Archive for month: March, 2021

Dear all,

Please find the latest information bulletin below.  (Please note: These bulletins are designed to replace our monthly e-newsletter for the time being.)

COVID Vaccinations – Book NOW if eligible

You do not need to wait to be contacted if any of the following apply:

• you are aged 55 or over
• you are at high risk from coronavirus (clinically extremely vulnerable)
• you are an eligible frontline health or social care worker
• you have a condition that puts you at higher risk (clinically vulnerable)
• you have a learning disability
• you are a main carer for someone at high risk from coronavirus

You can book appointments at a larger vaccination centre or a pharmacy that provides COVID-19 vaccinations.

Book your coronavirus vaccination appointments online or by telephoning 119.

Can’t find your NHS number to book an appointment?  Then use this link:  www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/online-services/find-nhs-number/

If you are NOT eligible, please wait to be contacted.  Further information can be found at: www.nhs.uk/covid-vaccination

COVID Testing – Rapid Lateral Flow Tests – Help break the chains of transmission and book a Rapid Test if you DO NOT have any symptoms

Anyone who needs to leave their home for any reason (such as work, caring responsibilities, shopping etc) is being encouraged to get regular rapid symptom free Covid-19 tests.

Regular, twice weekly rapid testing for people without symptoms is a vital part of the fight against Covid-19. 1 in 3 people do not have any symptoms, so don’t know they have the virus. Rapid symptom free testing finds hidden cases, ensuring you don’t pass it onto family members, friends or workmates, stopping the spread of the virus.

There are now more places to get a free rapid asymptomatic Covid-19 test across the County for any residents who live or work in Worcestershire.  These rapid (lateral flow) tests, which provide results within the hour, will help break the chains of transmission.  Further information can be found here, including local participating pharmacies offering this test and mass testing sites including Redditch Town Hall and the Ryland Centre in Bromsgrove.  Please remember that these tests are only available for people who are completely symptom free.

*COVID tests for workplaces also available!*  Workplaces can order FREE lateral flow tests to help with testing staff for COVID-19 but they must register on or before 31 March 2021. Find out more on the Government website here.

Information on different tests available, including how to book a test if you DO have symptoms, can be found here.

REMINDER – Public Health Worcestershire – latest COVID data and messages

• COVID-19 Self Isolation – *New guides available* – please follow this link to download the Covid-19 Self Isolation guide produced by Public Health Worcestershire to help anyone who needs to self-isolate.  There is a general guide and a family version of the guide.  They explain why it’s important to self-isolate when required, highlights help available (including financial support), provides advice and tips, and answers frequently asked questions.  Please help promote.  The family version of the guide will be available online shortly but both are attached for your convenience.

• Worcestershire COVID-19 Vaccinations Dashboard – The latest Worcestershire vaccination data is publicly available online and includes a District and MSOA (middle-layer super output area) breakdown by age group.

• Real Time Worcestershire Coronavirus Data – is publicly available.  The live dashboard shows the numbers of new cases Worcestershire wide and also by District.  Further information about COVID-19 cases in Worcestershire can be found through the LG inform data website.  There are also interactive maps covering all of the UK can be found on the gov.uk website.

• Please see the Worcestershire Public Health pages – for any local messages in relation to the lockdown, including further advice.  Those pages can be accessed here – www.worcestershire.gov.uk/coronavirus.  Information can also be accessed at www.bromsgrove.gov.uk/coronavirus and www.redditchbc.gov.uk/coronavirus.

• JSNA Annual Summary 2020, COVID-19 Health Impact Assessment and Executive Summary – The aim of the report is to highlight the wide-ranging impact of COVID-19 on people’s health and well-being and to begin to identify actions to mitigate negative impacts and build upon positive impacts. The full report and an executive summary can be accessed from the following link: https://www.worcestershire.gov.uk/info/20122/joint_strategic_needs_assessment/1500/jsna_summaries

• Office for National Statistics (ONS) – View Coronavirus and the social impacts on Great Britain: 12 March 2021 which provides indicators from the Opinions and Lifestyle Survey to understand the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on people, households and communities in Great Britain. 

REMINDER – The Local Community Responses aimed at supporting residents through the Covid-19 pandemic

Further details on the local community responses aimed at supporting residents through the Covid-19 pandemic is attached but basic contact details are listed below.  Please help ensure all local residents are aware so everyone is directed to and receives the support they need during this time:

• Support Bromsgrove – www.supportbromsgrove.com – Tel: (24 hr answerphone) 01527 306490 or Email: 
• Redditch East Stronger Together (REST) – Tel: 01527 919869
• Support Redditch Emergency Network (SREN) – Tel: 01527 359008 or Email: 
• Here2Help Worcestershire – www.worcestershire.gov.uk/here2help – Tel: 01905 768053

Service / Support – Information Updates

• Change to Social Care & Early Help Requests from 15 March 2021 – further details regarding the changes are attached.

• Free Devices for Adults with Learning Difficulties – deadline 22 March 2021 – Details are attached and if you know of anyone who is eligible (18 or over, has a learning disability and digitally excluded – full eligibility details attached) then please ensure they don’t miss out as there is a deadline for eligibility forms to be completed by referral agencies such as the library by Midnight on 22 March.  If you have any questions, you can contact Janine Downes  or Caroline Hill .

• National Child Exploitation Awareness Day – 18 March 2021 – Attached is a poster which you can share and display to help raise awareness and stop the exploitation of children.  Only by working together can we prevent child abuse so please help raise awareness.  In addition to the attached poster, you can find other resources using this link.

• Age UK Bromsgrove Redditch and Wyre Forest (BRWF) – Support and Services Summary Guide is attached or you can access it via their partner portal section online at: www.ageuk.org.uk/brwf/our-services/age-uk-brwf-partner-portal/

• Severn Trent “The Big Difference Scheme” – Severn Trent launched a scheme to help residents on low incomes to pay for their water charges.  Please see the attached documents for more information or go to:  www.bigdiff.co.uk

• Act on Energy – Warmer Worcestershire – If you know of anyone struggling to afford to keep warm at home or if they don’t have a working heating system and are suffering with their health, please refer to Act on Energy by emailing .  Posters are attached to help promote.  Act on Energy are still administering the Worcestershire Warmer Winter Fuel Support Scheme which includes fuel vouchers but this will be ending soon – flyer attached.  Please help ensure as many local residents benefit from this scheme and other help available by helping to promote.  Hard copies of the posters are also available on request, simply contact Amanda Munroe at .  Don’t forget, local residents can also self refer to Act on Energy via email or by phoning the helpline 0800 988 2881.

• Ready Steady Worcestershire – Have you updated the map showing activities for the Easter Holidays? – Help for families in the school holidays is available via a range of providers.  This includes help getting food, simple recipes and school holiday activity ideas.  An online map of services can be found at www.worcestershire.gov.uk/rsw which is updated before each school holiday and it’s time to update!  Please make sure that you submit details of your Easter holiday food and activity to appear on the map of provision.  The purpose of the map is (1) a tool for families to enable them to find support in their local area; and (2) to help understand the spread of provision and identify any gaps in support.  Please provide your update for Easter by 5pm on 24 March using this link: Ready, Steady, Worcestershire Easter Holiday 2021 map update.  (Please note: Teams within the Bromsgrove and Redditch Councils were recently successful with their bid for funding via Ready Steady Worcestershire for both Districts and are busy working in partnership with other agencies, including local schools, to arrange activities for children and young people, including helping out the Easter Bunny!)

• BIPC Reset. Restart webinar programme – This is aimed at supporting companies refocus their business plans in response to the challenges of Covid and further details are attached.

• DWP Kickstart Scheme – help make sure our young people take advantage of this! – Please see attached and promote the weekly ‘Kickstart Twitter Hour’ on Thursdays 2-3pm to encourage young people aged 16-24 years to talk to their work coach if they are claiming Universal Credit.  Each week a variety of different roles will be shared and young people just need to speak to their work coach to apply!

Focus Groups, Surveys & Consultations

• Resident Focus Group – Here2Help Health and Wellbeing Hub – Worcestershire County Council are looking to use Here2Help as a dedicated Health and Wellbeing Hub and are looking for residents who are interested in being part of a focus group to help shape health and wellbeing services provided.  Let’s make sure that Bromsgrove and Redditch are represented!  Anyone wishing to register and interest in being part of the resident focus group can use this link:  Here2Help Health and Wellbeing Hub – Resident Focus Group | Worcestershire County Council

• Pre and Postnatal Exercises Sessions – Consultation – Hayley Gwilliam from the Sports Development Team at Bromsgrove District and Redditch Borough Councils has put together a Pre and Postnatal Consultation aimed at anyone planning a pregnancy, already pregnant or has a baby under 1 year old.  Our community instructors have undertaken pregnancy specific training during lockdown and Hayley and the team are hoping to get views of women across Bromsgrove and Redditch to get a better understanding of what sort of exercise options you’d like to see locally available this year. They can complete the survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/M3CJKB3 or feedback to Hayley Gwilliam via 

• Victim Support BAME Community Survey – Victim Support is an independent charity dedicated to providing inclusive support to all victims of crime. In order to do this, they are keen to gain a greater understanding of Victim Support’s visibility in the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities we support. Therefore, they are asking if people from BAME communities would be willing to complete a brief survey as they would like to co-design our victim support services for the future.  Further details are attached and the survey link is here: Victim Support BAME Community Survey (Community) (surveymonkey.co.uk)

• Consultation Opportunity – Impact of COVID on young people with SEND – The National Children’s Bureau is undertaking a national consultation to hear from children and young people with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND), aged between 5-25, about how the pandemic has impacted their social and emotional wellbeing and what can be learned from this to shape the national pandemic recovery.  Each child and young person taking part will receive a £15 thank you voucher and certificate for taking part, and the consultation will take place between February-March.  More information about the consultation is available on the National Children’s Bureau website.

• *REMINDER* VCS Engagement in the new Worcestershire Health and Wellbeing Strategy – last 2 dates this week! – Jonathan Sutton, the VCS Member of the Worcestershire Health and Well Being Board, is hosting events to engage a broad range (big or small) of VCS organisations to understand how the strategy will be developed and understand the opportunities to influence the content.  Each event will last 90 minutes and will take place on Zoom.  The last 2 sessions are on 16 March 4-5.30pm and 17 March 7‑8.30pm so you need to be quick!  To book your place go to click here to go to Eventbrite

Training and Courses

• Reconnecting to the Workplace – managing anxiety course – Relate Worcestershire are running this 4 hour FREE course on Friday 26 March.  Further details are attached including how to book which will be on a first come, first served basis.

• *New Dates* Domestic Abuse Training – Further details including new dates between April and June 2021 for the domestic abuse training in Worcestershire is attached.  This FREE training has been commissioned by Worcestershire County Council (Public Health) and the provider is Sarah Wigley Associates.  To book place or to find out more email 

• *REMINDER* Public Health England launches new Psychological First Aid training for those supporting children and young people affected by COVID-19 – The online course offers training for staff and volunteers on how to provide practical and emotional support to children and young people affected by emergencies or crisis situations. The course is available for all frontline workers such as teachers, health and social care workers, charity and community volunteers and anyone who cares for or is regularly in contact with children and young people aged up to 25, including parents and caregivers. It is free, takes about three hours to complete (split into three sessions that the learner can complete at their own pace) and no previous qualifications are required.  On completion, participants will have an understanding of what Psychological First Aid is, be able to identify who would benefit from support and how best to give help across the different age groups and also for those who might need extra support because of different needs.  The attached document gives more detail.

• *REMINDER* Training dates are available throughout 2021 for Raising Awareness of Child Exploitation Training  – Worcestershire Children’s First is now offering new dates for their Raising Awareness of Child Exploitation training which is an online course.  Dates and booking information are contained within the attachment attached to this email.

• Free Levels of Need Training – The June Date is already full but there are places still available in September or December for this multi-agency levels of need and threshold guidance 2 hour workshop.  See attached for further details.

Other Newsletters a

• Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) – latest Touchbase and the last two weekly update from our local DWP Partnership Manager are all attached, which includes a new Access to Work partner communications toolkit.

• Active Bromsgrove and Active Redditch – latest editions ‘March into Spring’ attached which include ‘Active and Creative’ updates, including a Pre and Postnatal Consultation aimed at anyone planning a pregnancy, already pregnant or has a baby under 1 year old.

Finally…

As you will all be aware, Government Guidance, can be found at Gov.uk/coronavirus.  Plus, here is a link to Covid-19 vaccination weekly figures produced by NHS England.  From a Worcestershire perspective, for your information, here is a link to the Worcestershire Coronavirus Outbreak Control Plan.

We hope you find some of the information above helpful.  Please let us know if you would like any information put into these bulletins by emailing us at  .  We are currently sending out bulletins fortnightly.

Best wishes,

Della McCarthy & Helen Broughton

Bromsgrove Partnership / Redditch Partnership

Email: