New council events at York Residents’ Festival

City of York Council is flinging open the doors of West Offices and the Mansion House to welcome visitors during York’s Residents’ Festival, sponsored by First, on Saturday 31 January and Sunday 1 February. In addition, Explore York Libraries and Archives will be offering a behind-the-scenes look at its new Archives and Local History Service on Saturday 31 January.

.The Mansion House, home to the Lord Mayors of York since 1732, will be open on Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 3pm. Last year the building welcomed over 1,500 people who enjoyed its magnificent interior throughout the weekend. Residents will be able to see the Caps of Maintenance, worn by the Sword bearer on ceremonial occasions, including the one presented by the Queen during her 2012 visit, as well as a special display of the work of York Camera Club.

On Saturday at West Offices, author and railway historian Dr Bill Fawcett will tell the story of York’s first railway station in an illustrated presentation entitled ‘Still serving the people’. Bill has lectured and published extensively on railway and architectural history, twice receiving the David St. John Thomas award for best transport history book of the year. He has also assisted with the historical background to conservation development strategies for many railway buildings. He is editor of the journal York Historian and is a member of the Railway Heritage Trust advisory panel. His talk will be followed by a tour of the original station hotel, refreshment rooms and train shed canopy – now part of West Offices –and a look around the modern offices of City of York Council
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A&E problems at York hospital – public meeting hears facts

“Not a funding issue”

York hospital amb

The health committee last night received an update on problems at A&E.  It can be heard on the video of the meeting after 41 minutes

There was a 6% overall increase in patient presentations over recent weeks

Problems were prompted by an 80% increase in viral conditions with increased risks of pneumonia particularly in elderly people.

The issue was not a funding problem.

The hospital says that it is impossible to provide more beds as there are not enough doctors and nurses to staff additional wards.

The hospital is looking to recruit overseas to fill vacancies.

The 111 service locally is provided by ambulance service in York and is performing well. 

Bed blocking (delayed discharges) in not a major factor in the A&E crisis in York. There are vacant spaces in some local elderly person’s homes. There are staffing shortages in this sector as well.

A trades union representative suggested “upskilling” paramedics to deal with more potential patients at the scene on an incident (although this seemed somewhat irrelevant given the advice provided on the causes of the increased demand)

Councillors rightly expressed concern that any increase in the City’s population as a result of Labours “Big City” Local Plan population growth proposals could only exacerbate the pressures on the hospital.

The issue was considered at yesterdays meeting at the request of Nick Love , the City’s prospective Liberal Democrat MP.

A meeting of the Health and Wellbeing Board takes place on 21st January. It is also open to the public