Vicky Hancock

Herefordshire Council, PHE and the NHS are well prepared to deal with coronavirus

by

Sue Ibbotson, Centre Director, Public Health England West Midlands, said: “Public Health England is contacting people who had close contact with one of the latest confirmed cases of COVID-19 who is a resident of Herefordshire.

“Close contacts will be given health advice about symptoms and emergency contact details to use if they become unwell in the 14 days after contact with the confirmed case. This tried and tested method will ensure we are able to minimise any risk to them and the wider public.”

Karen Wright, Director of Public Health for Herefordshire Council, said: “I’d like to reassure people that the risk to the general public remains low and the local authority is working with health colleagues to do everything we can to stop the virus spreading and ensure the people of Herefordshire are protected.

“Good hygiene is the best prevention and there are some simple steps you can take to protect you and your family by washing your hands regularly and thoroughly and if you cough, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue.

“If you have recently been to one of the affected areas and are feeling unwell, you should use the NHS 111 online coronavirus service or call NHS 111 for further advice straight away – please don’t go to your doctor or a hospital. There’s lots of advice on how people can protect themselves online at www.nhs.uk/coronavirus.”

Residents urged to return unwanted medical equipment for reuse

by

Do you or someone you know have unwanted medical equipment that can now be returned?

Herefordshire Council and Wye Valley NHS Trust are urging residents to check their own homes and their family member’s homes for medical equipment that is no longer needed as part of Herefordshire’s ‘Hand It Back’ campaign.

Millions of pounds worth of equipment is currently on loan in the community.  This includes walking frames, wheelchairs, crutches, beds, chairs and other equipment issued by the NHS or the council.

Many unwanted items sit in corners of a room, in cupboards or in the back of garden sheds and outbuildings or they are sold in charity shops and at car boots sales, when they could easily be recycled for another resident to use, where it’s safe to do so.

Many items are often only used once and then thrown away with the household refuse or taken to the Household Recycling Centre (HRC).  Returning equipment means that thousands of items will be found new homes instead of ending up in landfill, which is good news for the environment.

Returning unwanted equipment is really easy.  If you, or a relative or friend, has equipment supplied by Herefordshire Council or the NHS (via NRS Healthcare) that they no longer need, simply choose one of the following options to arrange a free collection:

The free collection service does not apply to walking aids. These items can be returned to any NHS physiotherapy department within the county or taken to NRS Healthcare at Rotherwas.  Other items including wheelchairs, beds, and chairs should only be returned to NRS.

Please ensure items are in a clean condition before returning.

Herefordshire Council backs call for public to Be Winter Ready

by

Being prepared can reduce the community impact of a power cut or gas emergency.

Herefordshire Council is supporting a new campaign that urges people to be prepared for bad weather this winter and know what to do if they have a power cut or gas emergency.

The Be Winter Ready campaign has been launched by the UK’s gas and electricity networks. Since 1990, the networks have invested over £100bn to make the UK’s gas and electricity supply more reliable than ever before. However, storms, floods and other extreme conditions can sometimes cause significant damage and disruption.

To Be Winter Ready, the public are being urged to:

  • Know the free emergency numbers – in a power cut dial 105 or, for a gas emergency, dial 0800 111999.
  • Prepare your home – keep a torch handy and get your appliances serviced by a Gas Safe registered engineer to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. Vulnerable households can get extra support by signing up to the Priority Services Register. Contact your gas or electricity network to find out more. Visit the Energy Networks Association website to find out who your network operator is.
  • Keep your eyes open – keep an eye on the weather forecast and, if you have a power cut or a gas emergency, check on your neighbours.
More information about the campaign can be found on the Energy Networks Association website.

Herefordshire Council Cabinet meetings to be more accessible

by

Herefordshire Council is alternating the time and location of Cabinet meetings to provide more opportunity for the public to attend.

The next Cabinet meeting will take place at Leominster Library on Wednesday 27 November, 6pm.

Herefordshire Council introduced public meeting audio casting in June 2018 to make public meetings more accessible for those who could not attend in person. Now the council will hold afternoon and evening Cabinet meetings and is looking to secure alternative venues in the New Year. This will bring more opportunities for the community to take part in local democracy.

The next confirmed Cabinet meetings are:

Wednesday 27 November, 6pm – Leominster Library
Thursday 19 December 2019, 6.30pm – Hereford Shire Hall
Thursday 16 January 2020, 2pm – Hereford Shire Hall
Thursday 30 January 2020, 6pm – Hereford Shire Hall