We would love to hear your feedback or contributions, so if you have anything which you want to share, or have a question to ask us, email us here. 

All our previous bulletins can be found on our website here. For a directory of COVID-19 related resources, visit Inclusion Gloucestershire's dedicated webpage here.

If you were emailed this bulletin by someone else, or found it on social media, and wish to receive it directly to your email inbox next time, click here to subscribe.

A wide range of online and telephone mental health services are available to support adults, young people and children in Gloucestershire.

A number of new services were launched in April to supplement existing services in response to the Covid-19 outbreak, to help anyone struggling with anxiety, health, finances, job security or any other issues that may have been contributing to mental health difficulties.

For a list of the services available, which are easy to access and do not necessarily need a referral from a health professional, click here.

Guidance for visiting arrangements in care homes was published on 22 July 2020 by PHE.

This guidance states that prior to visits being allowed in care homes, the director of public health in every area should disseminate their view on the suitability of visiting in the local authority area, taking into account infection rates and the wider risk environment.

On 28 July 2020 Sarah Scott, supported by the C19 Tactical Response Group, reviewed the relevant information set out in the care home visiting guidance (July 22 2020). At this time she agrees that due to current low levels of COVID-19 in Gloucestershire

• care home visiting can be permitted
• as long as care homes are able to support the visiting guidance and have completed their own risk assessment.
• this decision will be reviewed at a minimum weekly. If there is any change to the advice to allow care home visiting this will be communicated directly with care homes.

The decision on whether or not to allow visitors, and in what circumstances, is an operational decision and therefore ultimately for the provider and managers of each individual setting to make dependent on their individual circumstances and assessment of risk.

Local principles, protocols and templates based on the national guidance are available here and have been shared with all care homes. 

If you are a relative of someone in a care home or setting you can contact the council’s Health Protection Team for advice on COVID-19 related matters.

Since 23 March, Gloucestershire County Council’s concessionary travel passes have been valid without any time restrictions.

From Monday 24 August, the concessionary travel passes will return to their normal time restrictions. 

This means that concession passes will no longer be available to use for free travel before 9:30am on Mondays to Fridays.

This change reflects the easing of lockdown as well as ensuring there is capacity available for children returning to school. 

Your concessionary bus pass may be used before 9.30am on weekdays only on certain Gloucestershire routes and services, details of which are available here or by calling 01452 426265. Further information on free concessionary bus passes is available here.

NHS free travel

In response to the coronavirus pandemic, Stagecoach West has been providing free travel for Gloucestershire NHS staff since 23 March.

This temporary arrangement will no longer apply from Monday 24 August to reflect the easing of lockdown.   

Gloucestershire NHS staff can still enjoy discounted bus travel when they show their NHS ID card.

• Travel to Cheltenham or Gloucester from anywhere in the county for only £2
• Travel on the 94U service between Gloucester and Cheltenham for only £1

NICE have recently published a Vitamin D for COVID-19 Rapid Evidence Summary. This is based on a review of the best available evidence on vitamin D for preventing or treating COVID-19 or for the susceptibility to COVID-19 based on vitamin D status. It concludes that there is no evidence to support taking vitamin D supplements to specifically prevent or treat COVID -19. However, all people should continue to follow UK Government advice on daily vitamin D supplementation to maintain bone and muscle health during the COVID-19 pandemic.

To protect bone and muscle health, the UK Government advises that everyone needs vitamin D equivalent to an average daily intake of 10 micrograms (400 international units). They advise that all people should consider taking a daily supplement containing 10 micrograms of vitamin D during autumn and winter months. They also advise that people whose skin has little to no exposure to sunlight and ethnic minority groups with dark skin; from African, Afro-Caribbean and South Asian backgrounds, should consider taking a vitamin D supplement all year round. This advice is applicable to people whose skin has little to no exposure to sunlight because they are indoors shielding or self-isolating.

This advice is incorporated in the CCG guidance published in January 2020, which recommends that at risk patients should be encouraged to maintain their vitamin D levels by self-purchasing appropriate over-the-counter supplementation. The guidance includes a patient information leaflet.

Public Health England has issued guidance on new evidence about the relationship between excess weight and COVID-19 which suggests that supporting people to move towards and maintain a healthier weight may reduce the serious effects of COVID-19 on the population. Further information is in this government press release.

SENDIASS Gloucestershire provides information, advice and support on matters relating to children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The service is offered to parents and carers of children and young people aged between 0 and 25 years old.

SENDIASS provides free, confidential, impartial advice and helps parents play an active and informed role in their child’s education.

They've created new leaflets for:

• What is an IAS service?
• Confidentiality
• EHC needs assessment
• EHC plans
• Personal Budgets
• The Local Offer

For other resources, visit their website here.

Our Changing World report has been launched here.  Arising from the findings outlined in the report, Barnwood Trust have drafted a number of recommendations to support disabled people and people with mental health challenges in both the short-term and in the event of a future pandemic.

You can find the following documents below:

• The report, Our Changing World
• The Executive Summary and Recommendations
• Compiled Case Studies collected during the mapping exercise
• The World Before Covid-19 for Disabled People and People with Mental Health Challenges, a supplementary document contextualising the experiences of disabled people and people with mental health challenges in Gloucestershire.

If you have any comments, or wish to work alongside Barnwood Trust and partner organisations to action any of the recommendations within the report, contact Barnwood Trust directly. Roz Warden (Head of Research) and/or Georgia Boon (Director of Partnerships).

Inclusion Gloucestershire's Quality Checking Team is expanding and have 4 x new zero hour positions available for Experts with lived experience of Mental ill health, Autism and / or Physical Disability. 

Click here to view the Job Adverts and Application Forms. 

If you have any questions about the roles, contact Becky Benson (Quality Checking Manager) either by email or 07889 213468.

Covid 19 has brought challenges to all of our lives and tested us in ways we may never have imagined. It has been especially hard for carers. The Carers UK report ‘Caring Behind Closed Doors’, as well as carers locally, have told us that lockdown has been really hard. A lack of respite, problems with accessing food and medication, and a huge sense of uncertainty, have all led to carers feeling anxious about the present and the future.

As lockdown eases, many people are able to start going back out into their community. We have heard that some carers are feeling anxious about this. Some are worried about a lack of social distancing in their local community, or some people’s cared for person has a hidden illness that means they don’t have to wear a mask and some carers are worried about how people will react to this. However, some carers may not be anxious at all and are looking forward to returning to the activities they used to enjoy.

We want to hear from carers across Gloucestershire, to find out what would help them feel more confident to engage in activities. What are carers looking forward to doing again and how can the Carers Hub support with this. You can watch this short film and feedback through the survey. It will just take a few minutes to answer and will help understand carers needs in their caring role and the support that could help.

Feedback via this survey. The Hub can send a paper version if you prefer; you can complete over the telephone on 0300 111 9000 or via email. 

The ME Association received a response from from Professor Stephen Powis, National Medical Director, NHS England, to the letter they to express serious concerns about NHS England Guidance on the Management of Post-Covid Fatigue and Post-Covid Fatigue Syndromes. You can read this here.

There are also lots of COVID-19 / Post Viral Fatigue information available as free downloads here.