New NHS league table ranks Harrogate hospital trustGovernment ‘refuses to consider’ compensating North Yorkshire for scrapped care pilot

The government has “refused to consider” funding the costs of additional work on a now scrapped care reform scheme in North Yorkshire.

North Yorkshire County Council was one of six pilot authorities chosen by the Department of Health and Social Care for the project, which would have seen a cap of £86,000 placed on each individual’s spending on their care in their lifetime.

The reforms would also have allowed people to retain up to £100,000 of their own assets and still qualify for funding for their care. The current limit is £23,250.

However, the government has since informed councils the scheme is being abandoned after initially delaying it until October 2025.

The council carried out an overhaul of its IT system as part of the move and looks set to absorb any additional costs associated with staffing into its own budget.

It was awarded £1,159,684 in funding from government as part of the pilot.

But despite this initial funding, the Department of Health and Social Care has refused to contribute to the ongoing costs.

Anton Hodge, assistant director for strategic resources at the council, said in a report due before councillors on Friday:

“Although funding already received to cover costs in 2022/23 will not be required to be repaid, we and other trailblazers have pointed out the ongoing costs of staff already appointed in support of the project and we continue to pursue that aspect.

“However at this stage the Department of Health and Social Care has refused to consider any contribution towards these and therefore any continuing costs will have to be consumed within existing budgets.”

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Senior councillors had previously warned that the pilot could “bankrupt councils” if more funding was not made available.

Cllr Michael Harrison, the Conservative executive member for adult services at the council, said much of the work for the trailblazer was taken on by staff taking on additional responsibilities.

He added:

“The county council was asked by the Department of Health and Social Care to be one of six national sites for testing adult social care charging reforms. Early funding was identified nationally to support this work.

“Given that the bulk of this work involved frontline social care and customer services staff undertaking additional responsibilities, the national funding has been used to enhance existing staffing levels rather than to create separate new posts.”

A Department for Health and Social Care spokesperson said:

“The department is grateful to all the trailblazers for their work on charging reform and has been working closely with them to understand any costs incurred as a result of their work to date.”

Harrogate care boss relieved as government ends mandatory covid testing

A Harrogate care boss says she is relieved after the government announced an end to mandatory covid testing in care homes.

Sue Cawthray, chief executive at Harrogate Neighbours, said homes were now trying to adapt to the “new normal” and scrapping testing would save time.

The Department of Health and Social Care announced that routine asymptomatic testing will end on August 31 in hospitals and care homes as covid cases fall nationally.

However, testing for symptomatic cases among residents and staff and those being admitted to a home from hospital will continue.

Ms Cawthray said the ending of asymptotic testing will also be a relief for care home residents.

She said:

“Removing mandatory testing in care homes is a huge relief as testing takes up considerable time – not only administering the tests, but logging the results as well as having to ensure all staff are doing it within the guidelines, Residents have been fed up with the testing regime too – we are all trying to return to the new normal.

“We are still being asked to wear PPE and we will continue to be vigilant with staff and residents by reporting any positive cases. Staff will still have to let us know through our sickness reporting system if they have any symptoms and then they will test as per the guidelines.”

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The end of mandatory testing comes as the NHS is set to roll out Autumn covid booster vaccines for those aged over 75 and who are most susceptible to serious illness.

Ministers have encouraged people to take up the jab, which will be available to book through the National Booking Service ahead of a rollout starting from September 12.

Steve Barclay, health and social care secretary, said:

“Thanks to the success of our world-leading vaccination roll-out, we are able to continue living with covid and, from August 31, we will pause routine asymptomatic testing in most high-risk settings.

“This reflects the fact case rates have fallen and the risk of transmission has reduced, though we will continue to closely monitor the situation and work with sectors to resume testing should it be needed. Those being admitted into care homes will continue to be tested.

“Our upcoming autumn booster programme will offer jabs to protect those at greatest risk from severe COVID-19, and I urge everyone who is eligible to take up the offer.”

Harrogate care boss: Vaccine mandate led to ‘significant’ staff losses

A Harrogate care home manager has criticised the government’s NHS vaccine review, which was announced this week.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid said the policy of compulsory vaccines for NHS staff would be paused while a consultation is held on the policy.

But the pause was announced after it became a legal requirement for health and social care staff to be double vaccinated.

James Rycroft, managing director of Vida Health Care, which is based in Harrogate, said the mandate had led to a significant number of staff leaving the care sector.

He said:

“The social care sector has suffered significant losses to our workforce due to the compulsory vaccine policy at a time when we were already experiencing a national staffing crisis.”

Mr Rycroft added that the care sector has had to deal with the fallout of the policy without any support from government.

He said:

“I hope that by allowing staff back to the social care sector, even if they’re unvaccinated, we’ll be able to begin combatting the ongoing recruitment crisis, although the safety of everyone remains our main priority so we would have to ensure precautions are in place.”

Hospital to continue to encourage staff vaccination

Meanwhile, Harrogate hospital officials have said they will continue to encourage staff to get the vaccine despite the review.

Of the 5,000 staff employed by Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust, 98% have had at least one dose of a covid vaccine and 97% are double vaccinated.

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Angela Wilkinson, director of workforce and organisational development at the trust, said staff had been encouraged to get a vaccine through a variety of communications including weekly online videos, emails and one-to-one conversations with managers.

Ms Wilkinson said:

“Vaccines save lives and are the most effective way to prevent infectious diseases. 

“Since the development of a vaccine for the covid virus, we have actively encouraged our staff to get their jabs. 

“We have provided staff with a wide variety of information including how they can get their vaccinations and what the benefits are. We have also engaged with staff who have not had the vaccination to support them, allay any fears and dispel any myths.”

She added:

“We await the outcome of the consultation on ending vaccination as a condition of deployment as this will determine whether staff in patient facing roles will need to be legally required to have the vaccination if they wish to work for our trust.

“Nonetheless, we will continue to encourage all of our staff to have the covid-19 vaccination.”