Eat in, take away – preferably both?

Good company, great food, Christmas crackers and all the trimmings are usually the ingredients for a great meal out during the festive season. But what about the food hygiene rating? Whatever your recipe for eating out this Christmas, make sure you choose one of the 1,604 of eateries in City of York with a rating of 3 or more.

Green lable

There are over 800 establishments in York with the highest hygiene score of 5. They include the Acomb Explore Library.

Currently there are 4 premises with a zero food hygiene rating in York.

Look out for the green and black food hygiene rating stickers displayed on windows and doors to find out how businesses in the City of York area are doing. If you can’t see a sticker, then ask staff or check online at www.food.gov.uk/ratings

The Food Hygiene Rating Scheme rates food businesses on their hygiene standards, based on inspections carried out by officers from the City of York Council, Food and Safety Unit. Businesses in the area are rated on a scale ranging from 0 which means ‘urgent improvement necessary’ to a top rating of 5 which is ‘very good’.

So, whether you’re planning a festive meal out with family, friends or work colleagues or just grabbing a quick lunch when out Christmas shopping; don’t just consider the menu – make sure you check the hygiene rating too!

York Council Leadership promises action on bed blocking.

Bed blocking

NHS England list York as one of the worst communities for speedy hospital discharges

NHS England have today published data click here  showing that in October 2013, the City was one of the worst communities in England for delayed transfer of care.

Of the 28 patients awaiting a move from York hospitals at the end of October, 11 were awaiting care or nursing home placements while 7 were waiting for a care in the community support package.

Both are the responsibility of the York Council to provide

Although the Council Leadership is now promising to fix the problem “within 6 months”, they have failed to explain why the developing crisis has not been mentioned in any of the reports published by members of the Labour Cabinet over the last 6 months.

The Leaders own report, being considered by the Council tomorrow (Thursday), makes no mention of the problems.
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Separately, a resident has submitted a Freedom of Information request seeking an explanation for the apparent attempt to cover up the delayed discharges scandal. The wording of the request can be read by clicking here.

NHS health on line at Acomb Explore Library tomorrow (Tuesday)

York libraries help residents to find NHS information online

Acomb Explore Library

Acomb Explore Library

 

City of York Council is running a series of NHS Health Online Sessions at libraries in Acomb, Tang Hall and Clifton throughout December.

The sessions are ideal for those new to using computers and aim to help York residents become more computer literate in an increasingly online world.

Free sessions take place in small groups as follows:

· Monday 9 December, Tang Hall Library, 5.30pm and 6.30pm

· Tuesday 10 December, Acomb Explore, 2pm and 3pm

· Monday 16 December, Clifton Library, 10am and 11am

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Hospital “bed blocking” on increase in York

Bed blocking

The number of delayed discharges from hospital is increasing as the York Council struggles to provide care in the community places.

The delays mean that the Council has to pay substantial “fines” and in turn the “blockage” can prevent new patients being admitted to NHS beds.

The delays have reached record levels as the weekly average figures (for patients awaiting discharge to community placements) for the last few years reveal.

  • 2009/10 – 7.98
  • 2010/11 – 10.13
  • 2011/12 – 8.69
  • 2012/13 – 10.67
  • 2013/14 – 11.00 (to September)

The figures were reported to both the York Council’s “Cabinet” on 5th November and its Health Scrutiny Committee on 27th November

Neither minuted any action which they planned take to address the growing crisis.

Some of the delays are being put down to inadequate capacity in the “reablement” unit. This team seeks to train former patients to be more self-reliant.

It is the winter period when demand for NHS beds is at its highest.

The last thing that the City needs is for those that are available to be blocked by people who could, with support, be accommodated in their own homes.

Local Government Declaration on Tobacco Control

smoking_ceiling

The Declaration provides a public opportunity for local authorities to publish a statement of their dedication to protecting local communities from the harm caused by smoking. The Declaration has been endorsed by leading figures including the Public Health Minister and the Chief Medical Officer.

Every year in England, more than 80,000 people die from smoking related diseases[i]. In York more than 300 deaths and 2000 hospital admissions every year are attributable to smoking related illnesses [ii]. In 2011-12 1 in 6 babies in York were born to mothers who smoked.

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Books on Prescription are great medicine

Residents tackling mental health issues have a brand new route to free treatment in York.

In partnership with national health professionals, York’s Libraries are launching an innovative mental health self-help initiative.

Books on prescription

The Books on Prescription scheme follows the opening of new reading café at a mental health treatment centre in the city, and enables GPs and mental health professionals to write a ‘book prescription’ as part of a patients’ cognitive behavioural therapy.

This recommends reading from a set of 30 self-help books approved by health professionals and designed to help people address or manage health problems such as anxiety or depression.

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Lowfields older peoples village to get dementia care support

Artists impression of new "care village"

Artists impression of new “care village”

Dementia Care specialist, Dementia Care Matters, is to help provide high quality care to those suffering from the condition in York.

 

Dementia Care Matters will advise the council on the operating model for its two new specialist dementia care Elderly Person’s Homes at Lowfield and Burnholme, as well as supporting and training existing care home staff to ensure they can deliver specialist care in the new homes.
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Fitness instructors wanted for older people

exercise_studio

City of York Council is inviting fitness instructors to get in touch about setting up new classes to add to the successful Eng-AGE 50+ activity programme.

Instructors who join the Eng-AGE programme will be invited to showcase their activity by offering a taster session at the annual Eng-AGE 50+ Day at Energise on Monday 17 February from 9.30am to 4pm.

Planning is already underway so any instructor who wants to find out more should contact Catriona Sudlow, Older Peoples Physical Activity Officer on 01904 553377 or email Catriona.sudlow@york.gov.uk before Friday 13 December.

For more information about the Eng-AGE programme of activities visit www.york.gov.uk/eng-AGE

New figures reveal hundreds of thousands of children regularly exposed to second-hand smoke in a car

passive-smoking-172463679

New figures released by the British Lung Foundation (BLF) that show around 185,000 children between the ages of 11-15 in England are exposed to potentially toxic concentrations of second-hand smoke in their family car every day or most days.

That’s the equivalent of more than 6,100 classrooms full of children.

Dr Paul Edmondson-Jones, Director of Health and Wellbeing at City of York Council said:

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Alcohol in York

Funny-Drunk-People-Picture-04

York is supporting this year’s Alcohol Awareness Week which is taking place from 18 to 22 November.

Alcohol has an important role in many people’s social lives but it is easy to underestimate how much or how often we are drinking, and that it is causing harm to ourselves and others.Local statistics for York suggest that 20% of people who drink alcohol in the city are drinking in ways that put their health at risk.

In 2010/11 in York, more than 3,000 people were admitted to hospital for alcohol-related illnesses (Local Alcohol Profiles for England, calculated from indicators 10 and 11), and an estimated 18,000 attended A&E (estimate from Alcohol Concern’s alcohol harm map http://www.alcoholconcern.org.uk/campaign/alcohol-harm-map)

 

The cost to the city’s health services due to alcohol misuse alone is estimated at £58 per adult resident (alcohol concern alcohol harm map as above.)

Alcohol misuse can also fuel violent crime: in 2010/11 there were estimated to be four violent crimes attributable to alcohol for every 1,000 people in York (local alcohol profile as above indicator 16).

Estimates of the number of people who binge drink is above the national average (local area alcohol profile indicator 24.)
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