Member Article

Harrogate Neighbours welcomes Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty

As part of a UK tour, Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty visited non-for-profit care provider, Harrogate Neighbours alongside key decision makers for a round table discussion.

The round table event took place at The Cuttings – Harrogate Neighbours’ extra care scheme and was chaired by Councillor Michael Harrison.

Professor Chris Whitty was joined by local organisations from the voluntary sector as well as representatives from North Yorkshire Council, Public Heath, and the local Integrated Care Board (ICB).

The purpose of the visit was to gather data and information for a report from the Government that will be published later this year named ‘Health in an Ageing Society’.

The discussions for the report highlighted areas of concern and the challenges facing the adult care sector, such as technology, digitalisation and the increase in workforce pressures. There was discussions on the importance of community anchors and the need for appropriate housing.

Speaking on behalf of Harrogate Neighbours, CEO, Sue Cawthray said, “Our primary concern is the wellbeing of older people within the community and their housing needs, so we were delighted to be a part of this very insightful and information discussion.

“Findings already suggest that Harrogate will see a bigger growth of older people due to the uniqueness of the town and slower pace of life, so it’s more important than ever to be armed with the skills and support available for our aging community.

“It was an honour to host the round table and to show everyone present the services we provide both at The Cuttings and within the community.”

Louise Wallace, Director of Public Health for North Yorkshire Council added, “Improving our services and understanding the ways in which we adapt to support people now and in the future is of paramount importance to us.

“Being able to assist Professor Chris Whitty and his team of experts was a pleasure and we look forward to reading the report and implementing positive change to future proof the work we all do here in Harrogate to support older adults living in North Yorkshire.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Samara Ullmann .