As we move into a national lockdown, I wanted to give an update on our local response in Wandsworth to COVID-19.
The move by the Government to implement a national lockdown to protect our NHS from being overwhelmed and save lives will affect residents and businesses right across Wandsworth.
You can see a guide on what the new restrictions mean for you here.
Our priority as a Council, is to support residents and businesses throughout the lockdown and protect the most vulnerable in our community.
In my department, Adult Social Care & Health at Wandsworth Council, I have set out 3 key themes to focus on:
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Providing support to all residents in Wandsworth by:
- Delivering an all households leaflet explaining the new rules, where you can get support and where you can get tested which can be found here.
- Retaining our successful Community Hub call in centre where residents can call in and can deal with general and specialist enquiries including how to access hardship funding, assistance with shopping and what to do if you have tested positive for COVID-19.
- Working with our local NHS to ensure residents can access mental health support. Including working with the specialist Orchid unit which provides a service for mental health patients that otherwise would have had to go to A&E. You can contact Orchid by calling: 0800 028 8000
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Providing Specialist support to our most vulnerable by:
- Providing free PPE to all care homes as well as other services across the Council. Delivering over 4.3 million items of PPE in total across the Council, 46% of which was allocated to care homes. And maintaining a reserve stock of PPE to ensure there are no shortages of PPE in Wandsworth.
- Providing over £2.2 million to care homes to support infection control.
- Providing each care home with a weekly check in call from Adult Social Services, ensuring residents stay safe during the lockdown.
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Delivering localised support to central Government on test and contract tracing by:
- Delivering fully operational testing in all care homes in Wandsworth. Staff are tested weekly and residents once every 28 days. All tests are due to be processed within 72 hours, but most results are back within 48 hours.
- Working to deliver localised test centres. Two of which are in the final stages of approval and several others in various stages of approval.
- Supporting mobile testing units in Wandsworth through Council communications.
As a Council, we are also delivering a wide-ranging package of financial support to residents and businesses impacted by COVID-19. You can find out more on the Council’s website.
I know that this lockdown will be a tough time for many of us in our community.
But rest assured that the Council is here to support you if you need it.
And together, we will beat COVID-19 and get back to the things that we love.
Cllr Clare Salier,
Conservative Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care & Health at Wandsworth Council.
