Care home visits to be restricted across Harrogate

Visits to care homes across the Harrogate District will be restricted after a rise in coronavirus cases.

Richard Webb, director of health and adult services at North Yorkshire County Council, said homes in Harrogate, Scarborough and Selby will be asked to restrict visits for the next seven days.

It follows a rise in cases in North Yorkshire which led to the county declaring a “major incident” earlier this week.

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Mr Webb apologised for the measure, but added it was “necessary” in light of increased cases.

He said in a series of tweets last night:

“Tonight am writing letters to care homes, asking some of them to restrict visiting in some areas because of rising tide of covid cases.

“Please do all you can to prevent the spread of this virus so that care homes don’t have to go into lockdown.

“We are asking care homes in three areas (Harrogate, Selby and Scarborough districts) to restrict care home visiting for the next seven days and will then be reviewed. I am sorry to do this but it is a necessary precaution because of rising covid-19 infections”

Just to clarify: we are asking care homes in 3 areas (Harrogate, Selby and Scarborough districts) to restrict care home visiting for the next 7 days and will then be reviewed. I am sorry to do this but it is a necessary precaution because of rising #COVID19 infections 1/2

— Richard Webb (@RichardWebbNY) September 17, 2020

Mr Webb said the measure would be reviewed after the seven day period.

He added that the county council will set up a task group with care providers, care home residents and the county council to develop a more secure way to enable visits.

Three more Harrogate schools report confirmed covid cases

A further three schools in Harrogate have reported confirmed cases of coronavirus in their students.

It comes as six new cases have been confirmed in the Harrogate district in the last day, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 894.

St Aidan’s C of E High School, St John Fisher Catholic High School and Bilton Grange Primary School have all sent confirmation to parents that they are following protocol and a number of students have been asked to self-isolate at home for 14 days.

The headteacher of St John Fisher has confirmed two cases of coronavirus among students. Similarly to the other schools, it has asked other students who had close contact with either of those diagnosed to self-isolate at home.

Mr Mort said:

“Due to the year group bubble arrangement and fixed seating plans which we have in place, we have been able to identify and contact a small number of students who have commenced a self-isolation period of 14 days. This has meant that we have not needed to close a full class/year group bubble. We are working with Public Health England and following all guidance necessary to ensure the school environment is as safe as possible.”

It is understood at least one of the cases relates to a student in the sixth form, which is joint with neighbouring St Aidan’s.

A letter to parents at St Aidan’s said the school was working with Public Health England and had asked some students to stay at home for 14 days. Headteacher Chris Burt said:

“St Aidan’s works alongside St John Fisher in providing the Associated Sixth Form across our schools. We were informed on Wednesday of a confirmed case of Covid-19 within the schools that has resulted in a small number of students having to observe a 14 day isolation period. The schools across the Association continue to work closely with Public Health England and the Local Health Protection Team.

“We wish the student concerned a speedy recovery and look forward to welcoming all students involved back to school as soon as possible.”

Bilton Grange Primary School has also sent a letter to parents confirming a case. Students in one bubble in the school are self-isolating at home.

Exam desks

Just weeks into the new term some students are being sent home again in order to self-isolate.

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Earlier this week, both Harrogate Grammar School and Harrogate Ladies’ College confirmed they had students who had received positive coronavirus tests. Other students in their ‘bubbles’ are now isolating at home for 14 days.

The additional cases in schools come a day after North Yorkshire county council say it has introduced full emergency status as it deals with the rising number of cases in the county.

The authority said the highest numbers of cases are centred around the Harrogate and Selby districts.

Traditional paving to be reinstated after burst pipe repaired in Harrogate

A section of Cambridge Street in Harrogate has been replaced with tarmac after emergency repairs to a burst water main earlier this week.

Yorkshire Water said the pipes burst in the early hours of Tuesday morning and repairs were finished by Tuesday lunchtime with “minimal disruption” to customers.

A Yorkshire Water spokesperson told the Stray Ferret that the street will return to its normal state soon.

“We have repaired the surface on a temporary basis, in order to allow it to reopen for access. We are liaising with NYCC Highways and will be returning to site to reinstate fully once the correct materials are available.”

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Harrogate Railway FC juniors to make secondary school its new home

Juniors playing for Harrogate Railway football club will play all of their matches at Harrogate High School’s playing fields.

The club previously had juniors playing at its Station View ground in Starbeck, as well as other playing fields across Harrogate.

However, they said this “diluted” the feeling of Railway being a local club so they wanted a permanent base for children to play.

A Harrogate Railway spokesperson said:

“By consolidating teams into one location we will be able to further build on the youth development roles, which have been so successful. It will also help us increase the support we offer coaches, managers and team admins.”

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The club recently announced that they will offer one year of free football training to under 5s and under 6s, to try and spur on the next generation of footballers in Harrogate.

They are also looking for businesses to sponsor the playing fields and a storage facility for goals and equipment.

Richard Foster, youth development officer at Harrogate Railway, told the Stray Ferret that there’s been “no better time” to be involved in youth football in the town, thanks to the recent promotions of Harrogate Town and Leeds United.

Richard said the club wants to offer a clear pathway from grassroots through to the first team to give their young players something to aspire to. The club will also offer financial support to adults looking to get their UEFA coaching licences.

He said:

“This past six or seven months have been hard for the entire community and as a club we are here to support and serve them. The club has been here 85 years and is still going strong.”

North Yorkshire declares covid emergency

The group of organisations coordinating North Yorkshire’s response to coronavirus announced today it has gone back into full emergency mode.

North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum said it had taken the action in response to rising infection rates, particularly in the Harrogate and Selby districts, as well as concerns about care home transmission and testing capacity.

Richard Flinton, who is chair of the forum and chief executive of North Yorkshire County Council, said “positive tests in Harrogate remain a worry”.

He added the council was “extremely keen to avoid enforced lockdowns if that is possible”.

Mr Flinton said:

“We are seeing community transmission of the virus now and a worrying rise in cases in a number of areas. We know how quickly infection rates can change and we are calling on the whole county to act now with us in response.”

Mr Flinton said the county council would reinstate major incident status for covid. He added:

“We will be communicating some very important messages with you over the coming days and weeks. Your response to the asks we put to you will be critical.”

Superintendent Mike Walker, gold commander for North Yorkshire Police’s response to covid, said officers in patrol cars were encouraging people to follow the rules, using enforcement as a last resort.

Dr Lincoln Sargeant, director of public health for North Yorkshire, said testing was being hampered by “significant limitations” with laboratory capacity. He added:

“This issue is a national one and outside of our control. We have escalated our concerns nationally and we are targeting our local testing facilities towards the communities and people in greatest need.”

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Harrogate Ladies’ College confirms covid case

Harrogate Ladies’ College has confirmed one of its students has tested positive for coronavirus.

Other pupils, identified as being in close contact, have also been sent home to isolate.

It is the second time in 24 hours that a Harrogate school has been affected by covid.

The Stray Ferret reported yesterday that Harrogate Grammar School had reported a positive case. The school sent 45 students home to isolate for 14 days.

Harrogate Ladies’ College did not say how many pupils had been affected. A spokeswoman said:

“We can confirm that one pupil at Harrogate Ladies’ College has tested positively for covid. The pupil is well, and isolating at home.

“We are working closely with Public Health England and the NHS track and trace system, and any pupils who have been in close contact with this particular student are now also self-isolating in line with government guidance.”

Despite the two incidents in local schools. coronavirus levels in North Yorkshire county are below the national average.

County council bosses have urged residents to remain vigilant and “avoid unnecessary interactions”.

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Harrogate hospital brings back parking charges

Harrogate District Hospital will reintroduce parking charges for staff, patients and visitors from next week.

Parking has been free at the hospital since the first few weeks of the coronavirus lockdown but charges will apply again next Wednesday.

The government has covered the loss of income for trusts.

The hospital said it has been receiving complaints from patients and visitors struggling to find spaces.

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Staff will not be able to park at the top level of the main car park from next week, reverting back to the arrangements before the pandemic.

A spokesperson for Harrogate District Hospital said:

“We know that this will be unwelcome but we trust you understand the reasons why we are reintroducing parking charges. Parking at hospitals will always be a challenge and there is never going to be one solution that everyone is happy with.”

All on-site staff car parks will be available with a permit at the usual monthly rate.

The GMB Union, which has long campaigned for free parking at hospitals, previously said it would be a disgrace to charge hospital staff to park.

Rachel Harrison, GMB national officer, said:

“Our investigation found trusts were charging hard-up NHS staff up to £1,300 a year to park where they work. We persuaded the government to scrap parking charges for all health and social care staff. Now ministers are showing their true colours.”

Mission aborted: No Harrogate hospital NHS Spitfire flypast

Low cloud and poor visibility forced the NHS Spitfire to cancel its flypast over Harrogate District Hospital today.

The aircraft set off from Duxford airfield in Cambridgeshire and was due to pass over the hospital at 10.50am this morning but the weather forced it to change route south of Doncaster.

After returning to Duxford, it was due to set off on a revised schedule over four hospitals. The figure is considerably down on the 27 originally planned.

Thousands of people had been waiting across the country to catch a glimpse of the Spitfire, which has “Thank U NHS” painted under its wings.

NHS Spitfire revised route

A spokesperson for the Aircraft Restoration Company, which is behind the NHS Spitfire, said today:

“The weather has taken an unexpected turn for the worse with low cloud and poor visibility forcing the NHS Spitfire to return to Duxford.”

The hospitals which missed out on a flypast will get to see the aircraft at a yet to be announced date.

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Since July, the NHS Spitfire has raised more than £80,000 for NHS Charities Together, a federation of 250 charities that support the NHS.

The blue spitfire PL983 nicknamed ‘L’ was built for photo reconnaissance in the 1940s and has an interesting history. Lettice Curtis, a famous female pilot, once raced the spitfire, which now carries her name alongside those of the NHS workers.

Test and trace system is ‘broken’, says Harrogate mum

A Harrogate mother has said the government’s covid test and trace system is broken after she spent two days trying to book a test.

Madeline Smyth endured several fruitless hours yesterday and Monday regularly refreshing the NHS website and dialling the 119 test and trace phone line to arrange a check for her daughter Caitlin, 16, who had a persistent cough.

Ms Smyth finally secured a slot at a site in Burnley, which is a two-hour round drive from Harrogate.

She was fortunately spared the trip because the government’s mobile testing centre happened to be in Dragon Road, Harrogate, yesterday.

On her second visit to the centre, staff provided a test kit even though they said they were only supposed to help people who had managed to book online to be seen there.

Ironically the centre itself appeared quiet because, Ms Smyth suspects, people were unable to get the online booking system to work.

Ms Smyth, who has post-viral fatigue, said:

“It angers me to see people on the telly say there are plenty of tests available. There may well be but the system to access them is broken.

“We were at the Dragon Road site for 35 minutes and only saw two or three cars turn up. Seven or eight people working there were sitting around waiting for cars to turn up.

“The staff themselves were very nice and helpful and I think we only got a test because the poor girl we spoke to took pity on me because she could see I wasn’t fit to drive to Burnley and my daughter was showing covid symptoms.”

Caitlin, who attends Rossett School in Harrogate, and her brother Oliver, 12, are isolating at home pending the test result.

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Ms Smyth suspects her post-viral fatigue is a legacy of covid contracted last winter, which contributed to her relinquishing her role as a teacher at Nidderdale High School. She added:

“I was lucky because I am not working now so I was able to spend two days searching for a test. It was exhausting and stressful but there must be hundreds of working mums in the area with kids that have covid symptoms who don’t have the time to go through this.”

Ms Smyth said schools should be issued with test kits that can be given to children as soon as they develop symptoms.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said:

“NHS test and trace is working, we are processing a million tests a week but we are seeing significant demand for tests, including from people who do not have symptoms and are not otherwise eligible.

“Anyone with an appointment will not be turned away, new booking slots and home testing kits are made available daily for those who need them and we are targeting testing capacity at the areas that need it most, including those where there is an outbreak, and prioritising at-risk groups.

“We recently announced new facilities and technology to process results even faster. If you do not have symptoms and are not eligible to get a test you should not be coming forward for one.”

Harrogate group unveils plaque to thank organ donors

A plaque in honour of organ donors has been unveiled on behalf of the Harrogate Network for Organ Donation Support in the town’s Valley Gardens.

The group was formed to offer support to those waiting for a transplant or following the procedure, as well as their families.

The plaque is in recognition of donors and their families for giving the “gift of life”. Following the new opt-out system the group hopes more people will be able to receive organs.

One of the group’s founding members, Kerry Morrison, whose daughter Lynda received a heart transplant 25 years ago, said:

“The plaque is going to be a lovely place for donor families and recipients to come and reflect – it’s somewhere really special. I think it’ll become a focal point for recipients.

“The support group is there to help with the shock that comes from needing a transplant.

“I hope the plaque will stimulate the need to talk about donation with families to learn if it is something they agree to.”

Organ donation plaque

It is hoped this plaque will give donor families and recipients somewhere to come and reflect.

The plaque has been mounted onto a lime tree above the playground in Valley Gardens. The Mayor and Mayoress of the Harrogate Borough, Stuart and April Martin, were invited to unveil the plaque to group members and families.

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David Kinder, a heart transplant recipient and member of Harrogate NODS, said:

“I was very nervous before my transplant and it would have been good to know there was a group such as ours. I’ll be going there on the anniversary of my transplant, I need somewhere to thank my donor.

“Most people might want to donate but never got round to it, but now you’re in until you opt out and hopefully that’ll be fantastic for people on the waiting list.”