Coronavirus Doncaster: Update
Introduction
Hi, my name is Dr Rupert Suckling and I am the Director of Public Health in Doncaster.
Tonight (Thursday), we will open our windows or stand at our front doors for the weekly clap for our fantastic key workers.This includes our wonderful carers, care home and domiciliary care staff who are doing such an outstanding job in helping to support our most vulnerable residents.
Their commitment and care to helping people remain safe and well during this challenging time is exemplary with examples too of some care home staff going into lockdown with their residents.
You may be aware that we are supporting care providers throughout this period with Doncaster’s new Social Care Academy and the recruitment of care workers into the profession.
Since the Social Care Academy was launched just one month ago, nearly 200 candidates have applied, over 100 people matched to jobs and nearly 60 people have been offered a position. This is fantastic news and thank you to everyone who has been in contact so far. If you are interested too and would like to find out more, visit Doncaster Social Care Academy
We conclude this week’s newsletter with the lovely actions of local nurses who have launched an appeal for items and well wishes to send onto care homes staff. There are contact details for how you can get involved too.
Before I sign off, can I please encourage you to Think Twice about any unnecessary travel over the Bank Holiday period and continue to stay home and stay safe.
Dr Rupert Suckling
Director of Public Health
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HWRCs reopen for essential waste disposal only
Some Household Waste Recycling Centres across Doncaster have re-opened but with significant restrictions to protect staff and residents from the risk of coronavirus.
Please stay away unless your visit is essential.
Only people with essential waste should visit. This includes food or “unhygienic” waste which you have been unable to fit into your black bin. Please compost or store green bin garden waste at home if you can, but where this is not possible or the waste is beginning to smell, this can be brought to the sites.
If you have accumulated other waste, for example from tidying the garage or shed in recent weeks, please hold onto it wherever possible until social distancing measures are relaxed. This is for your safety and the safety of our staff.
Sites at Armthorpe, Balby and Carcroft are open and following their normal timetable for opening hours. Conisbrough and Hatfield will open on Saturday 9th May, but Rossington remains closed for now.
A limited number of vehicles will be allowed on site at once and a queuing system will be in place with only one adult per vehicle.
Do NOT bring plasterboard, asbestos, motor oil, vegetable oil, large electricals, small domestic appliances, batteries, gas canisters, textiles, reuse, plastic bottles or hard plastics as these won’t be accepted.
For more information on which sites are open, opening times and restricted items please go to www.doncaster.gov.uk/hwrc
Bank Holiday Binformation
This Friday is a Bank Holiday to mark the 75th anniversary of VE Day. This WILL NOT change bin collection days so please put your bin out on the usual day that it is meant to be collected.
Bins, recycling and waste
Local practice and pharmacy services this Bank Holiday
Friday 8 May 2020 is a bank holiday and local practice and pharmacy opening hours may be affected. Some local practices will remain open as normal. If you call your practice and they are closed, the GP out of hours service will be available to respond to urgent issues. Call 0300 123 9990 or visit the NHS Doncaster CCG website for more information. If you need to be seen, they will tell you where you need to go.
Local pharmacies in Doncaster will also be open for a minimum of three hours – to find out if they are open, visit www.nhs.uk or visit your local pharmacy website for opening hours.
Whatever your issue, there is always a GP, nurse or pharmacist available in Doncaster.
Getting active with Home Goals
 Club Doncaster Foundation was due to start delivering its next phase of Fit Rovers in the community in March. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, they’ve reviewed their approach and launched a revised programme called ‘Home Goals’. This brand new, free online campaign to provide a safe way to get active at home.
Live sessions will be released each week via their YouTube channel Home Goals – Keeping our community match fit and they are developing a Facebook page to provide participants with the opportunity to access other content and share their own experiences.
Dr Crichton said: “I’m really pleased to see this local initiative adapting to the current situation and continuing to support the community at this challenging time. All levels of fitness are catered for, ranging from chair-based exercises to high intensity workouts, so there’s something for everyone. But it’s not just all about exercise; Home Goals will also run tutorials on healthy cooking and provide recipes that are simple and affordable.”
More than 10,000 people join online British Sign Language course
Doncaster Deaf Trust have announced this week that over 10,000 people have joined their free online, level one, British Sign Language (BSL) course.
The Trust is celebrating reaching this major milestone during Deaf Awareness Week 2020 and hope to see many more people signing as a result of the National Lottery Funded course.
Alexis Johnson, executive principal of Doncaster Deaf Trust said: “We’ve seen such a positive response to our free resource, enabling people to learn a new skill during this unprecedented time.
“We are sure that this platform will also be useful to people who are helping the Deaf community as the Covid-19 pandemic and government measures regarding social distancing and isolation will mean that some Deaf people will need help and assistance and basic sign language knowledge will help massively in making them feel reassured.”
To sign up to the free course visit www.doncasterdeafsign.org.uk
Free digital and numeracy courses
If you want to boost your digital and numeracy skills, the Government’s new Skills Toolkit could be just the ticket!
The Skills Toolkit offers free, high quality digital and numeracy courses to help build skills and boost employability. Courses are available at introductory, intermediate or advanced level.
Doncaster residents asked to complete survey
Doncaster residents are being asked to complete a survey on their alcohol drinking habits during the Coronavirus lockdown.
Doncaster’s Alcohol Alliance – a consortium of agencies who are all working together to tackle issues caused by drinking too much alcohol – would like to know how the changes to daily life have impacted on residents’ drinking habits. To complete the survey, visit Drinking habits during lockdown
Join our 75th anniversary celebration of Victory in Europe (VE) Day at home!
Doncaster residents can mark the 75th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day tomorrow (Friday 8 May) at home and online. Doncaster Council has organised a special virtual event, which will include Second World War related content and appropriate entertainment. This will premiere at 2pm and be shown again at 7pm. Visit www.dnconnects.com It can also be viewed on the Visit Doncaster YouTube channel.
More information is available at Online VE Day Celebrations
Are you self isolating?
Let us know by filling in the self-isolation form - self isolation form .
This will help us to identify and provide support to the people and areas of Doncaster most affected.
Sharing is caring
We know not everybody in Doncaster surfs the internet or uses social media to find local information during this time, so, if you know neighbours, family or friends who aren’t digitally connected, then please share the messages in this newsletter with them, ensuring you do so from a government approved physical distance.
Suspended Services
Here are all the council services affected or suspended due to Coronavirus
And finally…
Nurses launch appeal to express gratitude to care homes staff
 Nurses Heather Kerr and Katie Ford with some of the donated goodies
Mental health nurses at Tickhill Road Hospital have launched an appeal for goodies and well-wishes to show staff working in Doncaster’s 45 care homes how much they are appreciated.
Katie Ford and colleagues at the hospital’s Opal Centre hit on the idea of collecting treats and thank you messages to pass onto those looking after some of the borough’s most vulnerable people and have created a special facebook page – Positive thoughts for Doncaster care homes – to get the message out.
Kate, an Older People’s Mental Health Liaison Nurse at Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust (RDaSH), said: “It’s a very challenging time for all these staff and we want to give them a big boost. We are aware of one Doncaster care home where the carers decided to lockdown with the residents five weeks ago to help protect them from Coronavirus and they haven’t left since. This is just one example of the tremendous personal commitment these carers are giving.
“We want to give people the opportunity to say thank you for all they are doing, particularly those who have friends and family living in care homes and currently cannot have visitors.”
Examples include positive letters or pictures which could be drawn by children, to be sent to care home staff. If anyone wants to send direct to a care home near them, a list of addresses is available on request.
They are also collecting items to create ‘positive packs’ for each care home, such as food and drink treats, crafts and wellbeing activities. Any donations will be gratefully received. Contact Kate on 07785 731803 or the Home Frailty Team on 01302 798019.
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