Pateley Bridge demands action after hour-long waits for ambulances

Pateley Bridge Town Council is demanding action after reports of people waiting up to an hour for an ambulance to arrive.

Frustration is growing between Pateley Bridge locals as the number of incidents with slow response times increase.

The mayor of the town, Mike Holt, told the Stray Ferret there had been numerous cases of people having heart attacks or bad falls and having to wait for long periods for treatment despite there being an ambulance station in the town, as well as in nearby Ripon and Grassington.

Cllr Holt said it was an “ongoing issue” that wasn’t down to any one cause.

One local resident contacted the town council after she waited almost 30 minutes for an ambulance when her husband had a heart attack last month.

The woman, who asked to remain anonymous, said:

“It was just a normal evening and then he turned, I rang 999 immediately and was told it would be a 40-minute wait. The handler also hung up after saying they were really busy and couldn’t stay on the line. It’s frustrating and very worrying.

“Luckily one was deployed from Grassington but still the time it takes can make a real difference.”

The resident and Cllr Holt acknowledged ambulance response times was a national issue due to pressure on the NHS but both insisted more needed to be done.

Cllr Holt said the town council would submit a Freedom of Information request to Yorkshire Ambulance Service to discover details about wait time in the area. Once it received a response it would review what action it would take.

He said:

“There are many cases where they do amazing work but this is an ongoing issue that needs looking at. We’ve regularly had complaints of people waiting up to an hour.”

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In the past week, Yorkshire Ambulance Service released a statement saying covid and the easing of lockdown restrictions meant calls for help were increasing and the demand on its services was similar to that experienced during winter flu season. It said:

“Overall demand for emergency ambulances is increasing year-on-year and this pressure is reflected in all NHS services across the whole country.

“We aim to reach all our patients as quickly as possible based on their clinical need, including rural areas of our region where sparsely dispersed populations present particular challenges for all emergency services.”

New pricing policy aims to secure future of Bewerley Park

North Yorkshire County Council has said it is determined to secure a future for Bewerley Park outdoor education centre after widespread opposition to its plans to mothball the site.

The council has unveiled plans to introduce a trial seasonal pricing policy at the centre, near Pateley Bridge as well as at its other outdoor education centre in East Barnby, near Whitby.

The review could also see sweeping changes to the centres’ buildings, more investment and the sites amalgamated to make them more efficient.

Councillors and officers will tomorrow consider approving the moves for the coming year, when the centres have been reopened for residential visits, to see if it stimulates extra use of the centres by schools at colder times of the year.

Popular with Harrogate district children

In February the county council said it had never proposed completely closing the centres, but was rather seeking ways to stem the £1.6m losses due to the pandemic.

The changes would see the cost of staying at the centres, which have been visited by generations of children in the Harrogate district, rising slightly at high season and falling at low season.

The proposal would mean the cost of a four-night stay rising by 33 per cent since 2015 to £358.

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Amanda Newbold, the council’s assistant director of education and skills, said an outline business case was being prepared, which would be considered by the authority’s executive in September.

She said it had been discovered prefabricated buildings at East Barnby, the site of RAF Goldsborough’s accommodation and base to 5131 Bomb Disposal Squadron RAF, had “a bit of an issue with asbestos”.

Strong political will

Councillor Patrick Mulligan, the authority’s executive member for education, said the large volume of schools responding to a consultation over the centres had underlined the “huge amount of support” the sites had.

He said there was a strong political will to ensure children could benefit from visits to the centres for many years to come.

Councillor Mulligan said the proposed fees and charges structure would provide a basis for the service to cover its costs, as had been the case in previous years.

He said:

“We are doing everything we can to make sure it is a viable service. We are not ruling out any options.”

He added the biggest challenge facing the council was the age of the buildings, particularly the ones at Bewerley Park, which were designed to be temporary when they were built 80 years ago to house hundreds of evacuees from Leeds.

Butterflies and bees inspire hidden gem Pateley Bridge ceramic artist

The wonderful, whimsical and colourful worlds of butterflies and bees have inspired the rise of this hidden gem of a ceramic artist in Pateley Bridge.

Fiona Mazza Ceramics is based in the King Street Workshops. It was once a base for bin lorries and rat catchers, but is now a crafts hub where people work on and sell their creations.

She has perfected her craft over the past two decades, starting in the garage of her home in Harrogate but working at a dedicated workshop for the past six years.

It takes a lot of different skills and plenty of time, something people do not always appreciate when they are more used to the quick and cheap products from a factory line.

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“I think people are quite detached from the process as well. TV shows can open people’s eyes a little bit but then they see them rushing things through.

“The turnaround for me is around four weeks from start to finish. If you drive clay too quickly things can start to crack and warp.

“I like to work intimately with each piece. There are all sorts of people who do enjoy what I do though. It’s always nice to meet the people buying your work.”

Customers who find the workshop, which is not far from the high street, will likely find Fiona sitting at her wheel moulding out a lump of clay.

Most of her work has at least a subtle nod to her love of nature, normally butterflies and bees.

“I am not an expert but I do love butterflies. I enjoy the colour so that sparked that interest. My grandfather was a big beekeeper as well, with more than a hundred hives.

“A few years ago now I tried to keep some bees as well but it is quite a lot of hard work so I have stepped back from that.

“The bees and butterflies are fascinating creatures so I just want to capture their beauty.”

This is part of the Stray Ferret’s ‘hidden gem’ series, highlighting small, independent businesses. They need to be tucked away but growing in popularity with an eye-catching and unique product or approach. Send us an email with your nominations.

Number of covid patients at Harrogate hospital falls to two

The number of covid patients at Harrogate District Hospital has fallen to two, despite a sharp rise in infections in the district.

In a sign that the vaccination programme is working, Amanda Bloor, accountable officer for NHS North Yorkshire Clinical Commissioning Group told North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum today there are now fewer covid patients at the hospital than last week, when there were three.

The number of cases of the Delta variant in the Harrogate district has nearly quadrupled in the last two weeks. The district’s seven-day rate of infection is now 155 per 100,000, just below the England average of 159.

Despite the steep rise, the hospital has not faced the same pressures as in previous waves. At the peak in February, there were 68 covid patients at Harrogate hospital.

According to the latest NHS England figures, the hospital’s last covid-related death was reported on April 11.

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Ms Bloor also said today that Ripon racecourse vaccination site, which opened in February, is due to close in August.

The closure of the Great Yorkshire Showground vaccination centre in Harrogate this month has seen many people travel to Leeds, York or Bradford for jabs, although there are pharmacy sites in Knaresborough and Pateley Bridge.

Ms Bloor said pop-up vaccination sites could open in the district this year.

She said:

“We want to be able to flex the programme as sites and vaccines allow.”

Celebrity cycle ride set to close Nidderdale roads on Friday

A charity cycle ride covering 50 miles of North Yorkshire will cause numerous road closures in Nidderdale on Friday.

The event, which begins at 7.45am, is to be filmed by ITV and raise money for Soccer Aid for UNICEF.

The race, called On Yer Bike, will snake from Kettlewell to Pool-in-Wharfedale and will mean rolling road closures throughout the day.

The list of celebrities taking part is yet to be revealed.

The route will head towards Grassington, across to Pateley Bridge, then past Menwith Hill before heading to Pool-in-Wharfedale at about 2.30pm.

The road closures will last for between 15-25 minutes, according to North Yorkshire County Council.

Commuters can expect to be directed by police motorcycle riders and traffic management stewards.

The show is set to be broadcast on ITV on the August bank holiday weekend.

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Keep an eye on our morning traffic blog for updates on the road delays. 

Nidderdale Show in Pateley Bridge cancelled due to covid

Nidderdale Show in Pateley Bridge, the Harrogate district’s last agricultural show of the year, has been cancelled.

The event, which attracts about 15,000 people, was due to take place in Bewerley Park on September 20.

But Nidderdale Agricultural Society’s show committee announced on Saturday it had decided unanimously to cancel the event due to covid.

In a statement on its Facebook page, the committee said:

“This decision has not been taken lightly and is due to the many uncertainties and risks currently involved in the organisation of an event such as ours during the ongoing covid pandemic.

“The nature of our show and showground is such that implementing the rules and regulations involved in delivering a covid-secure event would be extremely difficult to achieve and would place a huge burden of responsibility on our members and many volunteers, as well as expose the society to unacceptable financial risks.

“Most importantly, the primary concern is the health and safety of everyone involved in organising the show, of all those who attend the show and of everyone in our local community.”

The statement added the committee intended to put on a “bigger and better show” on Monday, September 19 next year.

The announcement means the vast majority of agricultural shows, which are a major part of summer life in the Harrogate district, have been cancelled.

However, the Great Yorkshire Show and Weeton Show are due to go ahead on July 13 to 16 and July 18 respectively.

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Pateley Bridge GP surgery reassures patients after appointment frustration

A Pateley Bridge surgery has reassured patients that face-to-face appointments are available after people expressed frustration at not being able to see a GP.

It follows a backlash from patients after Amanda Bloor, accountable officer for North Yorkshire CCG, said national reports that surgeries were closed were “a myth”.

Ernie Butler, a Darley parish councillor, told the Stray Ferret that he often had to wait weeks to get an appointment at Pateley Bridge surgery.

Now, the surgery has sought to reassure patients that it has been open throughout the pandemic and that it continues to have face-to-face appointments “where clinically appropriate”.

A statement from the Pateley Bridge practice said:

“We would like to reassure all our patients that we have been open throughout the pandemic. Since the first lockdown we have and continue to offer telephone, video and online consultation as well as face to face appointments where clinically appropriate.

“We remain open and whilst we are (like most surgeries) running a total triage service, we continue to see patients face-to-face. In the interests of keeping patients safe we have been using our three sites differently over the last year by having a designated site for potential or confirmed covid patients as well as having a separate site for shielding patients to be seen.

“This has worked really well and we are confident this has reduced the risk of infection to all our patients and staff but in particular our most vulnerable patients.

“Given the massively successful vaccination campaign and easing of lockdown restrictions, we are constantly reviewing our protocols but understandably this is being done cautiously in the interests of our patients’ safety.

“We’d like to thank our patients for being so supportive and understanding during an unprecedented 15-month period.”

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Local GP practices have been running telephone and online assessments for patients since March last year.

The process, known as “total triage” assesses people first before offering face-to-face appointments.

It has been used throughout the pandemic and NHS England guidance says it has been used to “reduce avoidable footfall in practices and protect patients and staff from the risks of infection”.

Patients express frustration at seeing a GP in Harrogate district

Patients have expressed frustration at trying to see their GP after health bosses said face-to-face appointments were still available.

Amanda Bloor, accountable officer at North Yorkshire Clinical Commissioning Group, last week said national reports that practices were closed and not offering face-to-face appointments were “a myth”.

But her comments sparked a backlash on social media, with some people saying they had “more chance of winning the lottery” than seeing a GP.

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Ernie Butler, a parish councillor in Darley, said he could no longer book an appointment in person, which left him frustrated.

He added patients from his area were often sent to Pateley Bridge and Birstwith.

Mr Butler said:

“You cannot just go in and see them anymore. They have you waiting three weeks for an appointment.”

Others on social media claimed they could not book an appointment by going into Pateley Bridge surgery.

Local GP practices have been running telephone and online assessments since March last year for patients.

The process, known as “total triage” assesses people first before offering face-to-face appointments.

It has been used throughout the pandemic and NHS England guidance says it has been used to “reduce avoidable footfall in practices and protect patients and staff from the risks of infection”.

A spokesperson for North Yorkshire Clinical Commissioning Group said face-to-face appointments have been available to patients at GP practices.

Ms Bloor told a North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum press briefing last week:

“I just want to stress that our GP practices across North Yorkshire and York are open, they are seeing patients face-to-face and they have been open throughout the course of the pandemic.

“It is fair to say that services have been provided differently and that has been about protecting patients and staff, particularly through the time of the pandemic, to make sure that we kept people safe.

“But what I don’t want and what the wider NHS does not want is any misconceptions getting in the way of people coming forward, accessing services at their GP practice when they have got health care needs in the full confidence that they will get clinically appropriate personalised care.”

Ms Bloor said that in March there were 387,000 appointments in North Yorkshire and York, which was more than any month in the last two years and more than 60% of the appointments took place face-to-face.

The Stray Ferret approached Pateley Bridge surgery for comment.

River Nidd pollution: hopeful signs for fish and wildlife

Clean water is being pumped into the River Nidd amid hopeful signs that most fish survived last weekend’s category one major pollution incident.

A 12-mile stretch between Gouthwaite reservoir and Hampsthwaite turned chocolate brown on Saturday, prompting fears for the predominantly trout and grayling that inhabit the water and other forms of river life.

Yorkshire Water issued a statement on Sunday saying it had suspended safety work at Gouthwaite by its contractor Mott MacDonald Bentley, which it is thought may have stirred up huge quantities of silt.

River Nidd pollution

The River Nidd turned chocolate brown.

The company is excavating a trench as part of a long-term project to install a siphon at Gouthwaite dam to enable it to rapidly reduce water levels in an emergency.

Yorkshire Water has declined to comment since the weekend when asked by the Stray Ferret what action it has taken this week and whether it had conducted an environmental impact assessment before the project began.

John Shillcock, president of Nidderdale Angling Club, last night told the Stray Ferret he had heard from multiple sources Yorkshire Water has installed a pipe and was pumping in clean water from further up the reservoir and over the dam. He added:

“The river is much clearer and the cloudiness has passed on downstream.

“The Nidderdale AC secretary and I visited the river today and were much relieved to see that fish were rising and there was evidence of aquatic insect life.

“So this is good news for now, but Yorkshire Water have not made any attempt to let us or other interested parties know what measures they are intending to take to enable them to continue with the siphon installation without the same thing happening again.”

No fish deaths reported

The Stray Ferret asked the Environment Agency, which declared a category one major pollution incident, if it could clarify what action had been taken this week.

A spokesman said it was an ongoing investigation that would take a while to conclude and no further details were available. He added there were no reports of any fish deaths so far.

River Nidd pollution

The River Nidd last weekend.

Gouthwaite, which is three miles north of Pateley Bridge, is one of three reservoirs in upper Nidderdale, along with Scar House and Angram, which are further upstream.

The other two supply water but Gouthwaite was built to regulate the flow of the upper Nidd.

Gouthwaite is also a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest in Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty

 

Major incident opened into River Nidd ‘disaster’

The Environment Agency has opened a category 1 major pollution incident after a 12-mile stretch of the River Nidd turned chocolate brown.

Experts are still trying to assess the extent of the damage to fish and other river life between Gouthwaite reservoir and Hampsthwaite after huge quantities of silt flowed downstream on Saturday.

Anglers and ecologists are calling for action against whoever is responsible and urging the Environment Agency and Yorkshire Water, which was carrying out safety work at Gouthwaite, to come up with a recovery plan.

An Environment Agency spokesman said today it “continued to investigate” the Yorkshire Water works, which is is thought may have stirred up the silt that flowed downstream on Saturday.

The spokesman added:

“Large quantities of silt in a river can harm fish and smother aquatic plants and invertebrates, starving them of light and oxygen.

“Whilst there is no longer any silt entering the river system, it may still be visible as it moves downstream. The Environment Agency continue to monitor the situation and assess the impacts to determine what further action may be necessary.”

With the water still discoloured, it remains difficult to assess the impact on river life.

The work at Gouthwaite dam

The work at Gouthwaite dam

Dr. John Shillcock, president of Nidderdale Angling Club and a former ecology officer in the area, said:

“In my past experiences, quantities of sediment of this type block out light and can reduce oxygen levels in the river, harming or even killing river life including invertebrates and other organisms on which fish and other river life depend.

“We are awaiting reliable data on the level of sedimentation before we can assess what damage has been done to an extremely precious river system.

“We would like Yorkshire Water to work closely with the Environment Agency to collect as much data and samples as to work out the best course of action to minimise the immediate danger to river life, and to build a deliverable long-term strategy to enable the river to recover from this avoidable incident as quickly as possible.”

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The affected stretch of the Nidd is known for grayling and trout.

One angler, who asked not to be named, said the amount of silt would harm oxygen levels on which fish depend. He added:

“There should be some sort of action against whoever is responsible for this. It is an environmental disaster.”

‘Heartbreaking to see’

Alastair Ferneley, vicar of Holy Trinity Church, Dacre Banks, said:

“It’s just heartbreaking to see at the moment — it makes me feel sick in the pit of the stomach.

“As I understand it the slit could choke all the bottom dwelling invertebrates and take out the entire food chain — all the things I watch for: dippers, kingfishers, otters, most of the flying insects that spawn in the rivers, the birds and bats that feed on them.

“I’m hoping it won’t be as bad as a I fear it could be. What we need is a good flood to two to clear the silt out and quickly, but not sure that’s very likely.

“It’s a taste of how fragile the environment and everything that depends on it is.”

A Yorkshire Water spokeswoman said it had nothing to add to its statement yesterday, which said it was working with the Environment Agency to investigate what had caused the sediment in the River Nidd to be disturbed. The statement added:

“We’ve temporarily suspended some work our capital partners Mott MacDonald Bentley were doing upstream at Gouthwaite reservoir while we investigate.”