This story is sponsored by Let’s Get Better.

Are you looking for help to improve you or your family’s physical and mental health? Do you want to take charge of your wellbeing and live a happier and healthier life? If yes, then read on.

If you live in the Harrogate area, Let’s Get Better is the ultimate destination for all your health and wellness needs. Our website, www.letsgetbetter.co.uk offers comprehensive resources, support and signposting to help you and your family Start Well, Age Well and Live Well.

The website has been put together on behalf of the Humber and North Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership – a collaboration of health, social care, community and charitable organisations in North Yorkshire and York, Hull and East Riding and North and North East Lincolnshire.

The launch of Let’s Get Better brings together lots of useful information and guidance to support you at every stage of your lifelong health journey – as well as help to take you to the “right care, first time” when you or a member of your family is unwell.

Whether you’re a young person looking for mental health support, a mum-to-be who’s looking for help to manage your pregnancy, or just want to get fitter, improve your diet, or manage stress, there’s something for everyone at Let’s Get Better.

We firmly believe in empowering people to take control of their health and wellbeing – and take steps to prevent ill health. With the right information at your fingertips, it will help you to play your part in looking after your health and the health of those around you – and help you choose the right care when you do have a health issue.

Dr Nigel Wells, clinical lead for the Humber and North Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership, said:

“Our Partnership’s ambition is for everyone in our area to: start well, live well and age well.

“This means shifting the focus of our work from picking people up when they fall to helping to prevent them from becoming unwell in the first place and supporting more people to manage their health and wellbeing at home so they can get on with living happy and fulfilling lives.

“We hope the Let’s Get Better website will become the ultimate online health and wellbeing companion for everyone living in our area – and people’s first port of call when they need extra information and support to make decisions about their health and wellbeing.”

Stephen Eames, CBE, the NHS Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) Chief Executive added:

“We know that at the end of the day many people want to not only look after their health but also improve their wellbeing, both physically and mentally.

“There are lots of sources of health information available; the aim of Let’s Get Better, as more and more content is added, is to have an easy to navigate, dedicated online space where people can find out more about how to look after themselves – and where to go when they’re unwell.

“We want people to think beyond their family doctor – there are lots of other expert health professionals working in GP surgeries and many minor ailments can be resolved by going to see a local pharmacist. Or for more urgent care needs NHS 111 or an Urgent Treatment Centre can help, without having to go to a hospital’s Accident and Emergency department. Let’s Get Better explains all these services along with when you should use them and much more useful information.”

The Humber and North Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership is one of 42 Integrated Care Systems (ICSs) which cover England to meet health and care needs across an area, coordinate services and plan in a way that improves population health and reduces inequalities between different groups.

We work across a geographical area of more than 1,500 square miles and serve a population of 1.7 million people, all with different health and care needs.

Find out more:  

In addition to the Let’s Get Better website, the Humber and North Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership has launched a new Facebook page, Do give us a like!

We’ll be regularly posting short videos, sharing hints, tips, advice and guidance and posting topical content.

The Stray Ferret can reveal that Ripon’s new swimming pool and leisure centre is more than £3 million pounds over budget.

The running total for the scheme is now in excess of £13.5 million and that figure is likely to increase.

Details of the spending so far and monies allocated for payment, were obtained by Ripon resident and chartered civil engineer Stanley Mackintosh, following Freedom of Information (FOI) requests to Harrogate Borough Council (HBC).

In its  FOI response to Mr Mackintosh HBC said that:

• Money already paid for construction and associated works is £12,936,235.55.
• A further £619,427.06, is allocated for payment.

This means that at £13,555,662, the cost for delivery of the high-profile project is more than £3.3 million over budget.

The original 17-month contract signed with construction company and principal contractor Willmott Dixon was for £10.2 million, with a completion date of May this year – but a delay until November was announced last autumn and last week HBC said the new pool will open ‘towards the end of the year.’

There has been growing concern over the project after Mr Mackintosh along with leading geologist Dr Alan Thompson, an expert on Ripon’s gypsum deposit and sinkhole issues, voiced concerns about the suitability of the site and the costs of works to make it safe. A year ago a ‘void’  was discovered while digging foundations at the entrance of the leisure centre.

Councillor Pat Marsh, the lib-dem leader on HBC, has called for a safety investigation which was supported by independent cllr Sid Hawke, who was one of eight councillors on HBC’s planning committee that approved an application two years ago. 

Stanley Mackintosh says his concerns about the swimming pool development ‘fell on deaf ears’

Read more:

• Ripon Leisure Centre history – grounds for concern
• New Ripon pool may not open in November
• Expert raises concerns about site of Ripon’s leisure scheme

An insight into the extent of ground stabilisation activity (known as grouting) already carried out on the site, was given in July when HBC reported:

“A total of 441 grouting sites received 3,043 tonnes of grout which, along with the casting of a reinforced concrete slab, provides the foundation for the new swimming pool building.”

Mr Mackintosh has endeavoured to find out the finished cost of the project from the council. However it is not revealing details of additional costs it is budgeting for its completion.

HBC said:

“Disclosure of allowances for works not yet agreed would likely put the Council in a commercial disadvantage in its ability to negotiate efficiently in the future.”

Mr Mackintosh told the Stray Ferret:

“I am totally in favour of a new swimming pool and leisure centre for Ripon, but along with others, including councillors and Dr Thompson, I have argued over many years that the Camp Close site, with its known history of ground instability, was not the right place for it.”

Mr Mackintosh, pointed out:

“I made my case as soon as Camp Close was identified as the location for the new pool and also before the planning meeting in June 2019 when it was approved and afterwards, but my words fell on deaf ears.”

Meanwhile, the council, which gave itself planning permission to proceed with the multi-million pound scheme, maintains that keeping the final costs under wraps, ‘outweighs the public interest in disclosing it.’

HBC said in its response to Mr Mackintosh:

“There is significant public interest in not prejudicing the commercial interests of the Council in ensuring that we can operate efficiently in our role by relying on the services of the businesses we have a relationship with.”