Residents

We have joined forces with Chase Arts for Public Spaces (CHAPS) and Cannock Town Centre Partnership to provide two creative challenges for people to take part in whilst visiting Cannock Town Centre. These include a story trail amongst local shops and a ribbon rainbow consisting of thank you messages displayed on the bandstand near St. Luke's Church.

A selection of shops – 10 in total, will be participating in a special NHS story trail for families to get involved in. These shops will display artworks created by children on a specific NHS theme to remind us of the number of services the NHS provides and what we can access.

Artwork templates are available to collect from the following shops:

• The Engraving Company, Market Place
• Greetings from the Heart, High Green Shopping Centre
• Vodafone, Market Street
• Phillip Howard Opticians, Market Place
• Centre Flowers, Shopping Centre 
• Broome Meadow Bakes, Shopping Centre
• Chatwin Jewellers, Shopping Centre
• Mim’s Mom’s Newhall, High Green
• Beardsmore Lighting, Mill Street
• Hannah’s Artisan Cafe & Coffee Shop, Market Place

Templates can also be downloaded below.

Participating shops will also be handing out coloured ribbon from 30 June for customers to take away and write messages of thanks or share personal memories. These ribbons will be tied on to the bandstand by 4 July and will be on display for two weeks.

Local shops have also been invited to decorate their windows to celebrate the NHS. Displays will be on show from 4 July until 17 July.

The Council is also working with local community groups who have come together to provide a display for parks across the District.

To support the national celebration of the 72nd birthday of the NHS and as a mark of respect for all those who have lost their lives during the COVID-19 pandemic, displays will be on show at Cannock Stadium Park, Hednesford Town Centre (around the clock), Hednesford Park, Elmore Park, Ravenhill Park, Norton Canes Recreation Ground/Church Street Recreation Ground in Norton Canes, Heath Hayes Park and Cannock Park.  

This project has been supported by the 'Building Resilient Families and Communities' funding project that The Friends of Hednesford Park gained through Staffordshire County Council. If you would like to add a personal message to someone you have lost during the COVID outbreak, please contact Lynn Evans, Community and Education Officer at Cannock Chase Council who will pass the message onto the relevant organisation. Call 07855 099353 oe email lynnevans@cannockchasedc.gov.uk

Staffordshire-wide support for victims and their families:

• New Era’s Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent 24-hour confidential helpline (across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent): 0300 303 3778 and their 24/7 live chat facility at www.new-era.uk

Localised support for victims and their families (including safe accommodation):

• Staffordshire Women’s Aid 24-hour confidential helpline (supporting Stafford, Cannock and South Staffordshire): 0300 330 5959
• Glow (supporting North Staffordshire): 0330 0945 559
• Pathway 24-hour confidential helpline (supporting Lichfield and Tamworth): 01543 676800

Staffordshire-wide services for perpetrators wanting to change their behaviour:

• New Era Domestic Abuse Service for perpetrators who want support to change (across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent): 01785 601690

Localised services for perpetrators wanting to change their behaviour:

• Glow Domestic Abuse Service for perpetrators who want support to change (supporting North Staffordshire): 0330 0945 559

The national NHS “shielding” scheme is aimed at those with the most acute underlying conditions and people undergoing treatment that compromises their immune systems.

NHS and individual GPs have identified these people – nationally there are 1.5 million and in Staffordshire there are 20,000. We are getting data on how many people are in this category in Cannock Chase District.

People in this group have been written to (many more than once) and had emails and text messages to encourage them to register for support. If they register they are able to request a delivery of a weekly food parcel to their home if they are unable to access food through family, friends and so on.

The deliveries continue for the 12 week isolation period (to late June) and are being undertaken by national food distribution companies.

Changes to Shielding announced

(26 June 2020)

The UK Government has set out a roadmap for the clinically extremely vulnerable on the future of the shielding programme.  

For now, the guidance remains the same – stay at home and only go outside to exercise or to spend time outdoors with a member of your household, or with one other person from another household if you live alone – but the guidance will change on 6 July and again on 1 August clinical evidence.

Shielding and other advice to the clinically extremely vulnerable has been and remains advisory. 

What are the changes? 

Recently, the UK Government advised that you can spend time outdoors, if you wish, with your own household, or if you live alone with another household. Following this, and alongside current scientific and medical advice the UK Government is planning to relax shielding guidance in stages.  

From 6 July, the guidance will change so you can meet in groups of up to six people from outside your household – outdoors with social distancing. For example, you might want to enjoy a summer BBQ outside at a friend’s house, but remember it is still important to maintain social distancing and you should not share items such as cups and plates. If you live alone (or are a lone adult with dependent children under 18), you will be able to form a support bubble with another household. 

From 1 August, you will no longer need to shield, and the advice will be that you can visit shops and places of worship, but you should continue maintaining rigorous social distancing.

Why is the guidance changing now?

The roadmap has been developed in line with the latest scientific and medical advice and with the safety and welfare of those who are shielding in mind. Current statistics show that the rate of catching coronavirus in the community continues to decrease. On average less than 1 in 1,700 in our communities are estimated to have the virus, down from 1 in 500 four weeks ago. 

Unless advised otherwise by your clinician, you are still in the ‘clinically extremely vulnerable’ category and should continue to follow the advice for that category, which can be found here.

We will monitor the virus continuously over coming months and if it spread too much, we may need to advise you to shield again.

Support offer explainer  

If you are in receipt of Government provided food boxes and medicine deliveries, you will continue to receive this support until the end of July.

Local councils and volunteers are also providing support to people who are shielding, to enable them to stay safely in their homes. The government is funding local councils to continue to provide these services to those who need them until the end of July.  

What support is available to people who are shielding until the end of July? 

Essential supplies 

There are a number of ways that those who are shielding can access food and other essentials: 

• Make use of the supermarket priority delivery slots that are available for this group. When a clinically extremely vulnerable person registers online as needing support with food, their data is shared with supermarkets. This means if they make an online order with a supermarket (as both a new or existing customer), they will be eligible for a priority slot. 
• Use the many commercial options now available for accessing food, including telephone ordering, food box delivery, prepared meal delivery and other non-supermarket food delivery providers. A list has been shared with local authorities and charities.
• A free, standardised weekly parcel of food and household essentials. If you have registered for this support online before 17 July you will continue to receive weekly food box deliveries until the end of July.  
• If you need urgent help and have no other means of support, contact your local council to find out what support services are available in their area. 
• For anyone facing financial hardship, the government has made £63 million available to local councils in England to help those who are struggling to afford food and other essentials.

NHS Volunteer Responders

Support will continue to be available through the NHS Volunteer Responder Scheme beyond the end of July.

NHS Volunteer Responders can support you with:

• Collecting shopping, medication (if your friends and family cannot collect them for you) or other essential supplies;
• A regular, friendly phone call which can be provided by different volunteers each time or by someone who is also shielding and will stay in contact for several weeks; and
• Transport to medical appointment.

Please call 0808 196 3646 between 8am and 8pm to arrange support or speak to your health case professional for transport support. A carer or family member can also do this on their behalf. More information is available at www.nhsvolunteerresponders.org.uk

Health care 

Any essential carers or visitors who support you with your everyday needs can continue to visit unless they have any of the symptoms of COVID-19 (a new continuous cough, a high temperature, or a loss of, or change in, their normal sense of taste or smell). 

People in the clinically extremely vulnerable group should continue to access the NHS services they need during this time. This may be delivered in a different way or in a different place than they are used to, for example via an online consultation, but if they do need to go to hospital or attend another health facility for planned care, extra planning and protection will be put in place. 

Mental health support 

It is normal during these uncertain and unusual times to feel anxious or feel low.

Follow the advice that works for you in the guidance on how to look after your mental health and wellbeing during coronavirus (COVID-19). 

The Every Mind Matters page on anxiety and NHS mental wellbeing audio guides provide further information on how to manage anxiety. 

If you feel you need to talk to someone about your mental health or you are looking for more support for someone else, we would urge you to speak to a GP and seek out mental health support delivered by charities or the NHS. 

Income and employment support 

At this time, people who are shielding are advised not to go to work. This guidance remains advisory.   

Those shielding will be eligible for Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) on the basis of their shielding status until the 31 July. SSP eligibility criteria apply

From 1 August, if clinically extremely vulnerable people are unable to work from home but need to work, they can, as long as the business is COVID safe.   

The Government is asking employers to work with them to ease the transition back to a more normal way of life for their shielding employees. It is important that this group continues to take careful precautions, and employers should do all they can to enable them to work from home where this is possible, including moving them to another role if required.   

Where this is not possible, those who have been shielding should be provided with the safest onsite roles that enable them to maintain social distancing.

If employers cannot provide a safe working environment, they can continue to use the Job Retention Scheme for shielded employees who have already been furloughed.  

What support will be available after July? 

From 1 August, clinically extremely vulnerable people will continue to have access to priority supermarket delivery slots if you have registered online before 17 July for a priority delivery slot.  

NHS Volunteer Responders will also continue to offer support to those who need it, including collecting and delivering food and medicines. 

The NHS Volunteer Responders Scheme has been expanded to offer a new Check in and Chat Plus role. This new role has been designed to provide peer support and companionship to people who are shielding as they adapt to a more normal way of life.   

If you are vulnerable or at risk and need help with shopping, medication or other essential supplies, please call 0808 196 3646 (8am to 8pm).  

Government is committed to supporting local councils and voluntary sector organisations to respond to those who have specific support needs and requirements during the COVID-19 pandemic. Details of the support and advice available can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/find-coronavirus-support   

The updated shielding guidance should not affect any social care or support you were receiving prior to the start of shielding.  

Individuals should continue to contact their local council if they have any ongoing social care needs.  

Staffordshire County Council have data on the NHS Shielding people and are sent daily lists of people who have registered, and whether they have requested food parcels.

The County Council contact these people to check if they have sufficient food to last them until their first NHS parcel arrives. If not, they will provide a parcel

sufficient for one week.

The NHS parcels have standard contents and are not tailored in any way. People who are unable to use any of the contents due to allergies, dietary or cultural issues, are advised to contact their local authority. Any parcels that have been delivered across the District are referred to the County Council who will then arrange for suitable supplementary goods to be supplied for the 12 week period.

Staffordshire County Council’s helpline also responds to other (non-NHS) vulnerable people who are self isolating – assessing needs and, if necessary, providing a food parcel to last one week. These cases are then referred to District and Borough Councils to pick up for further support.

In Cannock Chase we have established a local Hub. This has a number of functions.

1. Statutory Response

As Cannock Chase Council has specific responsibilities for its housing tenants, homeless people and rough sleepers, at an early stage of the emergency response, we have been proactively contacting those most vulnerable tenants known to us, by telephoning and visiting them, providing food and other essentials.

We are providing similar support to our homeless individuals and families and have secured accommodation for local rough sleepers - as directed by government. We are providing food and other essentials for these most vulnerable people in the District.

Funding and food is being provided by the County Council to help with this.

2. Early Stage support

We have set up a response system for those people who contact us asking for support, or are referred to us by the County Council, where they are self isolating and don’t have support from family and friends. Cases are assessed on an individual basis so they can be advised where to get help. Key players in the local response are our voluntary and community organisations.

The Managing Director of Cannock Chase Council chairs a weekly teleconference with Support Staffordshire, Chase Coronavirus Support Network (CCSN) and the local foodbanks for them to raise issues and to address concerns. Examples of the actions taken through the local VCS are set out below.

Working in partnership with Chase Coronavirus Support Network

Those able to pay for their shopping or in need of pharmacy or social support, such as a telephone call, are referred to the Chase Coronavirus Support Network (CCSN), whose volunteers are able to assist; CCSN has secured a large number of volunteers. Some are trained to do pharmacy collections and deliveries and the network has links to all pharmacies in the District. Recently, volunteer staff from Inspiring healthy lifestyles, our leisure provider, have been added to the volunteer capacity of CCSN.

Working in partnership with local foodbanks

Those who don’t have money – for example if they are waiting for decisions on Universal Credit, or have simply run out of money – are referred to the local foodbanks in Cannock and Rugeley. These have seen a significant increase in demand for their services. Deliveries to homes are being made. Recently the Council has agreed to provide transport for bulk donation deliveries for the Cannock Foodbank.

Working with other partners groups across the District

If these are not suitable solutions, the hub has a limited stock of supplies which can be delivered to people. Our hub is here to complement the services already being provided by other organisations. Other organisations are also offering specialist support, or work with particular groups and we will refer people to these where that is appropriate. These organisations are identified by Support Staffordshire.

3. Proactive response

In order for support to reach local people likely to be most in need, we have looked through information we have on our most vulnerable local people. We have written to them to ask if they need any assistance. We have identified about 2,800 local households in these circumstances. Those that get back to us are being assessed and the appropriate support provided as highlighted above.

Staffordshire-wide support for victims and their families:

• New Era’s Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent 24-hour confidential helpline (across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent) 0300 303 3778 and their 24/7 live chat facility at www.new-era.uk

Localised support for victims and their families:

• Staffordshire Women’s Aid 24 hour confidential helpline (supporting Stafford, Cannock and South Staffordshire) 0300 330 5959
• Glow (supporting North Staffordshire) 0330 0945 559
• Pathway (supporting Lichfield and Tamworth) 01543 676800

National support for victims and their families:

• National Domestic Abuse Helpline: 0808 200 0247
• Men’s Advice Line: 0808 801 0327
• National LBGT+ Domestic Abuse Helpline: 0800 999 5428
• The Survivors Trust (Rape and Sexual Violence Services): 08088 010818

Staffordshire-wide services for perpetrators wanting to change their behaviour:

• New Era Domestic Abuse Service for perpetrators who want support to change (across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent)  01785 601690

Localised services for perpetrators wanting to change their behaviour:

• Glow perpetrator support (supporting North Staffordshire) 0330 0945 559

Staffordshire-wide mental health support:

• North Staffs Mind: 01782 262100
• Samaritans: 116 123
• The Dove Service (telephone counselling for anyone struggling with bereavement, loss, life-changing or life-limiting illness): 01782 683155
• Changes (children, young people and adults): 07983 437747
• Papyrus (service for young people at risk of suicide): 0800 068 4141
• Get Men Talking (Newcastle under Lyme): 07834 728425 / 07889 535942
• North Staffordshire Combined Mental Health Trust: 0300 123 0907

Prevent is part of the Government’s Counter-terrorism Strategy. The aim of Prevent is to stop people from becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism.

The UK faces a continuing threat from both international and domestic terrorism and violent extremism, which can emerge from any community, can be inspired by a range of causes.

The threat can include the exploitation of vulnerable people, including children of all ages, young people and adults and involve them in acts of terrorism or extremism. People of all ages are being recruited into groups promoting hatred, discrimination and sometimes violence.

The aim of the campaign is to ensure young people have an increased awareness and understanding of what extremism is and the wider Prevent agenda as well as encouraging people to report their concerns and make a referral to the relevant agency.

Resource packs are being distributed to primary and secondary schools providing information about local support services, details about the Prevent agenda and campaign material.

Campaign messages will also be promoted further using the Council’s housing and refuse vehicles, posters displayed in key locations across the District and online advertising via the Council’s website and social media platforms.

The campaign has been funded by the Staffordshire Commissioner’s Proceeds of Crime Fund, Staffordshire County Council’s Building Resilient Families and Communities Fund and the West Midlands Counter Terrorism Prevent Targeted Initiative Fund.

This forms part of the Council’s wider safeguarding campaign. ‘See something, Say something’, which was launched last year and aims to encourage people to report any concerns they may have about an individual or group.

This is the first time the Partnership team has secured this level of external funding for a campaign which will help raise the profile of the Prevent agenda and risks of extremism. It is hoped that if it is successful it could be rolled out to other schools across Staffordshire.

If you have concerns about someone becoming involved in extremism, report it by calling 01785 232054.

For further information about this campaign contact the Community Safety team on 01543 464387.

Download a copy of the campaign posters below.