Liverpool City Region COVID-19 Updates

YOU can get daily major and interesting news updates for the Liverpool City Region on our free email news service, via signing up on:- Formby Reporter. If you have any updates to send in or any views on the posts on here, please email us to:- News24@SouthportReporter.Com.

Metro Mayor responds to reports that Government could introduce further restrictions for the North

RESPONDING to reports that the Government could introduce further restrictions across the North, on Monday, 12 October 2020, Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said:- "It is deeply disappointing to wake up this morning to reports that new Covid19 restrictions affecting millions of people in our City Region, and across the North, could be in place within days, rather than hearing it during a genuine dialogue between Ministers and local leaders. At the moment we have a patchwork of local measures across the country and too much confusion for the public as a result. So, clarity and consistency are certainly needed about what the different levels of restrictions are, when they will be imposed and, crucially, how and when they can be lifted again. Significant restrictions, like those being proposed, must also come with significant financial support for local businesses that will be affected, Local Councils who are leading our public health efforts and for NHS test and trace. When the country locked down in March, the Chancellor's actions showed that such significant measures required financial support on a similar scale. If it was right then, it certainly is now; so we need to be seeing local furlough schemes, business grants and financial support for the self employed and those who cannot work from home. Otherwise the money spent earlier in the year to protect jobs and businesses earlier in the year will have been wasted, because we haven't done similar now. It's clear looking at the data and speaking to public health teams in our city region that the spread of this virus continues to go in the wrong direction. We are seeing infection rates increase significantly, while hospital admissions are already moving towards the levels we saw back in April. Once again, I would urge everyone in the City Region to exercise extreme caution. Please follow the guidance on social distancing, face coverings and washing hands and play your part in keeping all of us as safe as possible."

Right Support, Right Care, Right Culture

CQC have published their revised guidance on how they register and inspect services for autistic people and people with a learning disability entitled:- 'Right Support, Right Care, Right Culture.'

Professor Martin Green OBE, Chief Executive of Care England, says:- "Although we welcome the redrafted guidance, more could be done to demonstrate the importance of evidence in the revised approach. Care providers need to know that decisions made around the regulation of their services are evidence based."

CQC published a revised and retiled draft of the guidance on their participation platform Citizen Lab, on 31 January 2020. This consultation followed a scoping review which took place between March 2019 and August 2019. Registering the Right Support has been re-worked and the name has changed, to:- 'Right Support, Right Care, Right Culture,' however CQC's policy on regulating and checking on providers that support autistic people and people with a learning disability has not changed.

In Care England's consultation response in January, it sought to highlight several key themes which it felt the draft guidance did not adequately address, including:- size of services; commissioning; use of case studies; and how CQC applies the policy. Care England has reiterated these issues through further stakeholder meetings with CQC in advance of the final publication of their revised guidance. We will now need to reflect in detail on the new guidance and consider the impact on how future services are registered and monitored.

Professor Green concluded:- "We implore CQC to adopt a greater degree of transparency with the sector as to their own approach. This will foster a dynamic process whereby providers are fully able to understand the basis upon which decisions regarding services are made."

Constructive Intervention by Sefton Council helps Bootle Business to re-open

SEFTON Council's Environmental Health officers have been working with the owner of a Bootle business, closed for not implementing the required precautions to protect staff and customers against Covid19, to enable it to re-open again safely. The Council has issued a Closure Notice to the owner of Skin Kerr in Bootle after visits to the premises by the Council's Environmental Health team raised concerns that current restrictions and public health guidance were not being adhered to, meaning customers and staff were being put at risk from infection by Covid19. After meetings described as 'productive', Council officers were assured that the owner is willing to comply with the regulations and put the required measures in place. This means that the imminent threat of infection has been removed. Under a new Direction Order, the business can re-open and trade provided the conditions agreed remain in place. Ongoing inspections will be carried out and any breach of the Direction Order's requirements would result in the business being ordered to close again. Cllr Paulette Lappin, Sefton Council's Cabinet Member for Regulatory, Compliance and Corporate Services, said:- "I am pleased that our Environmental Health team has been able to work constructively with the owner of this Bootle business to put the measures in place that enable it to re-open. As we have made clear, Sefton Council will not hesitate to take action against businesses refusing to put in place measures to keep staff and customers safe, but equally we will do all we can to work with them to resolve the issues and enable them start trading again. The vast majority of our local businesses have been doing their utmost to meet their legal duty of ensuring they are COVID Secure and since the start of the pandemic in March we have been providing advice and support. We appreciate the efforts and sacrifices they have made and would encourage them to get in touch if they are struggling to meet the requirements."

RCEM issues urgent warning as Hospitals near capacity

RESPONDING to the publication of performance data for Emergency Departments in England, in September 2020, President of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, Dr Katherine Henderson said:- "We need to be clear about the scale of what we face as we go into winter. If we do not come together and take effective precautions, Covid will continue its explosion across the country; a devastating consequence of which could be the implosion of our NHS this winter. While performance is not near its worst, we are seeing extremely worrying signs as we head into winter. Our Emergency Departments must be safe places for our most vulnerable patients, and we cannot go back to the status quo of crowded departments and long waits. However, the data shows that we are gradually returning to this, which will put lives at risk. In Quarter 1 of 2020/21 there were 118,451 beds in the NHS in England. On 1 October 96% of these beds were occupied."

Data for September 2020 also shows that:-

► Total beds occupied by confirmed Covid-19 patients has quadrupled over past month.

► 5 times as many patients are on ventilators than the previous month.

► 4 hour performance at Emergency Departments is down by 6 percentage points since May 2020.

► 12 hour waits have nearly quadrupled since May 2020.

Dr Katherine Henderson added:- "It is extremely concerning to see Covid continue to spread at an increasing rate throughout the population. This will have serious repercussions for both the NHS and many families. Covid doesn't just effect those who catch it. Its continued existence has very real and tragic outcomes for others. Emergency Departments frequently see patients who should not need to be there but have to because they've had their surgery or treatment postponed and are experiencing complications. While EDs will always be open to those seeking emergency care, if Covid cases continue to rise the NHS may be forced to scale back other routine activity to focus on the fight against it. This may mean that someone you love; your elderly asthmatic grandma, your brother with a heart condition, your 2 year old niece with leukaemia; may not be able to receive the regular treatment they desperately need. To prevent this situation, we need to look to each other, and look after each other, to make sure we all take basic precautions: maintain social distancing, wash your hands regularly, wear a mask. Doing these things could save the life; directly or indirectly; of someone you care about. Life for most of us is hard right now and will continue to be for some time. It is made harder when others seemingly ignore the rules, but the behaviours of others is no excuse not to stick to them. Those rules are intended to save lives and those rules will save lives if we all do our bit. We must look to ourselves to lead. At the start of the pandemic the Government asked us to protect the NHS to save lives. It needs to make this message clear again to the public and set out a comprehensive and consistent strategy for the winter. Without this, we fear our Emergency Departments and the NHS will be overwhelmed."

Good Business Festival highlights power of business to affect change in a post Covid world

MERSEYSIDE'S Police Commissioner has welcomed ₤1m of Government funding to assist the Police during the Covid19 epidemic, but says it is not enough given the costs already incurred by the Force. Costs to Merseyside Police has already reached ₤4.7m over normal running costs for Policing the Coronavirus Pandemic since March 2020 and while it is hoped that the Region's Police Commissioner, Jane Kennedy, will be able to recoup approximately ₤2.5m from Central Government for the purchase of PPE, this still leaves a significant shortfall. The Government's announcement of the extra ₤30m of 'surge' funding for Police forces across England and Wales to assist their enforcement of Coronavirus regulations, with ₤999,776 has now been allocated to Merseyside Police. However, this funding cannot be used to cover the costs already incurred and has been provided to assist Forces going forward. Jane said:- "While this allocation of funds is welcome, it does not cover Merseyside Police's outgoings so far and will, I hope, be followed through by more assistance. In the last 6 months, Merseyside Police has incurred nearly ₤4.7m in extra costs by policing this epidemic. This includes paying for PPE, specialist equipment and new cleaning regimes, and overtime. While I am confident we will get at least ₤2.5m paid back for the PPE that still leaves a significant shortfall. I am continuing to lobby government to fully reimburse us for the full cost of Covid19 to date. As a blue light service of last resort, the public rely upon the Force to continue working, keeping us safe, enforcing the law and engaging with the public regarding the epidemic and the regulations surrounding it. Nearly half a million pounds has already been spent covering overtime costs to increase patrols across Merseyside. I hope and expect that the Government will commit to covering the full costs of policing Covid19 to ensure Police forces around the country and the communities they serve are not left with a substantial shortfall affecting the services that the Police provide."

More major issues for Sefton Businesses applying for EU money via the Business Recovery Grant

WE are getting lots of complaints about the application system on the Business Recovery Grant website. The grant in question is aimed at assisting businesses within Liverpool City Region with Covid19 recovery and not:- 'business as usual,' personal protection equipment (PPE), social distancing or other regulatory activity or for projects that have already been started. The Business Recovery Grant is open to all SMEs based in Halton, Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton, St Helens, and Wirral, who have been trading since before 1 March 2020 and have been impacted by Covid19. Sadly businesses who have been referred to the application process by Invest Sefton, for the Business Recovery Grant, have yet again experienced trouble with the online application process. A statement put out by the Growth Platform after applications closed read:- "Our sincere apologies for the technical issues experienced with the Recovery Grant applications. We have identified 330 completed or part completed applications within our system and are working through these as quickly as possible. However, we regret there may be some delay in you receiving your response. Please bear with us as we endeavour to respond to all enquiries. To allow us to work though these applications we have now closed for further applications. We understand this is an extremely difficult time for businesses and regret any additional frustrations this process may have caused. At Growth Platform we are committed to supporting all businesses within Liverpool City Region and our Local Growth Hub service is here to help your business please contact us to find out what additional support may be available to you." Have you been affected by this issue? Please email us to:- News24@SouthportReporter.Com.

LGA responds to the latest Test and Trace figures

RESPONDING to the publication of the latest NHS Test and Trace and Coronavirus testing figures, Cllr Ian Hudspeth, Chairman of the Local Government Association's Community Wellbeing Board, said:- "Rising Coronavirus cases across the country mean that we all now, more than ever, have a responsibility to get ourselves tested when needed and for sharing our contacts on request. These latest figures prove again that councils' public health teams, with their unique expertise and understanding of their communities, have more success in reaching complex close contacts of positive cases, where NHS Test and Trace has been unable to do so. Many Councils have or will shortly launch their own locally supported contact tracing arrangements. To build upon these local efforts and reduce the spread of infection, councils need clearer, more precise information on who they should be trying to contact as soon as possible. This should include details such as occupation and workplace, working with police and others to share local intelligence, alongside the right resources including funding and recruiting extra personnel to work on the ground and respond quickly to outbreaks."

Total UK cases COVID19 cases in and around Liverpool City Region

THE total number of UK Coronavirus (COVID-19) infections that have been laboratory confirmed, within the UK, has risen by:- 17,540 cases and the total number now stand at:- 561,815, that includes tests carried out by commercial partners which are not included in the 4 National totals.

The total number of COVID-19 associated UK fatalities added to the total, was sadly reported to be:- 77, within 28 days of positive test, according to the Department of Health. The total number of deaths of people who have had a positive test result confirmed by a Public Health or NHS laboratory is:- 42,592, within 28 days of positive test. Deaths with Covid19 on the death certificate:- 57,347.

The number of COVID-19 patients currently in UK Hospitals:- 3,412. The current number of COVID-19 patients currently in mechanical ventilation beds in UK Hospitals:- 442. Daily number of COVID-19 patients admitted to UK Hospitals:- 609.

In England, there are a total of 480,656 confirmed cases. North West - total of 114,175 confirmed cases.

The number of laboratory confirmed cases within the Liverpool City Region are as follows:-

Area and number of confirmed cases:- Risen by:-
ENHANCED RESTRICTIONS ARE NOW IN EFFECT FOR LIVERPOOL CITY REGION

► Liverpool, 10,035 confirmed cases.
579

► Halton, 2,052 confirmed cases.
92

► Knowsley, 3,308 confirmed cases. 197

► Sefton, 4,238 confirmed cases.
228

► St. Helens, 3,075 confirmed cases
142

► Wirral, 4,949 confirmed cases.

165

Colour Key:- 0 1 to 10 11 to 20 21 to 30 31 to 40 41 to 50 51 to100 100 over

The number of laboratory confirmed cases within Local Authorities around the Liverpool City Region are as follows:-

► Blackburn with Darwen, 3,278 confirmed cases.

► Blackpool, 1,735 confirmed cases.

► Bolton, 5,889 confirmed cases.

► Bury, 3,452 confirmed cases.

► Cheshire East, 3,655 confirmed cases.

► Cheshire West and Chester, 3,374 confirmed cases.

► Lancashire, 16,695 confirmed cases.

► Manchester, 11,619 confirmed cases.

► Oldham, 5,241 confirmed cases..

► Preston, 2,896 confirmed cases.

► Rochdale, 4,434 confirmed cases.

► Salford, 4,257 confirmed cases.

► Stockport, 3,683 confirmed cases.

► Tameside, 3,816 confirmed cases.

► Trafford, 3,289 confirmed cases.

► Warrington, 3,215 confirmed cases

► Wigan, 4,733 confirmed cases.

Daily reported Covid19 deaths are now measured across the UK as deaths that occurred within 28 days of the 1st laboratory confirmed positive Covid19 test. Daily and cumulative numbers of COVID19 patients admitted to Hospital. Data are not updated every day by all 4 nations and the figures are not comparable as Wales include suspected COVID19 patients while the other nations include only confirmed cases.

Liverpool City Region COVID19 Updates ... and Important Emergency Notices ...

Total UK cases COVID19 cases in and around Liverpool City Region

Liverpool City Region COVID19 Updates
... and Important Emergency Notices ...