponed. 

The chancellor earmarked £360m of the money to charities “that were on the frontline of fighting the coronavirus”, such as the hospice.

St Michael’s needs £6m a year to run the hospice which cares for people living with terminal illness and its bereavement service- it traditionally gets little government money and is reliant on donations, shop revenue and fundraising activity to operate.

St Michael’s Chief Executive, Tony Collins

Saint Michael’s Hospice Chief Executive Tony Collins said:

“We welcome this investment in the hospice movement. It is exactly what we need to be able to continue to care for people affected by terminal illness and bereavement and support our community with their emotional wellbeing.

“This includes keeping as many of our traditional services running as possible so we can help release pressure from the NHS.”

As well as keeping its traditional services running to alleviate pressure on the NHS, the hospice’s bereavement service Just B, has a new helpline for those feeling anxious or struggling with their emotional wellbeing during this crisis. Hear to Help is available to everyone between 8am-8pm, seven days a week, and is staffed by specialist support workers. The number to ring is (01423) 856 799.

The hospice is also supporting the national NHS mental health hotline for staff. The phone number is 0300 131 7000 or staff can text FRONTLINE to 85258. Lines are open from 07:00 to 23:00 every day,

Parents across the Harrogate district are being offered a helping hand to keep children of all ages entertained. 

From pre-school groups sending out video activities to school children gaining skills from new sources, generous local professionals are offering free support to parents struggling to fill the days with something educational. 

Photographer Charlotte Hedgecock is usually at her busiest in the spring and summer months, capturing people’s wedding days on camera. During the week, her work is mostly commercial, including photographing client homes for a kitchen company. Under social distancing rules, however, her diary is completely empty. 

“Two weeks ago was meant to be the first wedding of the season,” she said. “I’ve had five rescheduled so far, some for later this year and some for next year. 

“I’ve still got four booked in for May, then four or five in June, and the same in July and August. I don’t know what will happen with those yet.” 

Charlotte Hedgecock, right, usually spends her summers capturing wedding days on camera

Rather than worrying, Charlotte decided to fill her time by setting up a series of free online classes for budding young photographers. Each week, she will release one lesson via her Facebook page, challenging students to improve their skills in different ways. The whole course will last for ten weeks. She said: 

“I thought this could help people if they’ve got children at home. Everybody’s got a camera phone. It’s good to get them thinking about something more creative and learning about the technology.” 

Music online

For Karen Allen, who has run Singamajigs classes for pre-schoolers for the last 15 years, the move online didn’t come naturally. 

Used to running her music classes in village halls or at the Kidzplay soft play centre in Harrogate, the idea of trying to recreate something professional for people to join at home was at first daunting. 

Singamajigs classes usually involve a lot of interaction for children and parents

“I wasn’t going to do anything,” she said. “You see all these people on the television who are so good at it – how do I compete with that? 

“Then I was talking to one of my mums and she said, ‘we just want you, because my daughter knows you’.”

Karen has opted not to charge for the classes she has run so far, but may introduce a pay-as-you-feel system in the coming weeks. She recognises that many people are in financial difficulty, but still need to have access to activities for their children. Her priority is keeping a sense of community, even from a distance. 

“Parents are connecting with me because they just want to know it’s OK,” she said. “Some are really struggling and you can hear it.  

“For me, as long as we survive financially, it’s not about charging, it’s about keeping the community I’ve had for many years together. It’s about staying safe and staying connected with the families I know.” 

The building firm behind Harrogate’s Nightingale Hospital expects to have completed the project by this weekend after just two weeks.

NHS and army staff have been working alongside BAM Construction “around the clock” to get the 500-bed facility up and running.

The NHS has not yet confirmed when the facility will be able to accept patients.

It comes less than a week after the NHS confirmed that it was converting the Harrogate Convention Centre into a Nightingale Hospital.

Eight of the convention centre’s halls will be used to accommodate level three critical care beds for Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.

Paul Cleminson, a pre-construction director for BAM Construction, said:

“We have mobilised immediately with a team which is working 24 hours in shifts around the clock. We’re very proud to be involved. BAM Construction has even built emergency hospitals during both World Wars. So we feel a sense of poignancy to be doing this now.”

BAM Construction also says it is close to being asked to build a further two emergency Nightingale Hospitals.

Police have stepped up patrols in Harrogate after they’ve seen an increase in the number of people visiting the town and flouting the coronavirus lockdown rules.

It comes after reports of people having picnics, residents drinking in the streets, groups congregating in the town centre and people meeting up for walks.

Penny Taylor, Harrogate’s neighbourhood policing inspector, said it was disappointing to need to increase patrols.

“It is unacceptable that some people are showing such a blatant disregard for the Government’s guidance. To those who think the rules don’t apply to them, please remember our NHS colleagues and the very difficult job they are doing right now and please remember the people who’ve lost their loved ones and the reasons why these restrictions are now part of our way of life.”

North Yorkshire Police previously insisted that they would enforce the coronavirus lockdown with fines between £30 and £1,000.

The mayor of Harrogate has spoken about the emotional moment he had to say goodbye to his wife as she was taken to intensive care with coronavirus.

April Martin first developed a cough and a temperature before she started having trouble breathing. The NHS 111 service told the couple to self-isolate back in mid-March.

Councillor Stuart Martin today told the Stray Ferret April’s condition deteriorated last week before he called the ambulance to take her to Harrogate hospital.

“I had to say goodbye to her in the ambulance and I didn’t know whether or not I would ever see her again. I have still been able to speak to her on the phone. It’s not the same as being with her but I understand why I can’t go to the hospital.”

April is still on oxygen at the hospital but the consultant is said to be hopeful that she could be back home in the next few days.

“April and I would like to thank the NHS staff from the cleaners to the consultants. We are keen to thank all of them and wish them all the best, we are so grateful for all of their skills and efforts. If they hadn’t taken April to hospital last week, we would be having a very different conversation.”

One patient who tested positive for coronavirus died at Harrogate hospital yesterday.

It’s the fourth day running that Harrogate District Hospital has reported at least one COVID-19 related death.

So far, 14 coronavirus patients have died at the hospital.

88 out of the 758 latest deaths reported today were in Yorkshire and the North East.

Of the 758 deaths in England, the patients were aged between 23 and 102 years old.

29 of the patients, who were aged between 23 and 99 years old, had no known underlying health conditions.

There are no published figures for the number of patients who have recovered from the virus and been discharged from the hospital.

A Harrogate hotel will light up every night to show support for NHS staff battling on the frontline against coronavirus.

The Crowne Plaza, on King’s Road, is currently closed following government guidance but there are a few staff still working to maintain the building.

Last night was the first time the hotel staff lit up different rooms to spell out NHS and they will make some minor tweaks to improve it going forwards.

Vanessa Jackman, who is part of the hotel’s management, told the Stray Ferret:

“The hotel, along with the whole world, is so appreciative of the NHS staff and all of the key workers keeping us going during the coronavirus pandemic.”

The hotel is next door to the Harrogate Convention Centre, which is currently being converted into a Nightingale Hospital for Yorkshire and the Humber.

Messages of support are being sent from the Harrogate district to Boris Johnson tonight as the Prime Minister has been moved to intensive care. The decision to move Mr Johnson to intensive care was taken by medical staff at  St Thomas’ Hospital in London after his symptoms for coronavirus worsened.

John Dobson, the Dean of Ripon has tweeted that the Cathedral is praying for the Prime Minister and the government at this most difficult time:

Very sorry to hear of the PM going into intensive care. Prayers @riponcathedral for his speedy recovery, and for those sharing the burden of government in this time of crisis. @LeedsCofE

— John Dobson (@RiponDean) April 6, 2020

And this from Conservative MP for Skipton and Ripon:

All thoughts and prayers for a quick recovery for @BorisJohnson & to his medical team. @GSTTnhs is a very special place with the best possible care

— Julian Smith MP (@JulianSmithUK) April 6, 2020

People in Harrogate appear to be flouting the social distancing rules by meeting up in banks several times a week.

Harrogate Police has urged people only to visit banks when it is “absolutely necessary to do so.”

The force believes that a “large number of people” are regularly visiting banks for the social aspect.

It has come to our attention that a large number of people are visiting Banks for the social aspect and do so several times a week. Can we please ask that if you do need to visit your local Bank then you only go when it is absolutely necessary to do so.

— North Yorkshire Police – Harrogate (@NYP_Harrogate) April 6, 2020

The Stray Ferret has approached North Yorkshire Police for a comment but has not received a response by the time of publication.