IRU - Wednesday 15th December 2021

Stockport’s Long COVID Peer support group

Message from Alison Whitelegg (Stockport Council)

Stockport’s Long COVID peer support group is providing a lifeline for people who are still unwell weeks and months after they first caught COVID.

The group offers chat, friendship, advice and above all understanding from other people who know just what it’s like to live with long COVID.

The group meets:

• every Wednesday on Zoom, 11.30am to 12.30 – it’s a drop in so you can just join in when you feel like it
• for a drop in coffee morning on the third Monday of every month (excluding bank Holidays), 10.30 to 11.30am at Vernon park café (inside the park) Turncroft Lane, SK1 4AR.  Just come along and say Hi to the group.
• members can also join the group’s Whatsapp 

For more info about the group and to join the Zoom, please email Marie.omalley@stockport.gov.uk or phone 07800 618570

Remember you can take the Healthwatch Stockport Long COVID survey here

Updates from Stockport Council

Updates from Sarah Burke (Stockport Council)

Move to Plan B: changes to restrictions 

The government has announced that England will move to Plan B in response to the risks of the Omicron variant. This means:

• face coverings are required by law in most public indoor settings including shops, community centres and places of worship (staff and customers must continue to wear a face covering in premises that provide close contact services).
• office workers who can work from home should do so
• from 6am on Wednesday 15 December, certain venues and events will be required by law to check the COVID status of customers using the NHS COVID Pass or other accepted proof.  

The self-isolation advice for contacts of people with COVID-19 has changed on 14 December to reduce the risk of spread to others:

• Anyone aged 5 years and over, who has been identified as a contact of someone with COVID-19 and who is not legally required to self-isolate, is now strongly advised to take a rapid lateral flow device (LFD) test every day for 7 days (or until 10 days since their last contact with the person who tested positive for COVID-19 if this is earlier). If any of these LFD tests are positive they should self-isolate in order to protect other people.

They are strongly advised;

• limit close contact with people outside your household, especially in crowded, enclosed or poorly ventilated spaces
• work from home if you are able to
• wear a face covering in crowded, enclosed or poorly ventilated spaces and where you are in close contact with other people
• limit contact with anyone who is at higher risk of severe illness if infected with COVID- 19
• follow the guidance on how to stay safe and help prevent the spread
• Anyone identified as a contact of someone with COVID-19 and legally required to self-isolate (e.g. if they are not fully vaccinated as adults), still needs to self-isolate for 10 days.  They are advised to seek a PCR test, but need to complete 10 days self-isolation even if the PCR test result is negative.

Booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine

Vaccines are still our best line of defence against COVID-19, even the new Omicron variant. You can now pre-book a booster dose of the vaccine (add link) if it's been 2 months (61 days) since your 2nd dose and you're in one of these groups:

• aged 18 years old and over
• aged 16 years old and over with a health condition that puts you at high risk from COVID-19
• front line health and social care workers.

The appointment dates you'll be offered will be from 3 months (91 days) after your 2nd dose.

The NHS is working on plans to offer:

• a booster dose to people aged 16 years old and over with a severely weakened immune system
• a 2nd dose to all children aged 12 to 15 years old who are not already eligible

Please note that these are not yet available to book.

Extra COVID-19 vaccinations clinics will take place in the One Stockport Hub in Mersey Square this week

The additional day for this week is Wednesday 15 December 10am – 3pm. This is in addition to the already promoted dates of Thursday 16 December – Saturday 18 December, 10am-3pm

Anybody eligible aged 18+ can walk in. If you need a booster, please make sure that at least three months have passed since your second dose. Vaccinations will be given on a first come, first served basis. The clinic may end slightly earlier than planned if all vaccines have been administered.

When you’re queueing for your COVID-19 jab, take a minute to find your NHS number. It doesn’t matter if you don’t have it, but your NHS number will speed up the booking-in process.

COVID-19: updated guidance

On 10 December, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) updated guidance for the safe use of places of worship to reflect the new measures announced by the Prime Minister on 8 December to slow down the spread of the new Omicron variant.

DLUHC has also updated the guidance for councils, owners and operators to support the safe use and management of outdoor public places while the risk of COVID-19 transmission remains.

Step into Stockport this Christmas

Thanks for helping to support the One Stockport economic recovery campaign. Coronavirus has impacted every one of us in some way and, across Stockport, many businesses, especially smaller independent businesses, have had a tough eighteen months. You can find out about how to support this campaign on the One Stockport website or watch the ‘It’s Time to Get’ film featuring local celebrity Will Mellor, as well as local businesses from across the borough.

However, as Covid rates are still high in Stockport and in light of the latest government guidance it is really important that we all keep ourselves safe when we are out and about supporting our local businesses and communities. Please stay safe and remember that face coverings must now be worn in shops and shopping centres, on public transport and in some other settings, unless you are exempt.  Read the latest government guidance on how to stay safe and to help prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Suicide Prevention Fund - DHSC

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has made available £4 million for a grant fund for VCSE organisations to support suicide prevention across 2021 to 2022. A portion of the grant fund will be ring-fenced specifically to help support small community-led and user-led groups and organisations

Applications close at 5pm on 16 January 2022.

Integrating health and care in Stockport – what does it mean for me?

Join our conversation about the changes that are happening in health and social care, what’s it all about? How will it affect me?

The conversation will be led by Healthwatch Stockport, together lets make sure your voice is part of shaping services for the better in Stockport.

Date and time

Wed, January 12, 2022

1:00 PM – 2:00 PM GMT

Book online now

Youth Opportunity

Message from Healthwatch England

We have been contacted by Laura Lea who is the National Lead for Expert by Experience Involvement: Psychological Professions about an opportunity for young people to be involved in influencing the practice of psychological professions. Please share this with your networks. Thank you!

Are you aged 16-25 years old and have you used psychological services in the NHS? Or, are you a young carer of a brother or sister who has used psychological services for young people?

We’re looking for young people from different areas in England to join our new group who will advise psychological professionals. Psychological professionals provide psychological care to young people. This group will be able to influence how psychological services are delivered in the NHS in England.

You can be a volunteer in this role or get an involvement fee. Plus, you’ll get training to support you to be part of the advisory group.

Interested? Please get in touch with Laura Lea National Lead for Expert by Experience: The psychological professions. Contacts: Laura.Lea@nhs.net, 07738756992. Please reply by 7th January 2022.