Questions being raised about Social Care management in York

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Following the sacking of the responsible Cabinet member (Cllr Simpson Laing) a few weeks ago we understand other changes are afoot in the York Councils Health and Social Care Department.

The Department has been struggling to manage its budget during the last 3 years and now we understand that two senior managers are leaving the Authority.

No doubt the Councils auditors will be taking an interest in the behind the scenes activities but it is a shame that the Councils “scrutiny” process has proved to be so ineffective.

It is there that problems of this sort should be nipped in the bud.

Hopefully the more vulnerable of York’s residents will not be the real victims of this emerging scandal.

Trend in Alcohol-specific Hospital Admissions Continues to Decline

New figures from Public Health England (PHE) show a continued decline in alcohol-specific hospital admissions in York.

A separate report however identified York as one of the worst places for “binge drinking”

The figures are the latest update to the Local Alcohol Profiles for England (LAPE) data tool and includes a new measure of alcohol-related harm.

The LAPE tool presents data for 26 alcohol-related indicators in an interactive tool, which helps local areas assess alcohol-related harm and monitor the progress of efforts to reduce this.

 

The indicators for York are compared with the national average and rated as significantly better, significantly worse or not significantly different.

York is rated as significantly better than the national average for alcohol specific admissions to hospital for both under 18s1 (36% lower) and males (24% lower), alcohol related hospital admissions for both males and females and hospital admissions for alcohol related conditions.

York is rated as significantly worse than the national average for the estimated levels of binge drinking (defined as >8 units of alcohol for men and >6 units of alcohol for women consumed in a single session) (29.7% of the York population compared to the national average of 20.1%) and unsurprisingly the percentage of employees working in bars (2.30% in York compared to 1.79% nationally).

York is rated as not significantly different to the national average for alcohol specific and alcohol related mortality, mortality from chronic liver disease and the estimated number of abstainers.

City of York Council’s Director of Health and Wellbeing Dr Paul Edmondson-Jones said: “We welcome the continuing decline in alcohol-specific hospital admissions but the current levels of binge drinkers in York identified in these figures remain unacceptably high.  Receiving the Local Alcohol Profiles for England is an opportunity for the council’s Public Health team to assess alcohol-related harm in the city and monitor the progress of efforts to reduce this.”

 

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Health and social care changes

cartoon_JamesGillray public healthProposals to transform health and social care in York have been given the go-ahead by the city’s Health and Wellbeing Board.

York’s Plan proposes a transformation of the local health and social care system, focusing on three main elements:

– The development of local care hubs of health and social care staff who will rapidly assess and diagnose issues and needs to enable people to remain at home or return there at the earliest opportunity.

– Shared Care Records, so people only have to provide their details and case history once.

– Single Point of Contact– a health or social care-lead who takes responsibility for the individual as the move between services.

 

Child health in York better than average.

Public Health England have released Child Health Profiles for City of York Council, which provide a snapshot of child health in the city.

The key findings from the report show that the health and wellbeing of children in York is generally better than the England average and that children and young people under the age of 20 make up 21.7% of the city’s population.

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Tomorrow (Wednesday) is No Smoking Day

12th March is no smoking day and residents are being encouraged to think before they smoke in front of their children.

Stop-Smoking-Aids

Figures released recently by the British Lung Foundation (BLF) show around185,000 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.[1] That’s the equivalent of more than 6,100 classrooms full of children[2]]

Dr Paul Edmondson-Jones, Director of Health and Wellbeing at City of York Council said: “These figures demonstrate that children being exposed to second-hand smoke when travelling in a car is still a big problem and we would encourage people to use No Smoking Day as an opportunity to think about stopping smoking in front of their children and quitting altogether.  Children are more vulnerable to the dangers of second-hand smoke compared to adults due to their faster breathing, smaller lungs and less developed immune systems.”

The North Yorkshire NHS Stop Smoking Service currently has the following weekly sessions in York:

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Lung cancer initiative

City of York Council is backing the Be Clear on Cancer campaign, aimed at increasing awareness of the symptoms of lung cancer, which has been considered so successful it is being repeated.

The Public Health England campaign first ran nationally throughout England in May – July 2012. Recent data found that around 700 extra people were diagnosed with lung cancer in these months when compared to the same period in the previous year. Approximately 400 more people were diagnosed at an early stage, and around 300 more patients had surgery, giving them the best chance of prolonged survival.

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Health Lottery funding – 12th March deadline

Peoples Health Trust

The Peoples Health Trust – which allocates lottery funding – has set a 12th March deadline for organisations seeking grant funding.

Grants will be available of between £5 and £50k (over two years). Applications can be submitted by any type of “not for profit” organisation including CIC’s.  The projects length will between 9 months and two years (minimum 9 months to allow relationships to be formed ‘create stronger social connections between people’)

The project must be designed and run by local people. It must create stronger social connections between people and create a greater sense of general happiness. “It must help make the local community even better”.

For further information about the scheme and to apply visit www.peopleshealthtrust.org.uk

Questions or assistance with completing applications can be obtained from Two Ridings Community Foundation 01759 377400

Health advice at York’s libraries

Free sessions called ‘Using the NHS online’ have been arranged in March at three of York’s libraries and everyone taking part will have a chance of winning an Amazon Kindle Fire.

Free sessions called ‘Using the NHS online’ have been arranged in March at three of York’s libraries and everyone taking part will have a chance of winning an Amazon Kindle Fire.

Explore Tang Hall, Explore Acomb and Explore York Libraries will each be hosting one hour sessions for York residents who have little or no internet experience. The session will show them how to find out more information on the internet, using the NHS websites as an example.

The sessions will take place as follows:

Explore Acomb Library Learning Centre
Thursday 27 March, 5.30pm and 6.30pm
Telephone 01904 552651 to book.

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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.