LGA
Responding to a Care England report findings
RESPONDING to a Care
England report on provider funding, Cllr Ian Hudspeth, Chairman
of the Local Government Association's Community Wellbeing Board,
said:- "Social care is now the frontline in the fight
against Coronavirus and making sure older and disabled people
are safe and continue to receive essential care and support is
Councils' top priority, as is the safety of those who work with
them. As the focus shifts from Hospitals to Social Care we need
to do all we can to shield people in care homes and those
receiving care in their own homes. We recognise the challenges
and additional costs that social care providers face in
delivering services at this difficult time. Councils are already
taking action to support providers in meeting the additional
costs that they face locally and in managing cash flow
challenges. Councils are also pressing Government to try and
secure much needed PPE for care providers and to ensure easy
access to testing for residents of care homes, those supported
in their own homes and care workers. Nobody can say for certain
how this situation will develop and what further resources may
be needed. The LGA / ADASS statement published earlier this month
suggests that Councils and providers will need to continue to
work closely together to ensure that resources are available, to
allow services to continue in this challenging environment. The
₤3.2 billion funding that Government has made available to
Councils to help with additional costs arising as a result of
COVID-19 is much needed. However, there are many and growing
calls on this funding across the full range of Council services
and additional resources will be needed to allow Councils to
continue to support social care and other services."
City marks
International Workers' Memorial Day
FLAGS will be lowered
to ½ mast on Liverpool's Civic
Buildings, on Tuesday, 28 April 2020, to mark International
Workers' Memorial Day. The annual day is an opportunity for the
city to remember people who have been killed or seriously
injured whilst at work and is backed by the TUC and its
affiliated trade unions. This year, workers who have been taken
by Covid-19 will also be remembered.
Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson said:- "International
Workers' Memorial Day is always a poignant day, not just in
Liverpool, but all across the world as we take a moment to
remember people whose lives have been profoundly affected or
taken from them whilst at work. This year we find ourselves in
extraordinary circumstances. IWMD will also be a chance for us
to take a moment to thank all the workers who for the last few
weeks have been battling to keep the country running, keep us
safe, and keep our loved ones alive. The pandemic will have an
effect on many, many workers in our City and I would urge
everyone to take a minute, at 11am, to reflect on their sacrifices
and be thankful for their passion and skills."
Flags will be lowered to ½ mast on
Liverpool Town Hall, St George's Hall and on the Cunard
Building, at 11am and a minute's silence will also be held along
with the Cities Bells ringing out 11 times.
Staff at Liverpool City Council are being encouraged to mark the
minute's silence to remember their colleague Carol Challoner, of
the leaving care team, who passed away last week, from Covid-19.
Colleagues in partner organisations including the NHS and
emergency services who have lost their lives in the pandemic,
will also be remembered..
Digital
solution to support youngsters in care during Covid-19
A Liverpool firm has
secured funding to develop a digital solution to support young
people's mental health during the Covid-19 crisis. Chanua Ltd
was 1 of 18 selected from more than 1,600 businesses throughout
the UK which applied to receive funding from the NHSX
TechForce19 Challenge. NHSX challenged businesses to develop
digital innovations to help vulnerable and isolated people at
home during the Coronavirus outbreak. Chanua is based at
Liverpool Science Park and provides programmes to help young
people, including:- Neuro Champions, which uses games and
technology to teach young people about how their brains work.
Their latest innovation is Neuro Love, an online platform to
help young people in care to manage anxiety and low mood while
staying connected socially. The
NeuroLove.Org website enables young people to
book 1 to 1 sessions to chat directly with mentors and
therapists and reduce feelings of loneliness. It also features
resources and tips to help youngsters manage their emotional and
mental health, from group therapy and creative classes to
fitness and relaxation exercises. The company has been supported
by the Innovation Agency, the Academic Health Science Network,
for the North West Coast, which helps businesses with products
which improve healthcare. Chanua has been working with:-
'Liverpool City Council Virtual Schools Head' and 'Targeted
Services for Young People Team' on a solution for
supporting isolated young people who are living in care or being
supported by a child protection plan; and the funding from
Techforce19 will accelerate its development.
Chanua Chief Executive Naomi
Mwasambili said:- "Young people in care are often not
provided the support and love they need and deserve. Some staff
work tirelessly to provide them with the nurturing they deserve
but often this can fall short. Pre-lockdown, we approached our
collaborators as we felt that there was an imminent situation
that needed a solution. The TechForce19 fund allows us to
develop this further and evaluate it more robustly. We are
really happy, we have been working in this area for years and we
are used to rapid turnaround and agile working, so the
opportunity to create something that can have a positive impact
on young people and be part of a rapid innovation process is
fantastic."
Chanua will receive ₤25,000
plus support from the Innovation Agency to launch the new
website.
Naomi added:- "This will
allow us to deploy across the Liverpool City Region and beyond
and monitor how it is being used. We hope that this will allow
us to support more people to improve their mental and physical
wellbeing. We aim to be part of a world that uses technology to
facilitate human connections and learning, not replaces it."
Lorna Green, Director of
Enterprise and Growth at the Innovation Agency, said:-
"The TechForce19 challenge has harnessed some of the incredible
talent we have in our tech sector to help the most vulnerable
during these difficult times. Neuro Love is a brilliant platform
which gives young people the tools they need to look after their
mental health and stay connected during isolation. Our
Commercial Team is delighted to support Chanua Ltd to pilot and
deploy this digital solution to the youngsters who need it most
in Merseyside."
Read the full list of funded
innovations
here.
MFRS warns
of the dangers of smoking following fatal fire in Southport
MERSEYSIDE Fire and
Rescue Service (MFRS) is warning of the dangers of smoking in
the home following the tragic death of a woman in a fire in
Southport, at the weekend. The fire occurred at a flat on the
Promenade, on the morning of Sunday, 26 April 2020. Crews were
alerted at 5.10am and on scene at 5.14am, arriving within 4
minutes. Sadly, firefighters found the body of a 62 year old
woman, in a flat, on the ground floor. A joint investigation
between MFRS and Merseyside Police has been carried out and
determined the fire started in the living room of the flat.
Initial investigations indicate the fire was accidental and
caused by a cigarette. No one else was injured in the incident.
Firefighters and prevention staff from MFRS will now go out into
the community around the Promenade to reassure residents,
leafleting properties and offering vital fire safety advice on
the doorstep.
Mark Thomas, Group Manager for Prevention at MFRS, said:-
"This was a tragic incident and, as with every
house fire, one which could have been avoided. Our thoughts are
with the family and friends of the lady at this time. We would
urge residents across Merseyside to ensure that they have smoke
alarms installed in their homes; at least 1 on every level; and
that they are tested regularly. We would also like to make a
plea to smokers to make sure they are aware of the dangers that
smoking in the home can cause. Initially, it appears that the
incident was as a result of a cigarette. In 2019, 10.5% of all
accidental house fires in Merseyside were smoking related and in
fact, smoking remains the biggest killer in accidental home
fires nationally. We understand that times are difficult and
members of our community are spending much more time in the home
now as a result of the ongoing Covid-19 measures. Now, more than
ever, we all need to work together to keep each other safe and
this includes practicing fire safety in the home. If you do
smoke, please make sure you do so safely. Never smoke in bed and
take extra care when you're tired; it's very easy to fall asleep
while your cigarette is still burning and it could easily set
furniture alight, and please do not smoke when under the
influence of drugs or alcohol. And remember, make sure your
cigarette is fully extinguished; put it out, right out."
These simple
steps can help prevent cigarette and e-cigarette fires in the
home:-
► Never smoke in bed. Take care when you're tired; it's
very easy to fall asleep while your cigarette is still burning
and it could easily set furniture alight.
► Never smoke when under the influence of drugs or
alcohol. If your lit cigarette starts a fire you could be less
able to escape.
► Put it Out, Right Out! Make sure your cigarette is fully
extinguished.
► Never leave lit cigarettes, cigars or pipes unattended;
they can easily overbalance as they burn down.
► Use a proper, heavy ashtray that can't tip over easily
and is made of a material that won't burn. Never use a
wastepaper basket to dispose of a cigarette butt.
► Keep matches out of children's
reach.
► Never leave e-cigarettes on charge unattended for long
periods of time.
► Do not mix components of different e-cigarettes.
► Only use the charger supplied with your device.
► Ensure you purchase your e-cigarette and charger from a
reputable source and check the e-cigarette carries CE
certification.
► Fit a smoke alarm on every level of your home and test
it weekly. Working smoke alarms can buy you valuable time to get
out, stay out and call:- 999.
► Consider installing additional smoke alarms in rooms
with electrical appliances or sleeping areas.
Total UK cases
COVID-19 cases - update for Liverpool City Region and
surroundings
AS the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson,
returned to work we heard that of those hospitalised within the
UK, who had confirmed positive COVID-19 infections, we have seen the number of
fatalities clime by 360 bringing the overall total to 21,09
according to the the Department of Health. Overall, within the UK we are now seeing the trend
of those being reported to have contracted the virus flattening or
slightly down in terms of Hospital laboratory confirmed cases.
Total number of lab-confirmed UK cases stands at:- 157,149. This
number now includes tests carried out by commercial partners
which are not included in the 4 National totals, with 4,310 new
lab-confirmed UK cases being reported today. Overall the numbers might look better, but we are
not out of the woods yet, so as a nation we must continue with
social distancing measures, in order to continue to reduce the
transmission of COVID-19, or risk a second wave.
Sadly, 82 NHS staff have been reported to have died from
COVID-19 infections. Within England we now have a total of:-
112,467 cases and 18,748 deaths. Scotland has 10,521 cases and
1,249 COVID-19 deaths. Wales, 9,280 cases and 796 deaths.
Northern Ireland has had 3,374 cases to date, with 299 deaths. Current confirmed cases within
the following Local Authorities, in and round the Liverpool
City Region are as follows:-
► Liverpool, 1,333 confirmed cases.
► Sefton, 746 confirmed cases.
► Wirral, 944 confirmed cases.
► St. Helens, 596 confirmed cases.
► Halton, 301 confirmed cases.
► Lancashire, 2,585 confirmed cases.
► Cheshire West and Chester, 725 confirmed cases.
► Cheshire East, 782 confirmed cases.
► Manchester, 1,011 confirmed cases.
► Stockport, 765 confirmed cases.
► Trafford, 553 confirmed cases.
► Wigan, 580 confirmed cases.
► Warrington, 558 confirmed cases.
► Bolton, 711 confirmed cases.
► Rochdale, 3 confirmed cases.
► Bury, 425 confirmed cases.
► Tameside, 430 confirmed cases.
► Oldham, 570 confirmed cases.
► Blackburn with Darwen, 289 confirmed cases.
These stats are according to Public Health England as of
27/04/2020. UK total includes
cases detected through:-
"Pillar 2" testing (tests carried out by
commercial partners) and therefore does not equate to the
sum of the 4 countries' counts, which only include:-
"Pillar 1" (tests carried out by NHS / PHE /
Devolved Administration Labs).
UK Government Coronavirus Press
Conference on 27 April 2020