Steve Russell. chief executive of Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust, is to take up a secondment as national director for covid and flu vaccinations at NHS England.
Mr Russell will replace Dr Emily Lawson in a role that could last up to a year.
He will leave the trust for the time being on Friday next week.
Steve Russell
Angela Schofield, chairman of the trust, which runs Harrogate District Hospital and Ripon Community Hospital, said in a statement today:
“Steve’s new role will take him away from HDFT for at least six months and potentially up to a year.
“I know that, while he is looking forward to this new opportunity, he is eager to return to HDFT.
“We are very fortunate to have a strong executive team and board, which has meant we have the resilience in place that has allowed Steve to take up this opportunity.
“While Steve is away we need experienced leadership to maintain our progress and I am delighted to let you know that Jonathan Coulter, who is currently deputy chief executive and our director of finance, will become acting chief executive, and Jordan McKie, our deputy director of finance, will take up the role of acting director of finance.
Jonathan Coulter
Mr Russell announced the move on Twitter this afternoon.
https://twitter.com/steve_r76/status/1494330025524416518
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Harrogate hospital staff shortages delay schools vaccine programme
The rollout of covid jabs to 12 to 15-year-old pupils in Harrogate schools has been delayed, amid fears they now won’t happen until February.
The government initially said all children in that age group would be offered jabs by half-term, which starts this weekend.
Harrogate’s Ashville College issued a statement today saying vaccinations were due to be supplied and administered by the Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust childhood immunisations team on school premises.
The independent day and boarding school added:
“Ashville College can confirm there is unfortunately a delay to the roll-out of the 12 to 15-year-old covid vaccinations.
“The college has notified parents of this and will re-organise vaccinations on-site as soon as supplies allow. In the meantime, we have advised parents of pupils aged 12 to 15 to arrange their own vaccination at a drop-in clinic via the NHS website page, ‘Book or manage your coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination’.”
The college, which was unable to give an estimated start date, blamed the situation on vaccine shortages.
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But a spokesperson for Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust said this was incorrect. They added:
“Whilst our covid vaccination programme for children aged between 12 and 15 is operating across North Yorkshire and areas in the North East, current staffing capacity has impacted on how soon we can visit some schools.
“We are continuing to develop our timetables and have given all schools a provisional date as to when we will be visiting and will notify them at least one week before our planned visit. Consent packs will be sent to families one week prior to the session. If the opportunity arises, we will look at bringing forward these dates so that we can undertake vaccinations sooner.
“We welcome the recent announcement that parents will now be able to check the NHS National Booking System to see if they can book a covid vaccination for their child at a convenient location, such as a vaccination centre.
“The booking service provides an additional choice alongside the school immunisation programme so that children can be vaccinated as quickly as possible.”
Two parents, who asked not to be named, have contacted the Stray Ferret today saying they have been told by their children’s schools that vaccines won’t be given now until February.
One parent said the Harrogate district’s vaccination programme was lagging five months behind other parts of the country.
“Why are we so far behind given that Harrogate is a hotspot for covid cases at the moment? How many young people will unnecessarily develop long covid as a result of these delays?
The district’s covid rate was 727 per 100,000 people yesterday — the highest in the county.
Harrogate care home unable to get flu jabs for staffA care home provider in Harrogate has struggled to get flu jabs for its staff and has claimed that others are in the same position.
Disability Action Yorkshire, which has a care home for young disabled adults in Harrogate, has only managed to get three jabs so far.
The charity has 38 staff in total, which means that fewer than 10% are protected from the flu.
Jackie Snape, the chief executive at Disability Action Yorkshire, was one of the three who has had the jab and told the Stray Ferret:
“We have been told that health and social care is a priority but our staff have been unable to get the flu jab. The GPs and pharmacies have a blanket rule to keep the jab available for those over 70. It means that there aren’t any flu jabs for social care staff.”
Disability Action Yorkshire, Chief Executive, Jackie Snape.
The staff have been told to try again in November and December but Jackie fears that it will be too late by then as it will be in the middle of flu season.
Jackie added that she fears if there are problems with the flu jab then there may be issues with the coronavirus vaccine as and when it becomes available.
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She has been in regular calls with other care homes in the Harrogate district and says that all other providers are in the same position.
Earlier this year the government launched what it called the “most comprehensive flu programme in UK history”.
Dr Mary Ramsay, Head of Immunisation at Public Health England, said:
Leading Harrogate pharmacist urges people to get flu jab to protect NHS“There is no shortage of flu vaccine – enough has been ordered to vaccinate 30 million people, with the most vulnerable being protected first. It is usual for manufacturers to stagger deliveries of the vaccine. Every year, there is a phased roll-out and vaccinations continue throughout the autumn. Some GP practices and pharmacies may ask people to wait until they receive further deliveries.”
Local healthcare professionals have urged people eligible to get their flu jab this year to protect the NHS against a difficult winter season.
This year there has been an increase in demand for the vaccine. New groups are now eligible including those aged 50-64, and people who may have previously chosen not to take up the vaccine are also contributing to the rise.
Public Health England has warned there are greater risks associated with contracting covid and the flu together especially if the person is in a high risk group.
With increased demand and the need for social distancing, GP surgeries and others are having to carefully coordinate the way they deliver vaccinations.
In Boroughbridge, the local Lions group is helping Church Lane surgery with traffic management to ensure the increased number of patients get to their appointments safely.
Boroughbridge Lions representative Paul Bullivant said:
“Last year there were queues around the surgery with people waiting so this year we are helping them with traffic management. This year patients have timed slots so it’s much easier. We’re happy to do our bit to help the community.”
Volunteers from Boroughbridge Lions volunteered to help with traffic management. Credit: Sue Johnson.
Dr Duncan Petty, who lives in Harrogate and is a member of the English Board of The Royal Pharmaceutical Society, has urged people to get the vaccine to help prevent the NHS from being overwhelmed during winter.
He said:
“It is important for people to protect themselves, but also the NHS: if you are at risk of catching covid, getting both is dangerous.
“The sensible thing is to get the vaccine so the NHS isn’t overwhelmed. It’s the one thing people can do to help themselves and the NHS.”
Dr Petty is confident the supply of flu vaccines currently held by the NHS is enough to cover demand. He said it is the logistics behind vaccinating an increased number of people that could take time.
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The NHS website says those at most risk will be vaccinated first, and those aged 50-64 will be contacted in November and December.
North Yorkshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) has said the supplies of the vaccine are being prioritised by GP practices based on clinical need.
Its governing body GP, Dr Bruce Willoughby, said:
“We’re seeing a high patient demand for the influenza vaccine and early indications suggest the uptake in the Harrogate district is higher than this time last year.
“In spite of the challenges presented by covid 19, we’re not seeing any particular issues with flu clinics. Practices continue to prioritise the highest risk patient groups first, but across York and North Yorkshire we fully intend to reach all eligible patients.”
It is urging people to take this “additional layer of protection”.
Dr Petty added:
Free flu jabs to begin in North Yorkshire“It may cause a few side effects but it could save your life. People need to remember it’s not just for yourself it may be for others in your family or to help your local hospital.”
Health bosses in North Yorkshire have reassured vulnerable patients they will receive free flu jabs from this month.
GPs have begun to write to those classed as high risk, which includes care home residents, over 65s, pregnant women and frontline health staff, to invite them for the jab either this month or October.
People aged 50 to 64 who do not have a health condition are likely to be invited to receive jabs in November and December once high risk patients have been vaccinated.
Parents and carers of children from reception to year seven will also be contacted to seek consent for the jab as part of the school immunisation service.
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Health bosses at NHS North Yorkshire Clinical Commissioning Group and NHS Vale of York Clinical Commissioning Group have said patients who were high risk and shielding had expressed concern about being in contact with people outside their “bubble”.
But Dr Bruce Willoughby, GP clinical lead for primary care and population health at NHS North Yorkshire CCG, said practices will have measures in place to vaccinate safely.
He said:
“Immunisation is the best way to help protect people from flu. It’s a virus that has the potential to leave people very poorly, lead to hospitalisation and sometimes even death.
“We know that clinically vulnerable patients who have been shielding during the covid pandemic are still extremely worried about having contact with anyone outside of their household ‘bubble’, but I want to reassure those patients that practices will have arrangements in place to ensure they can administer vaccinations in a safe and bio-secure way.
“There will be strict safety measures in place, including social distancing, appropriate PPE, and strict hygiene protocols.”