CCGs support ‘Wake Up North Yorkshire’ campaign
North Yorkshire’s Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) have backed a North Yorkshire campaign aimed at changing drinking culture and the harm caused by alcohol.
Launched by North Yorkshire County Council, the Wake Up North Yorkshire campaign has been developed after research with residents found that more than 40 per cent of 1,000 people who responded to a survey said they drank more than the chief medical officer’s guideline amount for ‘safer’ drinking.
That’s regularly more than six glasses of wine or pints of beer a week, and/or regularly more than three glasses of wine/pints (for women) or four glasses of wine/pints (for men) on any single occasion.
Dr Charles Parker, Clinical Chair Designate for the new North Yorkshire CCG, said: “Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol can lead to a number of medical conditions which require ongoing care and treatment and in some cases result in admission to hospital.
“The good news is that most of the North Yorkshire residents who said they drank more than the safer guidelines are already reducing their drinking, or thinking about doing so in the future.”
For patients in the county who want to reduce the amount of alcohol they consume, there’s lots of help available – search ‘alcohol support’ on the NHS website or go to www.wakeupnorthyorkshire.co.uk.
The Wake Up North Yorkshire campaign features short videos from North Yorkshire residents talking about how they cut down their alcohol intake, as well as posters, leaflets and social media graphics.
It will run until September this year.
Read MoreNorth Yorkshire Clinical Commissioning Groups support the ‘International Year of the Nurse and Midwife’ campaign
NHS Hambleton Richmondshire and Whitby, NHS Harrogate and Rural District and NHS Scarborough and Ryedale Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) are backing a national initiative, hosted by NHS England and NHS Improvement, which aims to showcase and celebrate nursing and midwifery.
The ‘International Year of the Nurse and Midwife’ will run throughout 2020 and is a chance to recognise the incredible work nurses and midwives do across health and social care.
Throughout the year, the three North Yorkshire CCGs will be encouraging nurses and midwives across the county to share their stories highlighting how they have made a difference to people’s lives and celebrate their achievements.
Chief Nurse for the three North Yorkshire CCGs, Sue Peckitt, said: “We have an amazing and diverse nursing and midwifery workforce in North Yorkshire and having had the pleasure of working alongside nursing colleagues for a number of years, I appreciate how hard they work and know they do everything they can to get the best possible outcomes for patients.
“Being a nurse is a very rewarding and fulfilling career and I encourage all of our local nurses to share their experiences to showcase the brilliant work that they do for patients and the public.”
Any stories shared by nurses and midwives will be hosted on the NHS England and NHS Improvement website. For information on how to share a story, visit: https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/nursing-people-stories-template/
NHS England and NHS Improvement will also be hosting an event at York Racecourse on 29 April to showcase innovation in nursing across the country.
York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is showing support by running a campaign featuring 20 nurses and 20 midwives – details can be found on the Trust’s website: https://www.yorkhospitals.nhs.uk/news-amp-media/international-year-of-the-nurse-and-midwife-2020/
Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust (TEWV) and Harrogate and District NHS foundation Trust (HDFT) are planning Year of Nurse and Midwife activities and this information will be available on the North Yorkshire CCGs websites once finalised.
If you are interested in becoming a nurse, search ‘nursing careers’ today, there are hundreds of opportunities to start a career in the field.
Read MoreCoronavirus latest
SEE ALSO: Easy Read information about the Coronavirus
The NHS in Scarborough and Ryedale and Public Health England (PHE) are extremely well prepared for outbreaks of new infectious diseases. The NHS has put in place measures to ensure the safety of all patients and NHS staff while also ensuring services are available to the public as normal.
The risk to the general public is moderate. If you have arrived back to the UK from mainland China, Thailand, Japan, Republic of Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia or Macau within 14 days, follow the specific advice for returning travellers.
Anyone who has travelled to China or places listed above in the last 14 days and develops symptoms of cough or fever or shortness of breath, should immediately:
- Stay indoors and avoid contact with other people as you would with the flu
- Call NHS 111 to inform them of your recent travel to the country
Information for the public is available here.
Like the common cold, coronavirus infection usually occurs through close contact with a person with novel coronavirus via cough and sneezes or hand contact. A person can also be infected by touching contaminated surfaces if they do not wash their hands.
The risk of being in close contact with a person with coronavirus or contaminated surfaces is very low at the current time, as members of the public who have visited Wuhan, Hubei province, China are currently in isolation.
Testing of suspected coronavirus cases is carried out in line with strict regulations. This means that suspected cases are kept in isolation, away from public areas of the hospital and returned home also in isolation. Any equipment that come into contact with suspected cases are thoroughly cleaned as appropriate. Specific guidance has also been shared with NHS staff to help safeguard them and others. Patients can be reassured that their safety is a top priority, and are encouraged to attend all appointments as usual.
Everyone is being reminded to follow Public Health England advice to:
- Always carry tissues with you and use them to catch your cough or sneeze. Then bin the tissue, and wash your hands, or use a sanitiser gel.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after using public transport. Use a sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Avoid close contact with people who are unwell.
You can find the latest information and advice from Public Health England here.
Read MoreCCGs pay tribute to Dr Phil Garnett
NHS Scarborough and Ryedale Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) has paid tribute to its chairman, Dr Phil Garnett, who has passed away.
Dr Garnett had led the CCG from its formal inception in April 2013 and was still working just a few days before his death. Dr Garnett had been living with cancer.
Friend and colleague, Dr Peter Billingsley, the Associate Chair of the CCG, said: “This is an incredibly sad time for the NHS in Scarborough and Ryedale and on behalf of our Governing Body and staff, I would like to express my deep condolences to Phil’s family, friends and colleagues at Filey Surgery.
“Phil was driven by a burning desire to make the NHS the best it could be and throughout his time at the helm of our organisation – and indeed throughout his distinguished career as a GP – he was determined to secure the best possible services for patients.
“He very much led from the front and was an exceptionally gifted speaker, possessing a wonderful sense of dry humour and wit to match his intellect. Phil was erudite, captivating and charming; and people always listened to what he had to say.
“From a personal perspective, he was always on hand to offer help and advice and I will miss him greatly.”
A keen thespian, Dr Garnett qualified as a doctor in Leeds in 1973 and joined Filey Surgery in 1978. He held senior positions with the local Primary Care Trust, Primary Care Group and Saint Catherine’s Hospice and was heavily involved in the North Yorkshire Local Medical Committee.
Dr Garnett also worked for five years in secondary care with a focus on paediatrics where he gained a Diploma in Child Health (DCH) from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and became a Member of the Royal College of Physicians (MRCP).
Filey Surgery Practice Manager, Carolyn Liddle, said: “It is with heavy hearts that we say goodbye to our friend and colleague, Dr Phil Garnett. He was a GP here in Filey for 40 years and was a much respected and loved doctor.
“The people of Filey will miss him as many of them will have been patients of Dr Garnett for many years. Amongst the sorrow there are smiles from his colleagues at the surgery as we remember a lot of good times.”
Simon Cox, the former Accountable Officer of NHS Scarborough and Ryedale CCG and now the Director of Acute Commissioning for the three CCGs in North Yorkshire, said: “Phil’s desire to see the NHS flourish shone brightly throughout our time together at the helm of the CCG.
“He was a strong and passionate voice for local health services and his commitment to the NHS in Scarborough and Ryedale was unwavering, even when his own health was faltering.
“I speak on behalf of the entire Governing Body and all of the staff when I say it was a privilege to have worked alongside Phil. As we move towards a new era, with a single clinical commissioning group representing the people of North Yorkshire, his voice will be sorely missed.”
Dr Charles Parker, the current Clinical Chair of NHS Hambleton, Richmondshire and Whitby CCG and chair elect for North Yorkshire CCG, said Dr Garnett had been “indefatigable” in his promotion of primary care over many years and added: “It has been a privilege to work with him over the last year, working in the single leadership team for the CCGs.
“Phil was well liked and respected by us all and throughout the local NHS. He was a gentle character and I will miss him. Phil was such a long time servant within the health service that it is difficult to imagine a time without him. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends at this time.”
Read MoreNew community equipment ‘amnesty bin’
A new ‘amnesty bin’ to make it easier for people to return on loan community equipment like walking frames and crutches has been installed at a household waste recycling centre in Harrogate.
It follows talks between Medequip Assistive Technology Ltd – which issues community equipment to patients on behalf of North Yorkshire County Council and clinical commissioning groups in the county – and Yorwaste which manages the area’s household waste recycling centres.
In addition to the new amnesty bin at Harrogate’s Penny Pot Lane recycling centre and three amnesty bins at York Hospital and Friarage Hospital in Northallerton there are plans for a further depository at one of the household waste recycling centres in Scarborough.
Medequip’s North Yorkshire Operations Manager, Darren Clark, said: “It’s not as simple as knowing where the equipment is originally deployed – equipment may be lost, passed on to another family member or even put away in a loft.
“We realise we need to get the message across to people that it is important to return these items, but we also recognise that we have to make it easier for people to arrange collection or to return the equipment to an accessible location.”
Community equipment like walking frames, sticks, crutches and other daily living aids costs the NHS and local authorities millions of pounds every year. Unfortunately, a lot of this equipment never finds its way back to the issuing authority, where it can be cleaned and safely reused.
A Return, Reuse, Recycle campaign originally instigated by Medequip in partnership with West Suffolk NHS back in 2017 has been taken up by North Yorkshire County Council and clinical commissioning groups in York and North Yorkshire. The county council and local NHS are hoping to see recycling rates increase significantly as a result of this initiative.
Dr Charles Parker, the clinical chair elect for North Yorkshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) said: “Increasing the number of places where people can deposit unwanted equipment like crutches and walking frames is a huge positive.
“Much of the equipment that’s returned is in a good condition and can be cleaned, serviced then reissued to someone else in need. The objective is to continue to deliver cost-effective, efficient and safe community equipment solutions which help the NHS budget go further.”
Cllr Michael Harrison, North Yorkshire County Council’s Executive Member for Health and Adult Services, said: “The county council, in conjunction with our CCG partners, are always looking for opportunities to encourage and enable people who have been issued with equipment to be able to return this for recycling, repair or disposal.
“As such we have been keen to promote the ‘Return Recycle Reuse’ campaign in conjunction with CCG colleagues and our integrated equipment provider, Medequip, and prevent equipment being discarded or left unused.”
All equipment delivered by Medequip on behalf of North Yorkshire County Council and clinical commissioning groups in York and North Yorkshire is accompanied by a leaflet with full details on how to return the items once they are no longer required, and every item carries a barcode label which also features a collection telephone number and a unique identifying code.
In addition to the amnesty bins, equipment can be returned to Medequip’s drop off points at Dunslow Court in Eastfield, near Scarborough and Manse Lane in Knaresborough.
Alternatively, Medequip will pick up some loan items for free – call 01423 226240 or email north.yorks@medequip-uk.com
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