Swim Britain launched at Energise

 

David Williams and Kerianne Payne

David Williams and Kerianne Payne

Energise is encouraging York residents to get back in the water this summer for British Gas SwimBritain 2014.

Supported by a host of big-name swimmers including fellow London 2012 medallists Ellie Simmonds, Michael Jamieson, Rebecca Adlington, Keri Anne Payne and comedian David Walliams, SwimBritain is a series of fun team relays that are taking place this September which hopes to inspire 500,000 people across Britain to swim more regularly – and get fit!

Swimmers can take the challenge in 2 ways.

SwimBritain1000 is a four-person relay where each team member swims 250m four times around a specially-designed course in a dedicated 50m pool.

SwimBritain500 is a shorter distance where team members use the same course, swimming half the distance (125m four times) and the nearest participating venue to York is Ponds Ford in Sheffield.

Rebecca Adlington, who retired from competitive swimming at the age of 23 last year as Britain’s most successful swimmer, said: “I may have retired from professional swimming but I will always love being in the water and a challenge like British Gas SwimBritain is brilliant as it’s really inclusive – not just for professional swimmers. Swimming offers everyone a full range of health and fitness benefits so the more people we can encourage to swim regularly, the better. It’s a full body workout without any stress on the joints. A gentle half hour swim can burn up to 200 calories, so I’d love to see as many people as possible joining in and giving SwimBritain a go.”

Swimfit at Energise costs £3.85 for adults with a York Card and £4.80 without. There is no need to book in advance.

Registrations are now open. For further information on venues, how to sign up your team and get training plans and tips, visit swimbritain.co.uk/challenge

 

Alcohol admissions reduce

Funny-Drunk-People-Picture-04

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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Enjoy Farm Visits Safely

City of York Council’s Public Health Team has worked with Public Health England (PHE) to produce a factsheet that is being sent to all schools and Children’s Centres in York offering advice on good hand hygiene when visiting farm attractions.

All of the bacteria that can cause illnesses, including Salmonella and E. coli, live in the gut of the animals so people can get infected within the farm setting mainly in two ways – either by touching animals in the petting and feeding areas or by coming into contact with animal droppings on contaminated surfaces around the farm.

These harmful bacteria can get accidentally passed to your mouth by putting hands on faces or fingers in mouths before washing them thoroughly.

It only takes a small number of the bacteria to cause infection.

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Tomorrow (Wednesday) is stop 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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Be Clear on Cancer — Lung Cancer campaign

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

Eat in? Take away? – preferably both!

 

Green lable

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.

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!

Dial and ride service seeks more passengers in Dringhouses

dial and ride logo

York’s Dial & Ride service has helped thousands of elderly and disabled residents travel from their door to their destination  for over 20-years

Established in the late 1980s, the flexible bus service helps residents who cannot use conventional bus services, or who require extra assistance at either end of their journey, with door-to-door transport to the city centre or major supermarkets.

Dial & Ride is operated by York Wheels, a voluntary sector service.. York Wheels has a team of 32 volunteers who work for the organisation from one to five days a week

Passengers can book in advance by telephoning01904 551441 during office opening times (weekdays from 9am until 12 noon), but a message can be left outside of these times.

To book the Dial & Ride service, residents follow these four simple steps:

 
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“Bed blocking” criticism grows in York

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.