ONCE again doctors stand accused of not being completely open with their patients.

The collective of GPs that makes up the unattractively titled Hambleton, Richmondshire and Whitby clinical commissioning group, appears determined not to culture a repeat of the animosity stirred with its lengthy battle to downgrade paediatric and maternity services at The Friarage.

The group says it wants to keep residents fully informed about the three options for the future of community hospital services in Hambleton.

That sentiment has been widely welcomed, but has also already drawn scepticism from people who have read its summary explanation of the proposals, saying they were left baffled.

One wordy and jargon-laden sentence reads: "This option would create a robust mechanism for the responsive and person centred delivery of palliative and end of life care, which is tailored to their individual needs and wishes, and the new model will see practitioners and carers working as part of the integrated locality team and linking into specialist palliative care services where required to enable this level of care to be delivered."

A GROWING number of residents across North Yorkshire are raising concerns over an apparent rise racism and bigotry following the EU referendum.

Councillors and church leaders reporting the fears have been quick to point out that they know of no incidents of intolerance in their areas and to suggest actions to make foreign-born residents feel welcome.

However, when one Hambleton resident alerted North Yorkshire Police to swatiska graffiti on a pro-leave sign at the side of a busy road, they were informed police had been aware of it for some time, but had not acted as they did not know whose sign it was.

After the resident replied with some consternation that it did not matter whose sign it was, a patrol was dispatched to remove it.