Wellbeing in Partnership – Update 34

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 – please help ensure everyone in the top 4 priority groups in our communities has access to a vaccination and has not been missed

Anyone 70 or over OR anyone who has previously received a letter saying that they are at high risk from coronavirus (clinically extremely vulnerable) who has not yet received a vaccination can now choose to:

1. Book their own vaccination at one of the Vaccination Centres (e.g. Artrix in Bromsgrove or Knights Pharmacy in Redditch) without waiting for an invite letter from the NHS by going online at www.nhs.uk/covid-vaccination or by telephoning 119; OR
2. If they prefer, they can still wait to be contacted by their GP to attend at their local GP led vaccination service.

Please Note:  GPs have asked that we do not encourage the public to ring their GP practice about a vaccination (due to the sheer volume and that this prevents people with other illnesses getting through on the phonelines) and that the messages should predominantly promote the booking system link above and the 119 number.

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

Service / Support – Information Updates

• BOLOH – Barnardo’s FREE COVID-19 Helpline to support Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic children and families – Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic children and families have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19 and are facing significant challenges to their emotional health and wellbeing.  Therefore, a new telephone helpline with a web chat facility is available. The helpline is not just a listening service; it will provide practical and emotional support over the phone/webchat and also refer onward to specialist community support.  Professionals can also use the helpline.  Further information for professionals is attached and details can also be found online at: https://helpline.barnardos.org.uk/

• Worcestershire Libraries still running lots of FREE services during lockdown – Below are the services that our local libraries are continuing to offer during lockdown to support local residents:

• Digital Champions volunteers are providing 1:1 support over the telephone as well as ‘Introduction to Zoom’ sessions.
• Children’s Book Bundle – parents of younger children can request this to help with homeschooling and/or bedtime stories
• Computer Bookings – Access to computers and internet throughout lockdown
• Reserve & Collect – you can still reserve books free online or over the telephone and collect from your local library.
• Ancestry – Free remote access to Ancestry Library Edition available from home until the end of March via the Digital Library.
• eBooks, eAudio & eMagazines – 24/7 Access to your Digital Library.
• Family events on YouTube channel – Activities and events available on demand to help keep little ones entertained.

Information on all the above can be found online at www.worcestershire.gov.uk/libraries or simply call the library service on 01905 822722

• Ready Steady Worcestershire – Support for families during half term – A leaflet is attached from Ready Steady Worcestershire (a Partnership led by Worcestershire Children First) providing information on help getting food, simple recipes and school holiday activity ideas and support.  It includes an online map.

• Family orienteering this half term in Bromsgrove & Redditch – Have some family fun during this February Half Term by completing an Xplorer course, in partnership with British Orienteering, when visiting Sanders Park in Bromsgrove (www.bromsgrove.gov.uk/xplorer) or when visiting Arrow Valley Country Park in Redditch (www.redditchbc.gov.uk/xplorer)

• *Opening Times CHANGED* – Health Visitor Telephone Advice Service – This Telephone Advice Service is open 9am to 3pm (instead of 8am-4pm) Monday to Friday (excluding Bank Holidays) on 0300 123 9551.  The advice line is for parents of children aged 0-5 living in Worcestershire who would like to access non-urgent support with regards to their child’s health. Urgent queries should be directed to clients GP or 111.

• *Reminder* Financial & Debt Help for families – Aimed at families and young people who may be financially struggling this time of year, the Starting Well Partnership has put together a flyer to help promote some of the support available across Bromsgrove and Redditch.  Please find a copy attached.

• Primrose Hospice – Are you aware of the range of services on offer for adults and children? – Primrose offers a range of services including clinics, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, wellbeing sessions, as well as counselling, hypnotherapy, massage and benefits advice.  Some appointments continue to be face-to-face while others have moved online including our virtual hospice with group sessions ranging from social meets and relaxation to falls prevention and tai chi.  To find out more please call 01527 871051 or email  for general questions.  If you or a family member has a life-limiting condition and would like Primrose Hospice’s support, you can self-refer to the Care team by emailing .  Bereavement support is available to anyone registered with a Redditch and Bromsgrove GP who has experienced a bereavement in the last three years or who has previously been supported by Primrose Hospice.   Opening hours are Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm.  Further details can be found online at www.primrosehospice.org and a recent press release is attached for information.

• Chandler Court Bromsgrove – FREE copies of Wellbeing Activity Packs for local residents – If any local agency would like a few copies to give to any older residents in the community who may appreciate a little extra support and mental stimulation during these difficult times, please contact Paul Chambers direct at   or call him on 0776 540 7246.  Please note that Paul is also keen to connect with any local organisation to discuss any partnership opportunities to support our local communities.  Email is attached with further details.

• Mental Health Project – want to be involved?  The Leisure and Cultural Services Team at Bromsgrove District Council and Redditch Borough Council are looking to build a project to help those aged 18-50 years old suffering with low level mental health.  The focus will be on prevention.  It’s very early stages and the team is keen to consult and work with partner agencies.  If you would like to be involved or just want to find out more, please contact Hayley Gwilliam – 

• Have a health condition but want to get active? – The Sports Development Team at Bromsgrove District Council and Redditch Borough Councils have been busy trying to help we all get active and here are just a few programmes which you may not be aware of – some are current and some are coming soon:

• COVID-19 – Breathe Deep – 6 week education and exercise programme to help people understand how to manage and improve their breathing after having Coronavirus
• NHS Better Health Weight Loss – 12 week (1 hour a week) education and exercise programme – coming soon
• Nordic Walking for people with Parkinson’s – working with Parkinson’s UK and local instructors to bring new health sessions in our local parks
• Living with MS?  There are weekly exercise classes for anyone living with MS available for you via Zoom
• Living with COPD?  There are twice weekly exercise classes for anyone living with COPD available for you via Zoom

And don’t forget….

• ESCAPE-pain – 6 week (2 session a week) education and exercise programme for anyone living with osteoarthritis – starting February!!

If you have any questions or you know someone who could benefit, they can contact Hayley Gwilliam direct –  or call 01527 881404

• Age UK Herefordshire and Worcestershire – For your information, please find attached a Menu of Services that is available.

Level 1 Courses for Job Seekers

• HoW College –  ‘Work Ready Skills’  &  ‘Pathway to Care’  – HoW College are delivering 2 different Level 1 courses available to anyone aged 19+ looking for work and claiming a benefit.  Contact is Caitlyn Eley –  or 07816 890053.  Next courses due to start 1 March.  *Please help promote – leaflets attached*.

Funding

• *Reminder* Redditch Borough Council – First round of the VCS Main Grant Pot (including Mental Health grant funding) is now open! – The Main Grant Pot (£40K) is there for Voluntary Community Sector organisations / groups to bid into for funding from £500 up to £7.5K to help with their core costs and salaries or to support them to deliver great community events, projects and activities!   For this year and due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the Council is ringfencing £5k from each round of the Main Grant Pot for VCS groups to bid into for between £500 to £5k to deliver specific projects which support and help improve the lives of those Redditch residents affected by mental health issues or increased mental health issues as a direct result of the Coronavirus pandemic.  There is set criteria in place that anyone wishing to apply must meet. Each proposed project must be something that’s needed in the area, well planned, outcome focussed and aligned to the Council’s Strategic Purposes. For further details about the programme and how to apply, please visit our website www.redditchbc.gov.uk  or by following https://www.redditchbc.gov.uk/business/tax,-funding,-finance/grants-and-funding/voluntary-and-community-sector-funding.aspx Closing date for all applications is 4pm on Friday 26th February

Staff Training

• Supporting Children and Families affected by family-member offending and/or imprisonment – Free time-limited training sessions available from Barnardo’s with first session available on 5 March.  Information is attached.  To express an interest in booking, please contact Sara Rattenbury –  or call 07525 804766

• *Reminder* – Safeguarding training in March and June – Raising Awareness of Child Exploitation Training – Please see email attached from Worcestershire Children First for further information on the new dates during March and June and how to book this important Safeguarding Training.

REMINDER – Public Health Worcestershire – latest COVID data and messages

• Coronavirus Testing – There are now more places to get a free rapid asymptomatic Covid-19 test in Worcestershire for those who DO NOT have any symptoms of Covid-19.  Around one in three who are infected with Covid-19 have no symptoms so could be spreading the disease without knowing it.  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.  The Ryland Centre in Bromsgrove will be another site added shortly.  Information on all testing available, including how to book a test if you DO have symptoms, can be found here.

• 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

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

Surveys & Consultations

• Children and Young People (CYP) Plan Refresh 2021 – Worcestershire is developing a new CYP Plan and Worcestershire Children First want you to get involved and have your say.  Further information is attached and here is the link to the consultation – www.worcestershire.gov.uk/cypphaveyoursay

• Worcestershire Libraries’ Customer Survey is now live! – We’d like to hear what you think about library services (especially new services launched in response to Coronavirus) and how we could improve the services we provide.  It only take 5 minutes to complete the online survey: https://wh1.snapsurveys.com/s.asp?k=161175195015 or you can find the survey by going to: www.worcestershire.gov.uk/libraries

• *Reminder* Hospital Discharge During Covid-19 – Patient and Carer Surveys – Healthwatch Worcestershire is asking patients and their carers about their experiences of being discharged from hospital during the Covid-19 pandemic since March 2020.  There is a Patient Survey and a Carer Survey which take around 10 minutes to complete.  Paper surveys are also available.  Further details are attached.

• *Reminder* Government Consultation relating to Debt – Please follow this link to find out more on the consultation launched by the Government aimed at extending debt solutions and helping vulnerable people:  https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-proposals-to-help-more-people-in-problem-debt

Webinars

• Brum Breathes – Clean Air Zone webinars launched – For anyone in and around the Clean Air Zone coming to Birmingham on 1 June, Birmingham City Council has launched a series of webinars to help residents, city centre workers and businesses prepare.

Other Newsletters a

• Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) – latest Touchbase and latest weekly update from our local DWP Partnership Manager are both attached.

• Carers Careline – latest E-Newsletter attached.

• North Worcestershire Economic Development and Regeneration (NWedR) latest newsletter aimed to local businesses also attached.

Finally…

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

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: