1 April 2020
DCC staff guidance for dealing with coronavirus (COVID-19)
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We pledge to help people through this crisis
The outbreak of coronavirus is a difficult and challenging time for us all, and we understand that it will have far reaching impacts on our residents and local communities, particularly those who are most vulnerable.
As the situation continues to change on a daily basis, we are keeping our 'coronavirus (COVID-19) advice for Devon' pages on our website updated with all the latest information from the Government, the NHS and from our community.
Devon County Council leader John Hart has pledged to do whatever the Council can to support residents and communities through the coronavirus outbreak.
Within this bulletin we have provided links to our Devon news, useful sources of information, and advice that can help you and your community:
Early applications for Locality Budget requests
Leader of the Council, John Hart, has agreed that we can now accept your early applications for Locality Budget requests (to ensure payment as soon as possible past 1 April).
Council meetings
A number of our routine Council meetings with non-urgent business have been cancelled while we wait for further guidance from the Government on the ability of the Council to continue its democratic processes and the potential for holding meetings remotely, which currently the law does not permit.
Redeploying our staff to cover critical services
With increasing numbers of staff self isolating and working from home, Devon County Council has not yet had to withdraw any statutory services but we are planning for this potential need and change to service as the situation progresses. This is a national picture; working together with partners and in line with national guidance.
We are asking staff to consider volunteering to temporarily leave their current post (assuming they are working in a non-critical area of the organisation) and take up a temporary position in a critical service supporting and protecting some of the most vulnerable people in Devon.
So far, Public Health Nurses are being redeployed alongside staff in our children's centres to maintain an Early Help safety net for vulnerable children, and staff are responding well to work differently.
And our social care and social work teams are redeploying staff from non-critical services to essential frontline services in response to the coronavirus outbreak.
Welfare and schooling
Schools are now only providing places for vulnerable children and those of critical workers. The Department for Education (DfE) has published information to support parents and carers. A list of schools and other providers who are supporting children of critical workers who are on roll is on our website (covering Easter 2020). If a school is not open, other schools in the area are doing their best to support critical workers, but this must be by prior arrangement.
Councillor James McInnes provides an update:
"There has been great work in making sure schools stay open and are staffed to support children of key workers and vulnerable children. Schools have done a brilliant job by coming together and working in partnership with Devon County Council, to ensure that all key workers know their children have a safe place as well as vulnerable children."
Welfare checks are being carried out within the schools community. Personal protective equipment (PPE) is an issue in schools across the country and while we understand the first priority is PPE in hospitals, NHS and social care, there is also a need in schools.
Since yesterday (31 March), schools which are unable to continue providing meals will be able to support children who receive free school meals with a weekly shopping voucher worth £15 to spend at supermarkets.
Find out what this means for children, parents and schools in Devon on our website.
Children with disabilities
Disabled children with underlying health conditions remain a concern. Most are staying at home which we understand and respect but need to be mindful of changing circumstances as this situation continues.
Councillor James McInnes says:
"There is still not enough guidance around SEND and the Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). It is a significant challenge to meet the needs of children despite a slight relaxation in expectations. They are the most vulnerable group with complicated needs, including those on the autism spectrum, who often find it difficult to find alternatives to school with current resources."
Supporting and protecting our children in care
We are continuing to support our fostering providers and children's homes to maintain capacity and make best use of placements to protect our children in care.
We are also working hard to develop and implement our improvement plan following the recent Ofsted judgement. We have agreed a position with the Department for Education – focusing on key lessons to be learnt from the report while applying our learning in respect of coronavirus. All children covered in the specific issues in the report are being tracked weekly at senior management level.
Identifying alternative accommodation to help the NHS
Councils are identifying accommodation that could, if required, be turned into temporary care facilities for people when they’re ready to leave hospital, to relieve pressure on the NHS. The accommodation could also be used to temporarily house additional staff being recruited into healthcare, or staff being redeployed to front line care roles.
Councillor Andrew Leadbetter, said:
“This is all part of our contingency planning. Hospitals and care homes are under a lot of pressure right now, so we are looking at how we can relieve some of that pressure by making sure that there are places for people to move to from hospital the moment they are well enough, in case they are not ready to go home or they can’t be found places in the community, in residential or nursing homes.
“We also want to be able to meet the current need to temporarily house staff being recruited or redeployed to support frontline roles. We’re currently working on a number of potential options around Devon.”
We've also published some information about how we're going to prioritise visits to the most vulnerable and the plans we're making to ensure that you are not at risk if your care is temporarily limited by staffing resources. And there is advice on what Devon residents can do to help Devon County Council prepare.
Network of ‘shielding hubs’ created to support Devon’s most vulnerable
A network of ‘shielding hubs’ coordinated by local authorities is rapidly being set up across Devon to immediately help those most at risk from coronavirus (COVID-19) with urgent food, medicine and care supplies.
How to volunteer and help safely
Many people in the community have been volunteering to offer practical, emotional and social support to their neighbours, communities and the NHS, which is excellent, but they need to do so safely. The Government has published guidance on how to help safely.
Interactive map to find your nearest community group
We've updated the Community Support page of our website where you can find an interactive map to help you find community groups operating near you that are offering help to residents who need it. We also have advice for setting up local support groups, including getting in touch with your local Council for Voluntary Service (CVS) and letting us know so we can point people to you.
Funding to support community action
We've launched the COVID-19 Prompt Action Fund to help provide valuable funding to organisations working in communities that have been affected by the coronavirus outbreak. Find out more, including how to apply.
Local residents to be aware of scams
Devon, Somerset and Torbay Trading Standards Service has issued a warning to local residents and businesses to be aware of fraudsters who are trying to exploit fear and uncertainty surrounding COVID-19.
The outbreak of coronavirus has seen an increase in scams that include counterfeit medical kits that claim to prevent or cure the disease and fake online coronavirus resources which can contain damaging software. Updated information on the Devon County Council web pages.
Councillor Rufus Gilbert said:
“By following some simple steps, such as not giving out personal details and making sure you know who is calling, you can help safeguard yourself or your business from fraudulent schemes.”
New transport scheme trialled for key workers
We're trialling a new on-demand subsidised taxi service to help key workers facing difficulty getting to and from work because of reductions in public transport during the coronavirus outbreak.
Councillor Roger Croad said:
“This pilot taxi service is intended to replace journeys that were being made by bus services which have been put on hold during the current pandemic. Key workers that rely on public transport still need to get to work, and we have stepped in by subsidising this scheme to support them and make it as easy as possible for them to continue with their vital roles at this time."
Also, to ease parking pressures at hospital sites in Exeter, we've opened up our car park at County Hall on Topsham Road to staff working at the nearby hospitals to use free of charge. Isca Academy and The Maynard School have also kindly made their car parks available.
Highway repairs keeping roads safe for key workers
Our highways teams have a critical role in keeping Devon's roads safe for emergency services and other key workers, as well as the delivery of food and supplies. We've temporarily suspended planned highway maintenance work in order to focus on the repair of critical infrastructure, and continue to deliver essential safety repairs in order to maintain the local network.
Councillor Stuart Hughes said:
“Highways staff are being advised to observe social distancing precautions and I would call on our local communities to do likewise and not approach our maintenance crews. They should be applauded for their vital work in keeping our roads safe for everyone during these uncertain times.”
On-street parking restrictions relaxed
We've temporarily relaxed on-street parking enforcement on certain roads to help people park outside their homes while self-isolating or working from home during the coronavirus outbreak, and to enable key workers to carry out their vital roles.
Double yellow lines will still be enforced and patrols will concentrate their efforts on keeping key routes running normally.
Update on broadband network build and maintenance
Broadband suppliers are continuing with maintenance, repairs and building new infrastructure where it is safe to do so and resources allow, says Connecting Devon and Somerset (CDS).
However, whilst the current social distancing restrictions are in place, CDS does not expect to see any work undertaken to connect homes to new infrastructure, should that require entry to the premises.
Support for self-employed people
Self-employed people are a vital part of Devon's economy, with self-employment rates here 4.1% above the national average. The Government has announced the Self-employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) to support self-employed individuals, including members of partnerships, whose incomes have been negatively impacted by COVID-19. Full details can be found on the Government business support website.
Support for businesses
While we know that this is an incredibly difficult time for businesses, support and advice is available from a number of sources. Our business and employment web page has a comprehensive list of all the grants, advice and news you need to know about. We'd encourage businesses and employers to visit the Heart of the South West Growth Hub to find essential information on available support and advice.
We are also ensuring that businesses in our supply chain are promptly reimbursed, reducing payment terms from 20 days to 5 days until further notice to ensure that cash flow is maintained for our suppliers as we continue to maintain our critical services.
Councillor Rufus Gilbert said:
"...this isn’t just about the economy, it’s about livelihoods and wellbeing of the workforce across the county. This is an unprecedented situation and requires a response to match.
“Fast-tracking payments to our suppliers may seem like a small contribution, but prompt payment could make the difference for a small, local supplier trying to pay staff and stay solvent. It could also make a difference for vulnerable citizens in need of services from those suppliers.”
Virtual career fair
Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership has launched a virtual career fair for those affected by the coronavirus outbreak. It includes information about current vacancies, advice on self-employment and support for businesses.
Making our information accessible
Information about coronavirus is available in different languages and formats including Easy Read from Learning Disability Devon and British Sign Language (BSL) from Sign Health. BSL users can contact Devon County Council using the InterpretersLive service.
If people need information in another language or format please let our Customer Service Centre team know by email via customer@devon.gov.uk or phone 0345 155 1015 or SMS text (text ‘Devon’ then the essage to 80011).
And finally...
Thousands of people opened their front doors at 8pm on Thursday 26 March to show in solidarity their support for our nation's health workers. Streets rang to the sound of applause. Watch a short video of it.
By pulling together across the Council, with our partners and our communities, we are doing everything we can to help us all through this incredibly difficult time. Thank you to you and your community and stay safe and well.
Please note that all of our sites and offices are closed to the public, except for necessary prearranged visits
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