Changes to the Way GP Practices Operate

Changes in the way GP surgeries are run are now being rolled out across Kent and Medway to ensure the safety of staff and patients during the Covid-19 outbreak.

As many people as possible are being offered video and telephone appointments, to avoid unnecessary risk and travel. All appointments are now made by telephone with no walk-in services.

We know people still need to see a clinician face-to-face for some things. To minimise the risk of spreading the virus between patients GP practices are working together to provide different locations for people with Covid-19 symptoms and those without.

Patients with Covid-19 symptoms, or people living in the same household as someone with symptoms, will be sent to a primary care treatment centre, sometimes being referred to in the media as a 'hot site'. These are not walk-in services and are not offering testing for Covid-19.

Patients will ring their GP practice or NHS 111 and if they need to be seen face to face they‘ll be directed to the relevant place.

Here are 4 things you can do for the NHS to help us, help you:

1 Only order medicines you need for the next month

Don't stockpile. Don't order early. Don't over order. There will be enough medicine for everyone if we follow these rules.

2 Only request home delivery services if you really, really need to

There has been an increase in the demand for home delivery of medicines. We need to make sure that these delivery services are available for people who truly don‘t have any other means of getting their medicine. So, if you have friends, family or neighbours who could collect your medicines please ask them to do so.

3 Don’t ask your GP for items just because you haven’t been able to get them elsewhere

We've seen an increase in people ringing their GP practice to try and get new items on prescription. Your GP practice won‘t prescribe items that you don‘t normally get.

4 Order repeat prescriptions online

Registering for online services at your GP practice will enable you to order repeat prescriptions online. You can also set up for your electronic prescription to go directly to the pharmacy of your choice.

By doing these four things you'll be helping the NHS, and especially our pharmacies, to cope a little better during this time. Please spread the word and encourage family and loved ones to do the same. 

Please be reassured that urgent emergency services are still treating all kinds of illness and injuries that haven‘t gone away just because Covid-19 has appeared.

If you are seriously ill please don‘t delay asking for help either through 111 or in emergencies by using 999.

Stay home, protect the NHS, save lives

The Upchurch Surgery will be following the above plus:

Baby immunisations and baby 6 week checks

B12 immunisation 

Female smear tests when patients are notified they are due  

All of the above are by appointment only - no walk-in

The surgery is only operating for appointments made via telephone or video consultation with a GP.

No routine prescription reviews or routine blood pressure checks are being carried out.

NHS Kent and Medway Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG)

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Upchurch Spider-Man Supports My Shining Star

Bringing a smile to the village for My Shining Star because they are a very important local charity.

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Upchurch Spider-Man has teamed up with brilliant local charity My Shining Star Children's Cancer Charity to help them raise much needed funds during the Coronavirus pandemic.

For a donation of any amount, you can request a personalised video message, a personalised card or a socially distanced visit from Spider-Man while he is allowed out for his daily run - his one exercise session each day. 

Of course, you can also donate just because you have enjoyed seeing him out and about!

Please donate at >> www.justgiving.com/fundraising/cia-merrall

My Shining Star will be sharing all your donations with the NHS.

Thank you

My Shining Star Children's Cancer Charity

Supporting families through the financial trauma of childhood cancer.

For the benefit, the relief and assistance of the public, specifically families in need of support when their children are diagnosed with cancer, in any part of the UK, who require financial aid and advice, by providing them with medical expenses/advice, housing support, travel expenses, fundraising advice/support and guidance with any other issues that arise as a direct result of their child’s diagnoses.

The long term goal of the charity will be to fund medical treatment currently unavailable in the UK, extending options for life expectancy, and funding future medical research to increase survival rates.

Read more about their brilliant work at >> www.myshiningstar.co.uk

Upchurch Matters

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UK Lockdown Extended For Another 3 Weeks

The video may not be visible in our Email version of this post.

Thanks to your sacrifices, social distancing is working. But if we stop now, we risk increasing the spread of #Coronavirus

We’re extending the rules by at least three weeks, and will not change the rules until five tests are met ⬆️

UK Prime Minister

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Swale Borough Council Distributes £8.9 Million in Grants to Help Local Businesses

The first 776 local businesses that have applied for business rate relief grants from Swale Borough Council will be receiving payments worth £8.9 million between them this week.

The council wrote to 2,600 eligible businesses in the borough with details on how to apply for the grants, which are part of the government’s measures to support small businesses and businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors through the period of disruption caused by coronavirus (COVID-19).

The council are hoping to make the payments to all eligible businesses by 1st May and is urging those businesses that haven’t yet applied to do so as soon as possible.

The grants of up to £25,000 per business are available through one of two schemes:

• The small business grant

• The cash grant for retail, hospitality and leisure

Anyone who runs a business that may be eligible for the grants, but can’t access their business premises to receive their post at the moment, can Email edu@swale.gov.uk

You’ll need to include:

• Your business rates account number, shown on your business rates statement

• The name and address registered on your business rates account

If you have any queries about whether you are eligible for the grant or not, please Email edu@swale.gov.uk with a telephone number that we can contact you on to discuss the criteria.

For more information, and to apply if you haven’t already, visit www.swale.gov.uk/support-scheme-registration

Swale Borough Council

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Message from Cllr Roger Truelove, Leader of Swale Borough Council

Cllr Roger Truelove.

“It’s been a couple of weeks since my last message, and I’m pleased to see that the people of Swale have - with limited unfortunate exceptions - continued to observe the rules on staying at home and social distancing.

This is the most important thing we can all do to help bring this crisis to an end, and I hope we all continue to follow the guidance to stay at home, protect the NHS and save lives.

It is now just over four weeks since we at the council began adjusting to the challenges brought about by the pandemic and by government expectations of the role we should play.

This has often been hectic and demanding and I want to repeat my thanks to our staff who have worked tirelessly over the past month.

I also want to pay tribute to the many volunteers in the community who are helping us to meet these challenges.

I would also like to thank my fellow councillors from all parties who are working with their local communities and coming together as a council.

Despite increased pressure, we are working hard to keep control of the increasing level of people presenting to us as homeless. Officers have been working to try to make sure no-one is sleeping rough on the borough’s streets.

Our community support hub is up and running to help those clinically extremely vulnerable people that the government has asked to shield themselves by self-isolating for 12 weeks. Most of these have a network of support that can help them remain safely at home by helping with things like shopping. For those that don’t, we can help them if they call us on: 01795 417525.

We have now also made grants to local foodbanks and Citizens Advice Swale who are helping local people through difficult times, and we have brought forward our members grants scheme so that individual councillors can offer financial help to local community groups.

We have also contacted 2,600 local small businesses to help them apply for the grants of up to £25,000, and the first payments will be arriving in business accounts this week.

Our waste collection service is being maintained, and I am immensely grateful to the public for the support and understanding they are showing when there have been some delays. The wall covered in thank you messages at the depot shows the warm appreciation we all have for those who are continuing to collect our bins in difficult circumstances.

I know I speak for most of us when I offer my appreciation for the dedication of those working on the front line. Our health and social care workers, those who are working so hard in our supermarkets, delivery drivers, manufacturers, the list goes on. It is devastating when we hear stories of these good people being abused, through misunderstanding, ignorance or just plain jealousy.

It has never been more important to work with our partners - in the NHS, at Kent County Council and Kent Police - to keep people safe. The police were a tremendous help over the Easter weekend as we worked to discourage people from visiting our popular beaches and parks.

We are also receiving regular briefings from government ministers as they recognise the vital part being played by local councils in fighting back against this virus.

We are still a long way from winning this battle, and I know it’s incredibly hard for many.

Isolation, uncertainty and worry for the future are not uncommon. But among all this, I see incredible amounts of hope and reasons to be optimistic.

People are coming out of retirement to help the NHS and others are volunteering to help their neighbours and friends get food and supplies while they stay safe.

Parents are sharing ideas to help teach their children at home, and friends and relatives are checking in on each other to remind those that are isolating that they are not alone.

All the windows filled with children’s rainbows remind us that the sun can still shine, and the weekly clap for the NHS reconnects us with our friends and neighbours even though we must - for now - remain at a safe distance.

But, if we continue to do what we must, and remember why we are doing this - to stay safe, protect the NHS and save lives - we will, to quote The Queen, 'meet again'.”

Cllr Roger Truelove

Leader, Swale Borough Council

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VE Day 75 Celebrations

Because of the Coronavirus emergency and current government guidance, veday75.org has been updated with news on the cancellation/postponement of the majority of community celebrations that were due to take place over the bank holiday weekend of 8th - 10th May 2020.

It's hoped that these events can be moved to the weekend of 15th - 16th August 2020 when we will be able to celebrate VE Day and VJ Day, both momentous points in our history.

More information at >> www.veday75.org

Upchurch Matters
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