Under pressure Harrogate hospital apologises for delays

Harrogate District Hospital has apologised for delays faced by patients and outlined the pressures staff are facing at the start of a busy winter period.

The plea for understanding came after a difficult weekend, which culminated in the hospital urging those with less severe illness or injury to go to Ripon Community Hospital.

A combination of coronavirus patients needing care for longer and issues discharging patients means the hospital has the highest number of longer stay patients so far this year.

Some patients have not been discharged because home care services are not available.

It means longer waiting times across wards, community services and in the emergency department.

The hospital hopes that the completion of an upgrade to its elderly care ward next week will increase winter bed capacity and reduce pressures.

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Dr Matt Shepherd, deputy chief operating officer and consultant in emergency medicine at Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust said:

“Recently we have been experiencing a very busy period at Harrogate District Hospital, across our wards, community services and in the emergency department. This has meant people with less urgent issues are experiencing longer waiting times.

“It has also been more difficult recently to discharge some of our patients who no longer require hospital care, as there is less availability of home care to support people safely in their own homes.

“Difficulties in discharging patients combined with the extended stay required for patients with covid has meant the hospital currently has its highest number of longer stay patients so far this year. This has led to a reduction in the number of empty beds available for new admissions.

“We know our colleagues in social care and our team at HDFT are working incredibly hard to reduce these pressures. We are working closely with our partners in social care, both locally and across North Yorkshire, to ensure patients are able to be discharged as soon as they are well enough to no longer require hospital care. Upgrades to our elderly care ward will also be completed next week, which will increase winter bed capacity.

“We would like to apologise to those patients who might have to wait longer than usual when they visit the hospital to access our services. Unless it’s a life-threatening or severe illness or injury, we would ask them to contact NHS 111 first. The NHS will help you right away and if you need urgent care, the NHS can book you in to be seen quickly and safely.

“People with life-threatening illnesses or injuries should continue to dial 999 and anyone who arrives at A&E without calling NHS 111 will still receive medical care, with those needing emergency treatment prioritised.”

District care homes reduce services after unvaccinated staff forced to leave

Some care homes in the Harrogate district have had to cut back services because unvaccinated staff left rather than having covid vaccines.

The government made it mandatory for all care home workers to be vaccinated by November 11. It said this would protect people being cared for.

Richard Webb (pictured), corporate director for health and adult services at North Yorkshire County Council, told a media briefing this week that nine staff out of 2,000 at council-run care homes had refused to have the vaccine and therefore either had been redeployed or had their contracts terminated. Five of these were in Harrogate.

“That has caused some issues for us. We are obviously trying to replace people who have left us and that has meant we have had to downscale temporarily some of our day and respite services as people know them.

“We’ve put alternatives in place but that might be in a different location to your normal location for a break so we are in touch with families about that.”

Mr Webb said there were 500 care providers in total across North Yorkshire, adding:

“We’ve had approximately 240 people out of 20,000 who decided not to have the vaccination. Again, unfortunately they will be leaving social care. But overall that’s an incredible record and compares very well with many other places across England.

The county council began a social care recruitment drive Make Care Matter to plug the staff shortfall. Mr Webb said it had so far generated 170 applications and that 31 interviews were coming up and 14 people had been appointed to jobs.He said there would be a second recruitment phase after Christmas.

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Harrogate district Conservative MPs back controversial social care plan

All three of the Harrogate district’s Conservative MPs voted for controversial new plans for social care in England last night.

The proposal, which will see people with less than £100,000 in assets pay towards the new social care cap, were supported by the House of Commons despite a Conservative backbench rebellion.

Some Tory MPs expressed concern that the move would hit the poorest hardest and 19 of them voted against the government.

However, Andrew Jones, Harrogate and Knaresborough MP, Julian Smith, Skipton and Ripon MP and Nigel Adams, Selby and Ainsty MP which includes rural Harrogate, all voted with the government.

The bill was passed by 272 votes to 246.

The Stray Ferret has contacted the Harrogate district MPs for comment.

Health minister, Edward Argar, told the House of Commons last night that “no one would lose” from the reforms.

What is the government’s plan for social care?

Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his government have tabled plans in an effort to fix the crisis in funding social care.

Under the proposals, there will be a cap of £86,000 which people will have to pay towards the cost of their own care. Once that threshold is met, the government will step in.

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The move would mean that those with £20,000 or less in assets would not have to pay anything towards things like washing or dressing at home.

Those with more than £100,000 will have to pay for everything up to the social care cap.

Meanwhile, those with less than £100,000 will have to pay for some of their care – but they can qualify for council support to help meet those costs.

Crucially, however, the support received from the local authority will not contribute towards the social care cap. Instead, that will have to be met from the person’s own income.

This has led to some Conservative MPs expressing concern that the poorest will be hit hardest by the change.

Care sector staffing crisis in North Yorkshire prompts major recruitment drive

With more than 20,000 jobs across hundreds of organisations, the social care sector in North Yorkshire is vast.

Those working in it – including support workers, home managers and nurses – often say it is helping others that makes care one of the most rewarding careers out there.

But there are myths and misconceptions about the sector which the county’s biggest-ever recruitment campaign is now hoping to bust.

The Make Care Matter campaign has launched this week in response to plummeting numbers of job applications for the around 1,000 empty roles in the county, and bosses say changing the image of the struggling sector will be the key to getting it back on its feet.

Richard Webb, director of health and adult services at North Yorkshire County Council said:

“Sometimes the image portrayed is that care workers are not professionals, We feel very strongly that they are, just like doctors, teachers and nurses.
“A career in care really does open doors and offers something for everyone as we have got hundreds of different roles. Care also gives you a future with certainty as it is a growing sector with good prospects.
“We want to bring new people in because there are so many opportunities for people with different skills and interests.
“Now is both the most challenging and best time to get started.”

It is not for young people, it is a job for women and it is unskilled – those are just some of the stereotypes that care careers carry with them.

But take a look behind the scenes and bosses say you will see that people from all types of backgrounds have stepped into the profession, from builders and retail workers to accountants and young graduates.

They also say care can be a “lifetime” career with many opportunities to climb the ladder of progression.

Yet bosses are not hiding away from some of the challenges that the sector is currently facing.

Social care was struggling before the pandemic and its long-standing structural issues have only been exacerbated by the virus outbreak.

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In North Yorkshire, there has been a recent 70% drop in applications for jobs across the county’s 500 providers, some of which are continuing to go out of business due to rising costs.

There is also the issue of compulsory Covid vaccines for frontline staff which has left around 250 workers in limbo after the government deadline passed on Thursday.

Mr Webb said while the council was working to redeploy these staff into other areas, some would see their contracts ended.

He also welcomed progress on the government’s long-awaited promise to fix how the social care system is funded.
Mr Webb said:

“We are looking to redeploy these staff wherever possible rather than lose them completely, and we have found that some at the last minute have had a change of heart and decided to take up the vaccine.
“We also welcome the first stage of the reforms announced recently. There are issues around workforce and pay which we are hopeful the government will address.”

To find out more about the jobs available go to www.makecarematter.co.uk

Major drop in applications for social care jobs across North Yorkshire

The gravity of the staffing crisis in social care has been underlined as North Yorkshire County Council launches its biggest ever recruitment drive for the sector.

The number of people applying for social care jobs has plummeted, partly due to yesterday’s introduction of mandatory vaccines for care staff.

A full meeting of the council next week will hear at least three of its executive members highlight concerns over the 70 per cent drop in applications for jobs in social care across the 500 providers in the county since July and providers continuing to go out of business, partly due to staff costs.

On any given day there are at least 1,000 jobs available across the county.

A high percentage of the county’s care homes are in the Harrogate district.

In an attempt to fill the vacancies, providers in the county are offering extra financial incentives to staff to take on the roles, from a £1,500 golden handshake for a care setting nursing role in Northallerton to carers being offered £2,000 for referring three friends.

Councillor Michael Harrison, executive member for adult services, said:

“We have people who have joined us from all different types of experiences, some from the entertainment sector; actors, drummers, from the travel sectors; pilots, cabin crew, and everything in-between.

“There is a great career to be had in care and great stability and we support people who join us with career development. From the word go you can make a big difference to somebody’s life in this job; the work that you do really counts towards improving lives and no two days are the same.”

There are 20,000 people in North Yorkshire working in the care sector, from the 13,000 care and support workers in 500 organisations providing services in residential care and people’s homes through to social workers, project managers and administrators.

The alerts come after the authority said it was having to intervene in a number of care homes to keep them staffed and the government undertook to provide workforce recruitment and retention funding to support local authorities and providers to recruit and retain sufficient staff over winter.

In a statement to the meeting, the authority’s leader, Councillor Carl Les, said:

“I am pleased that as the government launches a nationwide initiative we are undertaking more locally the biggest ever recruitment campaign to attract people into a rewarding and progressive career.”

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The council has recently warned the situation would only worsen with about 200 fewer care workers in the county due to rules requiring all care workers to be vaccinated.

Before yesterday’s deadline, numerous foreign-born care staff in North Yorkshire had said they would leave the UK if they had to have the covid jab to work.

Pay concerns

Care workers have also suggested the lack of pay progression, with staff with more than five years’ experience being paid just 6p more an hour than those with less than a year in the role in 2020-21 is a cause of recruitment difficulties.

In a statement to the meeting, Councillor Michael Harrison, the authority’s adult social care executive member said the county’s situation reflects fierce competition within the labour market alongside hospitality, retail, heavy goods transport and construction.

He said:

“Pressures are building within nursing, residential home and domiciliary care capacity as a result of workforce pressures within the external market, and we continue to see provider failures in the system.

“Packages of care are being handed back to the council to either re-source or find alternative solutions to keep people safe. This is putting significant pressure on and impacting our in-house provision as we try to find solutions for people or fill the gaps using staff from our services.

“This is impacting our ability to provide re-ablement and respite services. Complex care packages are being handed back at short notice alongside those requiring two carers or in more rural locations. In addition we are seeing care home providers withdraw from providing nursing care or withdraw completely from the market.”

Warning of “difficult choices” in the upcoming Budget, the council’s finance boss Councillor Gareth Dadd will tell the meeting that securing the necessary workforce remains acutely challenging.

In an attempt to ease staffing pressures, the council is working with providers and has just launched a recruitment campaign focusing on the diversity of career opportunities in care.

Coun Harrison said:

“We are working with providers and partners to look at options and ideas to work more efficiently and promote people’s safety should we not manage to recruit more people to the sector.

“A system plan is in place with short, medium and long term actions to address issues relating to workforce, which includes capacity for registered manager support to care homes, recruitment to reablement, and recruitment to NHS posts to ensure sufficient intermediate capacity is available to meet the growing demand.”

County council leader backs National Insurance hike to fund social care

The leader of North Yorkshire County Council has backed the government’s manifesto-breaking move to raise National Insurance to tackle NHS covid backlogs and reform the social care system.

Conservative Cllr Carl Les said the plan, which also includes capping care costs at £86,000, provided assurances that families won’t lose massive amounts of money due to relatives needing care and also showed the government was willing to tackle deep-rooted issues in the sectors.

However, some critics have said the plan, which would see National Insurance rise by 1.25%, does not go far enough. Social care leaders warned the money raised will be “too little, too late” as they struggle with staff shortages and surging demand for people needing care.

Cllr Les said: 

“We welcome the publication of the plan and I’m pleased that the government is tackling this issue.

“The measures announced will start to address the issue of uncertainty around care costs for individuals and families.

“However, we need to see more detailed proposals about the government’s plans for stabilising care provision and investing in the workforce.

“Adult social care is vitally important to our residents and to the council.

“The service accounts for nearly 50% of our budget, and we need to support the sector while it works through its numerous challenges.”

Announcing the plan on Tuesday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the tax rise would raise £36 billion for the NHS and social care in the next three years, but accepted it broke a manifesto promise.

He described the plan as “reasonable and fair” and said the majority of the funds would go towards increasing hospital capacity to catch up on backlogs created by covid.

Some of the money – £5.4 billion over the next three years – will also go towards changes to the social care system.

But there has been anger from some care leaders who say more immediate support is needed to address the current crisis in the sector.

“Too little, too late”

Mike Padgham, chairman of the Independent Care Group, which represents independent care providers in North Yorkshire and York, said the plan failed to address the staffing situation and was a “huge opportunity missed for radical, once-in-a-generation reform of the social care system”.

He also said the amount promised “isn’t going to touch the crisis in the sector and will certainly not address the 120,000 vacancies in staffing, which is sending the sector into meltdown on a daily basis as care providers struggle to cover shifts.”

Mr Padgham said: 

“It will not fund the proper recruitment and training of the thousands of staff we need, nor will it allow the sector to properly reward those staff who have played such a vital, life-saving role during Covid-19.

“It is too little and, it looks like being, too late.”

The new tax will begin as a rise in National Insurance from next April, paid by both employers and workers, and will then become a separate tax on earned income from 2023.

It will cost an extra £130 a year for someone earning £20,000, £505 more for someone on £50,000, and £1,130 extra for someone earning £100,000, the government said.

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Under the plans to fix social care, people will no longer pay more than £86,000 in care costs – not including food and accommodation – over their lifetime, from October 2023.

Once people have reached this cap, ongoing costs for personal care will be paid for by local councils.

£1,055 a week for Harrogate district care homes

In North Yorkshire, the Harrogate district is the most expensive area to get care for loved ones with the average weekly cost of residential care this year reaching £1,055 and the same figure for nursing climbing to £1,061.

Over a one-year period, this can equate to more than £55,000.

The government’s announcement to cap these costs comes at a time when the social care sector is in the midst of a staffing crisis and battling with a long backlog of people needing to be assessed for care.

Richard Webb, director of health and adult services at the county council, last month said the sector was facing “unrelenting” pressures and that it had reached “tipping point” with a 70 per cent drop in applications for the around 1,000 jobs currently vacant.

He said the NHS had also not escaped the staffing problems which existed before the pandemic but have only been exacerbated by the virus outbreak.

The staffing situation looks set to worsen when compulsory vaccines for care workers come into force on November 11.

From this date, it will become a legal requirement for all staff working in care homes to be fully vaccinated against covid – unless they are exempt – in order to protect the elderly and vulnerable residents most at risk from the virus.

In North Yorkshire, it has been estimated that around 500 workers could be forced out of their jobs because of this unless more staff come forward for their vaccines.

Announcing the tax hike on Tuesday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said:

“No Conservative government wants to raise taxes, but nor could we in good conscience meet the cost of this plan simply by borrowing the money.

“This new levy will break our manifesto commitment, but a global pandemic wasn’t in our manifesto either.

“After everything we’ve spent to protect people through that crisis, we cannot now shirk the challenge of putting the NHS back on its feet, which requires fixing the problem of social care, and investing the money needed.”

Harrogate social care a ‘ticking time bomb’, care boss warns

There are warnings social care in Harrogate is facing a “ticking time bomb” as costs for families soar above £1,000 a week and industry leaders call for swifter government action to bring about major reforms.

After years of promises to fix the system, the government is coming under renewed pressure for failing to establish a firm plan to tackle the sector’s funding crisis which experts believe is a major reason for the UK suffering Europe’s worst covid death toll.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said he will bring forward a 10-year plan later this year but, in the meantime, families across the country are feeling the financial and emotional fallout from a sector under strain.

In North Yorkshire, the Harrogate district is the most expensive area to get care for loved ones with the average weekly cost of residential care this year reaching £1,055 and the same figure for nursing climbing to £1,061.

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Over a one-year period, these costs equate to more than £55,000.

While there are no legal limits on costs, North Yorkshire County Council does set an approved rate of £599 and £592 for residential and nursing respectively – and 90% of care providers in the Harrogate district currently exceed this.

These climbing costs driven by an inflated market are why Ross Kneller, director of St Margaret’s Home Care, believes social care is facing a “ticking time bomb” with worrying consequences for elderly and vulnerable residents who rely on the system.

He said his company – which provides 24/7 care services in Harrogate, York and Selby – is up against a wave of big businesses looking to cash in on these high prices by using less qualified and less skilled staff.

Mr Kneller said:

“There is a real feeling in the industry that we are at the cusp of a devastating wave that is about to crush the lives of thousands of vulnerable people.

“The domiciliary homecare market is an ever-growing giant of an industry. The nation is living longer, and they all want to stay at home for as long as possible.

“This booming industry is naturally attracting a host of new domiciliary care agencies all looking to take a share of the market.

“The private market is the preferred target for profit seekers. The private market pays the highest rates and is therefore the preferred choice for any venture looking to reap maximum profits from the industry.

“What about the majority of elderly, and vulnerable, across the country who rely on social services to provide them with quality care? They are being forgotten and will very soon suffer for the lack of care on offer to them.

“Thankfully there are many providers who still see the industry as a vocation led business, as well as a means to making profit.

“Unless the government helps agencies there will come a time when only the wealthy will receive the care they need as they grow older or become ill.”

After years of government cuts, local authorities including North Yorkshire County Council are under massive financial pressure, and in turn, care homes who they fund have been cash-strapped too.

Meanwhile, and in the midst of the pandemic, government plans to address an imbalance in the system have been blown out of the water.

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A cap on the costs of social care, a specific tax to help find the extra billions needed in funding and directing more cash straight to care homes are all ideas which have previously been brought to table.

But until the government eventually brings forward its exact proposals to reform the system, many struggling families will have to wait longer and dig deeper into their pockets.

How is social care funded?

Under current rules, those needing social care must fund it themselves down to their last £23,250, and only then will the local authority step in.

In the Harrogate district, it is North Yorkshire County Council which carries out assessments to determine how much support people should get.

Richard Webb, the council’s director of health and adult services, said around 70% of people using care services in the district fund it themselves.

He also said the authority had taken action on the climbing costs by carrying out a Covid-delayed actual cost of care exercise, as well as purchasing a £1.8m plot of land at Harrogate’s Cardale Park to build an extra care facility.

Mr Webb added there was also the potential for the council to buy other sites for more care facilities across the county as it looks to intervene in the market.

He said: 

“The rising costs make the purchase of care more expensive for the Council and individuals who are contributing to the cost of their care.

“The council is considering a range of options in the care market with a view to supporting providers and ensuring sustainable costs can be achieved in the medium to long term.

“The consequence of an inflated care market is ultimately that people will pay more and their resources will be used more on the costs of care. When those resources deplete then the cost burden shifts to taxpayers via council funded care provision.”

What is the picture across the UK? 

Unlike health care, social care is not generally provided for free in England.

In Scotland, free personal care is already available, while home care is free for the over 75s in Northern Ireland, and some care costs are capped in Wales too.

A personal cap on care costs in England was reportedly being considered by ministers prior to the coronavirus outbreak and is an idea which was first raised during talks with Sir Andrew Dilnot, the former UK statistics chief, whose proposals were previously abandoned in 2017.

North Yorkshire care homes prepare for ‘cautious’ return to visiting

A “cautious and vigilant” approach will be used to ensure indoor care home visits can take place across the Harrogate district from tomorrow.

North Yorkshire County Council has written to all care providers to emphasise the importance of allowing visits, but adapting guidance to suit each setting.

Under government guidance, each care home resident can have a nominated visitor, and the county council is encouraging care homes to make the visits “meaningful” – at least 30 minutes. Trips outside with relatives should be particularly supported, the letter said.

Richard Webb, NYCC’s director for health and adult services, said:

 “We must be cautious to keep everyone safe because past experience shows that the easing of restrictions can also lead to an increase in cases. We are still under national restrictions and so we need to be cautious and to avoid becoming complacent.

“The national covid-19 vaccination roll-out is also great news and the number of people who have received a vaccine so far is very encouraging.

“However, the vaccine’s main purpose is to prevent or reduce risk of death and serious illness. People who have been vaccinated can still catch or transmit Covid-19. New variants of Covid-19 may also be resistant to the vaccine and present new risks so we need to remain careful and vigilant.

“Everyone will need to co-operate to make indoor visiting a success. All visits will need to be planned and residents, families and friends are asked to be mindful that everyone will want their ‘fair turn’ for visits. This may initially limit the numbers of visits that are possible.”

Designated visitors will need to wear PPE and follow each home’s individual rules for safe visiting. Areas should be set aside with good ventilation and limiting the need for walking through other areas of the building.

Guidance suggests visitors can hold hands with their relative, recognising the increased risk of transmission, but discourages other close contact such as hugging. Care homes will still be able to allow “essential care givers” to offer personal and other care in some situations, where a resident’s illness or needs make it better for them to be supported by a family member.

Visiting will be cancelled in care homes which have outbreaks of covid cases, but essential care givers should still be able to visit, along with those seeing relatives nearing the end of their lives.

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The council said its approach will continue to be guided by care home residents and their families as well as staff. Cllr Michael Harrison, executive member for adult services and health integration, said:

“We believe it is important that everyone who lives in a care setting should be able to see their loved ones and to take trips out into the community if they want to.

“Many providers have been working to support safe visits and this will step up a gear as indoor visits are allowed. Our job is to work with providers and give all the support we can to make sure this can be done safely to avoid any resurgence in Covid-19 infections.

“As before the lockdown, any arrangements for visits and trips must be consistent with national and local Covid-19 rules so that people are as safe as possible.”

My Year: Health boss on ‘sobering’ loss and ‘inspirational’ community action

Richard Webb, director of health and adult services for North Yorkshire County Council, led the authority’s covid response through the year. He tells the Stray Ferret he has not forgotten those lost to the coronavirus pandemic.

’Tis the season to be… jolly? Maybe it’s more about being careful and kind?!

What a year!

The Harrogate district, like the rest of North Yorkshire and the world, has spent much of the last 12 months wrapped in the nightmare of covid-19.

Sadly, too many of our fellow residents will be mourning loved ones taken by the virus. Empty chairs around festive tables will denote a loss that is only too real. Behind every number is a human being; someone with a life story and loved ones. We must, and will, remember them.

It has been a sobering year for those of us working in public health and adult social care. In March, we were supporting NHS colleagues who were converting Harrogate Convention Centre into the Yorkshire and Humber Nightingale Hospital.

I remember one particularly poignant Friday afternoon call with the Bishop of Ripon, talking about the projected huge numbers of deaths, how we would ensure ethical and personalised decision-making; and how we could support grieving families and communities.

The first wave was not as bad as initial fears, but it took its toll: at least 600 people across North Yorkshire have died from Covid and there have been more non-Covid deaths because people may have been reluctant to get the treatment they needed for cancer, heart disease and other illnesses. Mental health continues to be a major concern for us all.

At the same time, the response from the community has been inspirational. In spring, as everyone came out onto our streets to clap key workers, and the cheers rang out across Harrogate’s rooftops, my thoughts were with public health and social care teams, volunteers, supermarket workers, farmers, as well as NHS colleagues… the list goes on because so many people have worked so hard.

Harrogate Grammar School has been producing visors for the NHS and other key workers

Harrogate Grammar School was among those to make and donate visors during the first lockdown

Local businesses did all they could to help with PPE when we couldn’t get supplies. People made face masks. The Harrogate Bus Company featured pictures of nurses, social workers and care workers on their buses, in tribute to their work. Major Tom’s delivered pizzas to care homes to say thank you. Dementia Forward developed the “Café in a Box” to support people with dementia and their carers. North Yorkshire Sport delivered activity packs to keep people fit. Harrogate Festivals cheered and stimulated us by moving a year of events online. Harrogate Town won a well-deserved promotion and, for a time, did better than my beloved ‘Boro!

Personally, I have learned much about myself and others. There have been great highs and a few lows. I have been moved by people’s stories, courage and willingness to help others. I have been inspired by my conversations with people who use health and social care services: they have played a vital role in helping each other and coming up with new ideas as to how we could support them better.

And I have been grateful that people have come together to ensure we have kept ahead of the national situation wherever possible: whether that’s getting more testing available locally, tapping into the massive effort of volunteers, or supporting care homes to re-open to visitors where safe to do so.

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Apologies to my family and friends, because I have been so focused on work this year. Even more than usual! To those who wanted to do an evening Zoom beer or Zoom quiz, sorry: I have become Zoomed-out! However, I am grateful to have spent lockdown in one of the most beautiful parts of England. There is something about making the most of what’s on your doorstep: walking, cycling, running, breathing.

Even as the vaccine moves us towards “living with covid”, it is likely, although not inevitable, that we will face a third wave of the pandemic. Right now, we are at the toughest part before the dawn: needing to keep each other safe; to drive down infection rates; and to look to the future.

It is also an opportunity. We can look, with different eyes, at where we live, and what we do and build something new and different. I am optimistic about our potential and about the triumph of hope, humanity and innovation.

Looking ahead, and learning from the past 12 months, I am reminded of a line from Robert Frost’s poem, Birches, which I learned at school: “earth’s the right place for love”.

Regular supplies of PPE ‘not coming through’ to front line workers in North Yorkshire

The peak of the coronavirus crisis has not yet hit North Yorkshire, but irregular and unreliable supplies of personal protective equipment (PPE) are putting front line workers at risk.

North Yorkshire County Council’s director of health and adult services, Richard Webb, told The Stray Ferret that constantly changing government guidelines on the use of PPE are making it hard to predict how much is needed – and he doesn’t yet know when the next supplies will be delivered.

While gloves, aprons and hand sanitiser are all needed, the most urgent problem is finding face masks offering the right grade of protection. The type IIR face masks are in high demand around the country because they prevent fluids from passing through when staff are caring for patients.

Richard Webb, director of health and adult services at North Yorkshire County Council

Richard Webb

Mr Webb said: “We are asking anyone who is a producer of the right type of PPE to get in touch. We are asking businesses or schools who might be able to produce PPE, can they begin to mobilise their production. That would be really appreciated.

“That’s across the board: it’s for us, it’s for the wider care sector, it’s for the hospitals and community health service and GPs. If people are able to produce what’s required to the right spec, we would really welcome them to get in touch.”

A new PPE plan was announced by the government on Friday, with additional guidance issued over the Easter weekend. These constantly changing requirements make it even harder for the council to know how long supplies will last.

Mr Webb said the local resilience forum, which is a combination of councils, the NHS, the military and police, has been working to try to find supplies and get them to the right places. With the peak of the crisis still to come in North Yorkshire, demand will only grow.

“The figures nationally and in Yorkshire are increasing so we are still not yet at the peak date. We will expect to see an increase in cases over the coming weeks.”

NYCC’s chief executive, Richard Flinton, had previously issued a call to suppliers to help get products to the front line, while community groups have been working together to source equipment. Mr Webb thanked everyone who has contributed supplies so far, as well as reiterating advice to stay at home and follow hand-washing guidelines in order to reduce the spread of the virus.

He added:

“What we really want is a regular supply of this equipment and at the moment that’s not coming through in the way that the NHS and councils and care providers need it. The government have given it a really top priority on Friday night when they announced their new plan. We need to see during the coming week much more regular supplies of the right kit.”

Anyone who can help supply equipment should email procurement@northyorks.gov.uk.

The ever-changing challenge of the crisis

Less than 10 days ago, North Yorkshire County Council said it was well supplied with PPE.

This new appeal shows just how quickly the situation is changing: demand grows by the day, with added pressure as the government issues further guidance on the use of PPE across medical and social settings.

Evidence from those on the front line confirms that supplies aren’t reaching where they’re most needed. Over the weekend, care home operator MHA confirmed a number of its residents had died after displaying symptoms of coronavirus, and said it was desperately short of PPE across its 133 homes.

Hundreds of thousands of people up and down the country are using the same kit. While visors are being produced by schools and hand sanitiser made by businesses, it is the high-grade protective equipment, such as masks, which are harder to procure from alternative sources.

Usual supplies have been depleted, with manufacturers struggling to meet demand coming not just from the UK but internationally. With the peak of the crisis expected to hit North Yorkshire in the coming weeks, front line workers will be more desperate than ever to have access to the equipment they need to reduce the risks they are taking while caring for the most vulnerable people in society.