Message from new Buckimghamshire Council - Part 2

Part 2

Working with the NHS

Buckinghamshire Council is working extremely closely with our colleagues in the NHS to jointly respond to the coronavirus outbreak. One example is how our adult social care services have linked with local hospitals to help speed up discharging patients in recent weeks, to free up hospital beds and to make sure those patients who are being discharged have the help and support they need in their homes.

Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust – which runs our acute and community hospitals including Stoke Mandeville – is having to pause all routine referrals and postponing many scheduled routine outpatient appointments.

Any patients with appointments between 30 March and 6 July may find non-urgent appointments are postponed.

Urgent and two week wait cancer referrals will continue to be seen and some non-urgent services may be able to continue if these can be safely resourced. Patients will be contacted on an individual basis.

Guidance on staying safe while shopping

None of us should be leaving home other than for essential travel and our daily exercise, and going out to buy food is probably the main reason most of us will have to go out. We’re all keen to stay as safe as possible when we go to the shops and there’s some helpful advice on how to do this that I want to share with you from the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health.

Click here for advice on going to the supermarket.

Kerbside collection crews thank residents

Buckinghamshire’s kerbside collection crews have been rising to the challenge of maintaining regular collections with reduced staffing levels due to coronavirus – and they thank residents for the appreciation and support they’ve been receiving in response.

One thing that crews would ask though, is that with everyone currently at home, parking is becoming tricky in some areas. If you can make things as easy as possible for collection trucks to get through it would be very much appreciated.

To find out more about changes to collection services that have had to be made go to www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/coronavirus/service-changes/coronavirus-waste-services-all-districts

Business support

We know many Bucks businesses are having to cope with huge challenges and we are currently writing to local businesses to update them about their business rates. There’s more information about this and government grants on the business support hub on our website www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/coronavirus/coronavirus-business-support-hub

A new COVID-19 Business Resilience Fund has been launched to support businesses in Buckinghamshire through a partnership between Buckinghamshire Local Enterprise Partnership, Buckinghamshire Business First and Buckinghamshire Council.

To find out more and apply, visit www.bbf.uk.com/covid-19-grants

A rise in scams – be on your guard

Really sadly, there are those who are appallingly taking advantage of this situation and our trading standards team has seen a rise in complaints about scams.

Please be wary - no one should be knocking on your door offering a virus testing kit, a vaccine or ‘miracle cure’, shopping or medication services needing payment up front.

Please also treat any texts or emails with extreme caution – the Government is using texts and emails to communicate genuine and important information but many fake ones are doing the rounds. If you’re in any doubt please do NOT respond and check with a trusted friend or family member or please email or call Trading Standards who can offer you advice. Email trading.standards@bucksandsurreytradingstandards.gov.uk or call 01296 388 788.

Staying home, staying well

It's so important to do what we can to look after our physical and mental health while our world has been turned upside down. It’s OK to feel worried or low at this time – it’s a normal reaction to what is happening. We’ve now got a section on the Buckinghamshire Council website on staying well while we all stay at home – we are adding to this each day with new information.

It’s the Easter school holidays!

The Easter holidays are fast approaching but how to do you entertain your children if you can’t leave the house?! I know how many parents are struggling juggling work and other commitments with childcare and home schooling. So we’ve pulled together some ideas of how to keep minds and bodies active during the break from school www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/coronavirus/community-hub/keeping-you-safe/things-do-easter-holidays

And lastly today, just a reminder that we have moved social media channels to the new Buckinghamshire Council accounts – I’ve mentioned these above but those details again - we’re on Facebook @BucksCouncil and make sure you’re following us on Twitter @BucksCouncil to keep up to date with everything we post out.

Stay safe and stay well,

Martin Tett, Leader of Buckinghamshire Council