Care homes in the Harrogate district have sounded the alarm over a looming recruitment crisis over mandatory coronavirus vaccinations for staff.
Government legislation requiring all care home staff and volunteers to have had both jabs comes into force on November 11.
With the date approaching, the health watchdog Healthwatch North Yorkshire conducted a survey of 16 care homes in North Yorkshire and York about the impact of the legislation.
Most care homes supported the sentiment but expressed concerns about its impact.
The social care sector was experiencing staff shortages pre-pandemic and there are concerns that after a tough couple of years, mandatory vaccines will create another recruitment barrier.
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One care home told Healthwatch it expected to lose staff; another said it had been forced to turn down candidates and a third said it had created a bureaucratic burden on already overstretched staff.
The Coach House Nursing Home in Ripon said in the report:
“I do not agree with making vaccinations mandatory just for those working in a care home, while leaving it entirely open to any friend or relative of a resident to visit without vaccinations.
“This is yet another recruitment hurdle for providers to try to overcome along with the additional administrative burden in policing, enforcing and maintaining records of compliance.
“The impact of this legislation could be huge and widely felt, restricting agreed contractors, maintenance and servicing personnel, along with the effect on the hospitality side of care homes.”
Ashley Green, chief executive of Healthwatch North Yorkshire and Siân Balsom, Healthwatch York manager said in a joint statement:
“The concerns we’ve heard from care home managers aren’t a surprise, but some are very stark in their warnings of the impact of mandatory vaccinations.
“Care homes we spoke to question the decision where all healthcare staff and care home visitors don’t have to be vaccinated. There was strong sentiment that this is being seen as further unfair treatment of an undervalued sector.
“There is an irony that while almost all the care homes we spoke to recognise the importance of the vaccinations to protect vulnerable people, the new rules might put residents at risk due to staff shortages and low morale.”
Most acute recruitment crisis ever
The National Care Forum, which is the membership organisation for not-for-profit organisations in the care sector, has today written an open later to the government asking for support with what is describes as the worst job crisis in the sector’s history.
MHA, the UK’s largest charity care provider which has two care homes in Harrogate, is among the signatories of the letter.
The letter said:
“This is the most acute recruitment and retention crisis that we are aware of historically.
“It is the result of many years of underfunding in the sector, compounded by a number of other factors.
“That is including some staff exhausted from the pandemic and others moving to the NHS due to different approaches on mandatory vaccine regulations.”
The NCF called on the government to offer a retention bonus to care staff, welcome staff from overseas and launch a national recruitment campaign.
Harrogate district covid rate increases as 96 infections reportedThe Harrogate district has reported 96 covid infections, according to today’s Pubic Health England figures.
The district’s weekly infection rate now stands at 336 per 100,000 people, while the North Yorkshire rate is 287 and the England average stands at 275.
Today’s NHS England statistics show no further covid deaths were recorded at Harrogate District Hospital.
The death toll at the hospital from covid since March 2020 stands at 186.
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Meanwhile, the hospital is currently treating 10 patients for covid according to the latest government figures.
Elsewhere, 127,844 people have received a first covid vaccine in the Harrogate district and 119,653 have had a second dose.
Bilsdale: more disruption before TV signal returns on October 5Bilsdale mast owner Arqiva has warned of further disruption to TVs on October 4 before signals return to 90 per cent of households the following day.
In an update today, Arqiva said the first of over 200 air lifts of materials to the site of the 80-metre temporary transmitter had taken place, including huge concrete blocks to anchor it down.
But it added that other temporary sites that have restored signals to some areas would need to be switched off to test the transmitter.
Adrian Twyning, chief of 0perations at Arqiva, said:
“This is a huge logistical effort involving over 100 people and, subject to bad weather or any other unforeseen difficulties, we are making good progress towards completing the works on Tuesday 5th October.
“The 80m temporary mast more closely matches the coverage pattern of the existing mast than the temporary sites we have built at Eston Nab, Arncliffe Wood and Sutton Bank.
“Properly checking the 80m temporary mast requires us to turn off those other temporary sites for a period the day before, Monday 4th October. That means some households will see disruption to their service on that day, for which we apologise in advance.”
Some homes will have been without TV for almost two months by October 5.
The fire at the Bilsdale transmitter near Helmsley on August 10 caused about 500,000 homes in the north-east, including many in the Harrogate district, to lose their TV and radio signal.
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- Fraudsters offering £200 to fix TVs following Bilsdale fire
- Bilsdale fire: channels restored to Harrogate district — but problems remain
People without Freeview TV coverage for more than a month can apply for a partial refund or an extension to their TV licence.
But applications are only valid if you have been unable to access BBC iPlayer or any live TV in any other way, including via cable, satellite and online streaming services.
Harrogate district reports highest daily covid cases in two weeksAnother 129 covid cases have been reported in the Harrogate district today — the highest daily number in almost two weeks.
Today’s spike in cases is the highest since the district recorded 132 cases on September 7, according to Pubic Health England figures.
It takes the total number of cases since the pandemic began to 15,122.
The district now has the second highest seven-day case rate in North Yorkshire, with 291 infections per 100,000 people. Scarborough’s rate of 322 is the highest.
The Harrogate district rate remains above North Yorkshire’s at 263 and England at 257.
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The death toll at Harrogate District Hospital from covid-related illnesses since March 2020 remains at 186.
There have been 247,388 first and second vaccinations given in the Harrogate district.
Harrogate district covid rate remains above national averageThe Harrogate district weekly covid rate has remained above the England average after today’s figures revealed another 66 infections.
A recent downward trend had seen the district’s rate fall from 424 cases per 100,000 people last Sunday to 274 yesterday.
However, today’s data from Public Health England means the rate has risen to 285. The rates for England and North Yorkshire both stand at 259.
The area in the district with the most infections in the last seven days is Harrogate East, with 45.
Menwith, Beckwithshaw and Denton Moor has recorded the fewest, with just eight.
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Harrogate district records 77 covid infections
The Harrogate district has reported 77 covid infections, according to today’s Pubic Health England figures.
The district’s weekly infection rate now stands at 274 per 100,000 people, while the North Yorkshire rate is 258 and the England average stands at 259.
NHS England statistics no longer report deaths from patients who tested positive for covid on a weekend.
The death toll at Harrogate District Hospital from covid since March 2020 stands at 186.
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Meanwhile, the hospital is currently treating eight patients for covid according to the latest government figures.
Elsewhere, 127,624 people have received a first covid vaccine in the Harrogate district and 119,328 have had a second dose.
Another 60 covid cases in Harrogate districtAnother 60 covid cases have been reported in the Harrogate district, according to today’s Pubic Health England figures.
The district’s weekly infection rate now stands at 299 per 100,000 people, while the North Yorkshire rate is 267 and the England average stands at 264.
No covid deaths have been reported at Harrogate District Hospital, according to NHS England statistics.
It means the death toll at the hospital since March 2020 currently stands at 186.
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- North Yorkshire health officials urge 16 and 17-year-olds to get jab
- 20 parents protest against covid vaccine for children at St Aidan’s
- Fall in number of Harrogate hospital covid patients
Meanwhile, the hospital is currently treating eight patients for covid according to the latest government figures.
Elsewhere, 127,636 people have received a first covid vaccine in the Harrogate district and 119,305 have had a second dose.
Another 82 covid cases in Harrogate district as rate fallsThe Harrogate district has reported 82 covid cases, according to today’s Pubic Health England figures.
The district’s weekly infection rate now stands at 322 per 100,000 people, while the North Yorkshire rate is 289 and the England average stands at 273.
No covid deaths have been reported at Harrogate District Hospital, according to NHS England statistics.
It means the death toll at the hospital since March 2020 currently stands at 186.
Read more:
- North Yorkshire health officials urge 16 and 17-year-olds to get jab
- 20 parents protest against covid vaccine for children at St Aidan’s
Meanwhile, the hospital is currently treating eight patients for covid according to the latest government figures.
Elsewhere, 127,505 people have received a first covid vaccine in the Harrogate district and 119,115 have had a second dose.
Saint Michael’s urges Harrogate district to ‘go purple’People in the Harrogate district are being urged to ‘go purple’ next month to support Saint Michael’s Hospice.
Saint Michael’s, which is based at Harrogate’s Hornbeam Park, has adopted the idea for Hospice Care Week from October 4 to 8.
Hospice UK, the national charity representing UK hospices, organises Hospice Care Week annually to raise awareness and funds.
It has suggested dressing purple, purple-themed bake sales and purple-themed work days as possible ideas to raise money during the week.
The Victoria Shopping Centre in Harrogate will be lit up purple for the event. Other businesses, schools and individuals are being encouraged to join in.
Saint Michael’s, which has 11 charity shops in the Harrogate district, spends £6 million on end-of-life services each year.
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Tony Collins
Tony Collins, chief executive of Saint Michael’s, said:
“This is a great opportunity to get creative and have fun whilst raising funds to ensure Saint Michael’s can continue to help local people living with terminal illness and bereavement.
“We hope that as many people as possible take part, spread the word and raise money for their local hospice.
It is hoped Go Purple will become an annual event if successful.
Further information is available here.
Harrogate district covid infections down 14% in weekThe Harrogate district has recorded another 56 covid infections, according to today’s Pubic Health England figures.
It takes the total number of infections over the past seven days to 588 — a figure that has fallen by 14% on the previous seven days.
The district’s weekly infection rate has declined to 383 per 100,000 people. The North Yorkshire rate is 318 and the England average stands at 295.
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- North Yorkshire health officials urge 16 and 17-year-olds to get jab
- Harrogate hospital reports sixth covid death in three weeks
It was also revealed today that the Knaresborough vaccine clinic is moving to larger premises in the town.
The clinic will relocate to Chain Lane Community Hub from September 27 where it hopes to offer up to 1,500 covid and flu vaccinations a day.
The current site, at the former Lidl, has been in use since February but with winter approaching Homecare Pharmacy Services, which runs the clinic, wanted a larger space where people could wait indoors.