Update from Chichester District Council
This week has marked a really positive step forward in the journey towards the end of lockdown, with schools and colleges opening their doors again.
It has been wonderful to see children on their way to school in the morning, eager to see their friends again and resume face-to-face teaching. On Monday many pupils were greeted with balloons as they walked into their schools, which was a lovely celebratory touch. As a school governor, I know how hard our schools have been working in preparation for this week, from organising Covid testing to getting lesson plans in place and ensuring that the buildings are safe for everyone.
I know that teachers and support staff will be making their pupils feel really welcome and will be working over and above to help them adjust and get back into the swing of school life after such a long time studying online, away from the classroom. I’d also like to pay tribute to all the parents who have had such a difficult task over the past few months, homeschooling their children while often working from home themselves, and to our teachers for running online lessons and also keeping the children of our key workers safe in school.
It’s also especially heartwarming to know that care home residents are now being allowed to see one regular, nominated visitor indoors. This contact is hugely important for both our elderly care home residents and their families and I hope that it will bring much comfort to all those concerned.
As part of the Step 1 easing, we can now leave our homes and meet outside with one friend not from our household. As the days lengthen this is a very welcome boost, but as the Government explained last month, lifting restrictions is going to be a very gradual process. It depends on us all continuing to play our part as the vaccine programme carries on being rolled out, so I urge everyone – including those of you, like me, who have had your vaccine – to follow the current guidance. As the adverts say, every space made, every weekend spent at home, every virtual call and every window that you open, all help to reduce infection rates.
Although the roadmap to the end of lockdown is in progress, the financial effects of the past year will be with us long term. If you are experiencing financial hardship then I appeal to you to contact us for advice. There is a lot of help available, and we want to reach out to people before their situation worsens and before people slide into debt or are faced with potential homelessness.
There are many different circumstances affecting people: for example you may have been furloughed, or made redundant, or your household may have suffered the loss of one or both incomes. This may have caused you to fall behind with your rent or mortgage for the first time. Or, you may be a landlord with a single property which acts as your retirement pension but you are currently not receiving any income and don’t know what to do. Our benefits team can offer advice and guidance about your options and where to go for further support.
If your earnings have changed because of the pandemic then you can check www.entitledto.co.uk which is a quick and easy benefits calculator which will tell you if you would be eligible to receive any benefits.
If you need help with your mortgage then we can advise you of the different government help available and options around payment holidays which are offered by mortgage and loan providers.
And if you are struggling with the cost of your council tax I encourage you to get in touch with us to discuss your account so that we can try and work out how we can help you.
We know that there are people in our district who may be struggling with the stress of changes to their financial situation, but help is there and I really urge you to contact us before things get more serious, so that we can provide help and advice. You can find out more information at www.chichester.gov.uk/helpwithfinances
As ever thank you for the part you are playing in the fight against Covid-19, each action we take will make a huge difference.
Best wishes,
Councillor Eileen Lintill
Leader, Chichester District Council
Update from West Sussex County Council
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NHS Vaccination Programme update
NHS Vaccination Programme update
As you are aware, we are having regular meetings with our NHS colleagues on the progress of the vaccination programme in the Chichester District. Please find the key points that were covered in this week’s meeting below.
Vaccinations for the over 80s
As of Friday 29 January 2021:
- 90.4% of the over 80s in the North of the district had received their first dose of the vaccine – which amounts to over 7,500 vaccinations.
- 75% of the over 80s in the South of the district had received the first dose of the vaccine – which amounts to over 6,600 vaccinations. Excellent progress has been made considering the GP-led centres in the South of the district have only been running for two weeks.
Our NHS colleagues are currently on course to meet the targets set by Government. By the end of the weekend, these figures will have increased significantly because of the appointments that are due to take place over the next few days.
If you are over 80 and have yet to be contacted, do not worry, you will be contacted by your local GP-led vaccination service.
Vaccination deliveries
These occur twice a week at each GP-led vaccination site. This is co-ordinated nationally by NHS England. The sites then determine their opening hours and days. In some cases, although it may appear that a site is only open on certain days further vaccinations may also be taking place in additional clinics. This all depends on the delivery that is sent through.
The good news is that the vast majority of people are turning up for their vaccinations and all sites are also referring to their reserve lists when this doesn’t happen.
Some people have asked why some large sites seem to have unlimited supplies, while others receive smaller amounts. Although it may appear this way, the volume sent to each site is based on their capacity and needs. We have been assured that there are no issues on supplies for the district.
Vaccination sites
Conversations are ongoing about introducing a high volume site in the centre of Chichester. Our NHS colleagues are exploring a number of sites, and the final decision will be agreed with NHS England. They believe that they are very close to resolving this and are hopeful that a decision will be made on this over the next week. If given the go-ahead, they believe that a central site can be opened rapidly.
The NHS has to ensure there are the staff requirements for the site and this is one of most important elements being agreed.
When identifying suitable sites, the NHS has to meet certain criteria. This includes: digital access, flooring, floor space, the potential flow of people in and out of the site, availability of parking, location in terms of traffic building up and space for staff. They also need to consider the volume of vaccinations that can take place at a centre.
National booking system
If you are aged over 70, you may receive a letter from the national booking system inviting you to attend one of the large vaccination sites within 60 miles of your home, or one of the approved pharmacies (in our case, this is in Midhurst).
It’s really important to note that you do not have to accept this invitation, and you can wait for your GP-led vaccination centre to contact you.
This is an extra opportunity to access the vaccine, providing you with the option of accessing your vaccination quicker if you want to. If you decide to ignore the letter, there is no need to worry as you will still be contacted by your local GP-led vaccination centre.
Sheltered housing
Our NHS colleagues have been contacting residents in sheltered accommodation to see if they can travel to one of the GP-led vaccination centres for their vaccination. However, if they can’t manage to get to one of the centres, then one of the NHS roving teams will come out to them directly.
Sussex NHS Commissioners: Covid-19 Vaccination Programme
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Can you help with local Vaccination plans?
The Midhurst Angels are now pulling together a plan that will see a small army of volunteers taking part in the Vaccination programme, providing assistance to people arriving at the centre and making sure everything runs as smoothly as possible.
Once up and running this could be a 7 day a week operation so we need a lot of pairs of hands. If you think you can help or have any questions regarding what would be expected, please get in touch by emailing midhurstangels@outlook.com
You can also find them on Facebook and for latest news visit www.midhurstangels.co.uk
Covid-19 Response
Chichester update
January 2021
COVID-19 vaccination programme in Chichester District
The vaccination programme for the Chichester District has started and we want to provide you with an update on where we are up to and what is likely to happen over the coming weeks.
We also have frequently asked questions available on the Sussex Health and Care Partnership website https://www.sussexhealthandcare.uk/keepsussexsafe/sussex-covid-19-vaccination-programme/faqs-about-the-covid-19-vaccine/
How is the vaccination programme being delivered?
There are a number of ways in which the vaccination is being rolled out to our communities:
A GP-led vaccination service is where most people living in the district will currently receive their vaccination. At the moment, each area has been allocated one site, but in the case of the district, there are four sites – which is great news for residents and means that the vaccination can be given to as many people as possible as quickly as possible.
Hospital hubs – local hospitals across the country have begun giving the vaccine to people over 80 who are attending for a planned appointment and frontline health and care staff. St Richard’s Hospital began providing the vaccination in this way this week.
Roving service – the vaccine will be taken into care homes and into people’s own homes if they cannot attend a vaccination site. This is being stepped up over the coming weeks as more supplies of the vaccines become available.
Large vaccination centres – each county will have one large vaccination centre which will be able to give the vaccine to large numbers of people. The large vaccination centres that will service Sussex are currently being finalised.
What has been achieved so far?
St Richard’s Hospital hub has started vaccinating health and social care workers, along with patients attending their appointments.
A GP-led vaccination service in Pulborough has started to deliver the vaccine for patients in the North of the District.
What is the next stage?
From next week, the COVID-19 vaccination programme will be further expanded across the district. This means that everyone over the age of 80 living in the area will receive a vaccination in a phased way.
Two GP-led vaccination services based in Selsey Centre and Tangmere Village Centre. They will start to provide vaccinations for people over the age of 80 who are registered with GP practices in the south of the district, including those who live in the city. These sites are currently undergoing their final checks and have been given delivery dates for the end of the week. Both sites will start vaccinating as soon as they have their deliveries including over the weekend.
In addition, a GP-led vaccination service at Riverbank Medical Surgery in Midhurst will be launched for residents in the North of the district in the coming weeks.
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What is a GP led vaccination service?
GP-led vaccination services are run by groups of local GP practices working together to provide the vaccination to patients across their area.
The way in which GP vaccination services are delivered has been agreed at a national level and as mentioned above, each area is typically allocated one GP-led vaccination site. The Chichester District will have four GP-led vaccination sites, two that are in the north and two that are in the south. This is to ensure that the vaccination can be given to as many people as quickly as possible.
What about those who may find it difficult to get to a vaccination site?
We recognise that some people will have to travel further than others to get their vaccination, depending on where they live. We understand this will pose a challenge for some people, particularly those who are vulnerable, and we are looking at how they can be supported to get their vaccination in the safest possible way.
It is important to highlight that attending a vaccine appointment is an acceptable reason to leave the house during lockdown, including accepting a lift or accessing community transport. We are working with the GP practices to make community transport details available for those who need it.
Will the roll out affect how quickly I access the vaccine?
No.The timing of when you receive your vaccine is largely based on the availability of the vaccine and the priority group that you are in.The national Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) decides the priority groups and have advised that the vaccine should be first given to people over 80, people who work in care homes and health workers.
Would city centre locations be more suitable vaccination sites and why aren’t other locations being considered?
As soon as we started to make plans for the COVID-19 vaccination programme we began exploring where we could offer the COVID-19 vaccine to our patients in Chichester District.
The sites need to be able to accommodate large numbers of people on a daily basis (at least 300 a day.) We also need space for people to wait for their appointment and be monitored for a short while after their vaccination.
The site also needs to have internet access, IT and facilities to be able to carry out the vaccination safely and in line with government guidance.
In the early stages of our planning, the Chichester GP practices agreed that their own surgeries would not be appropriate. This is because they could not provide the vaccination programme on behalf of all GP practices from one site, alongside their individual day to day support for patients.
We have received incredible support from our communities and our partners with helpful suggestions of locations. However, the tight criteria meant that other sites, some of which were more centrally located, were not suitable.
It was also important that we had long term access to the site, as the vaccination programme is likely to continue for months over the course of this year.
When will I be contacted about the vaccination?
We are asking all patients not to contact their GP practices, as they will not be able to book appointments. People will be contacted by the NHS when it is their turn to receive the vaccine. Initially this is being done by phone, but alternative arrangements will be made for anyone who is not able to speak on the telephone.
Initially, those identified as being in Priority 2, will be invited to a GP-led vaccination site. Please note that separate arrangements are being made for those in Priority 1.
The eligible cohorts are:
Priority 1: Residents in a care home for older adults and staff working in care homes for older adults.
Priority 2: All those 80 years of age and over, frontline health and social care workers.
Priority 3: All those 75 years of age and over.
Priority 4: All those 70 years of age and over, those clinical extremely vulnerable individuals over 16 years old.
Priority 5: All those 65 years of age and over.
Priority 6: Adults aged 16 to 65 years in an at risk group.
Priority 7: All those 60 years of age and over.
Priority 8: All those 55 years of age and over.
Priority 9: All those 50 years of age and over.
Where are the locations of the GP-led vaccination sites and which patients will go where?
There will be four GP-led vaccination services covering the populations living across the Chichester District:
Selsey Centre
Tangmere Village Centre
Pulborough Medical Group
Riverbank Medical Surgery
These will be offering appointments over the coming weeks to patients who are registered at the following GP surgeries:
Selsey Centre and Tangmere Village Centre will offer the vaccine for patients registered at:
Cathedral Medical Group
Langley House Surgery
Lavant Road Surgery
Parklands Surgery
Selsey Medical Practice
Southbourne Surgery
Tangmere Medical Centre
Witterings Medical Centre
Pulborough Medical Group is offering vaccinations for patients registered at:
Pulborough Medical Group
Loxwood Surgery
Riverbank Medical Surgery will be offering vaccinations for patients registered at:
Riverbank Medical Centre
The Petworth Surgery
This is a rapidly changing situation and more sites are likely to be added across Sussex over the coming weeks.
Where can I find out more information?
Please visit our Sussex Health and Care Partnership website https://www.sussexhealthandcare.uk/keepsussexsafe/sussex-covid-19-vaccination-programme/faqs-about-the-covid-19-vaccine/
Brief
Our aim is to communicate with all residents within Easebourne parish and to be as transparent as possible. Our primary communication method is still our public Parish Council meetings held every other month and our Annual Parish meeting.
Given the significant number of changes taking place within the Parish we rely heavily on this website to assist in providing you with updates from our meetings and projects. News stories and updates will also be shared through our Facebook page. Please do follow us on Facebook and share updates with your friends and family to help keep Easebourne Parish updated.
We will continue to utilise our notice boards around Easebourne and Henley village for significant updates, updates in the United parish magazine, along with door drops when necessary to reach out to everyone in the Parish.
If you would like to ask your Parish Council anything please feel free to attend one of our meetings, or contact the Parish Clerk via email, post or phone. Details can be found on our Contact Us page. Please bear in mind that our Clerk works 13 hours a week and so there maybe a delay in receiving a reply.
Members
Carol Cantlon (Head)
Ian Milne
Mike Noble
David Pack
Kay Graetz (Co-opted)
Emma Chapman