Theme of the Month: Winter Pressures

Q&A with Tracey Macready, Hospital To Home Team Member in Warwickshire Fire & Rescue Service

We work with the NHS by transporting vulnerable people from hospital to home. The hospitals we work in partnership with are Warwick, George Eliot, and University Hospitals Coventry & Warwickshire. As part of this service we carry out a ‘Safe and Well Check’ on the home and the individual. This involves looking for fire hazards and potential fire risks such as overloaded sockets, smoking, candle use, equipment recalls, slip hazards, how many falls they may have had, heating sources, and the person’s wellbeing.

We also liaise with many agencies across Warwickshire if we feel a referral is needed for further support. This could involve hoarding issues, self-neglect, an urgent need for adult social care input, benefits checks, support around meal preparation, fuel poverty, and loneliness to name a few. For example we often liaise and refer people to Warwick District Council’s Lifeline Services; to Housing Teams if we take someone home to unsuitable accommodation; or to the HEART Team if they need occupational therapy support (e.g. if they require grab rails or ramps installed).

Describe a typical day 
Before signing on with Fire Control, we begin by completing safety and equipment checks on the vehicles. We ensure the vehicles are clean and well-stocked. Whilst we await calls to collect a patient from hospital, we ensure all our paperwork and referrals (via email or telephone) are up to date. We receive approximately two to four calls in the daytime, and once at the address we carry out the Safe & Well Check which could take, on average, half an hour. Some take longer depending on the needs of the patient and the discussions we may have about consent to refer to other agencies. At the end of the day, we sign off with Fire Control and ensure the vehicles are clean and fully stocked, ready for the evening shift.

How do you work with town and parish councils?
We have met previously with local Councillors to promote our service and welcome any future opportunities to do so. We also report local issues of concern to Councillors on behalf of our patients.

Can you share any upcoming plans or events?
The Prevention Team is currently looking at ways we can improve how we capture feedback of the service we deliver. This would enable us to improve and build on what we learn and how we work with those most vulnerable in the community.

Can you share something someone wouldn’t expect about your role? 
We ensure that someone not only has smoke detection within their home, but that they actually understand what it would entail if it went off. Would they be able to hear it if they are hard of hearing, would they know what to do, and how would they seek help? We discuss an escape plan with them and the importance of a night-time routine, such as switching off electrics where they can and ensuring a door key is in the same place. We assess for specialist alarms in the case of patients who are hard of hearing.

We will do food shopping if the patient has no one else to support them. We have walked dogs for a patient (a particular favourite of mine!), and we have moved furniture to make a patient’s home environment less of a trip hazard. This is particularly important when they come home with new equipment, such as a wheeled zimmer frame.

What is your favourite aspect of working for Warwickshire County Council? 
I have never known such a supportive environment, where everyone works closely as a team, with the aim of doing what’s right for a person-centred approach.

What would your super-power be?!
It would be fantastic to be able to help everyone at the touch of a button or flick of a switch, to fix everyone, so that there is no one left wanting in this world and that there is no cruelty, no frailty, no suffering.

Useful resources:

To enquire about a Safe and Well Check for yourself or someone you know, please email the Prevention Team at cfs@warwickshire.gov.uk. To make a referral please submit a Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service referral form.

New cost of living grant offers financial support to voluntary and community groups 
Warwickshire County Council (WCC) has launched a grant fund worth £180,000 that will support voluntary and community groups across the county to establish projects that address cost of living pressures.

Warwickshire’s community organisations and groups are at the heart of our county and do exceptional work to support Warwickshire residents. But cost-of-living pressures are placing a significant and growing strain on Warwickshire’s residents, communities and businesses. The Cost of Living Grant has been established to enable voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations and town and parish councils to step forward to establish projects that counteract and address some of these pressures.

Groups are invited to apply for funding of up to £1,000 to support projects or initiatives that focus on one or more of the following criteria:

• Food and other household essentials
• Improving community assets and their sustainability
• Improving access to services
• Improving financial capability
• Improving mental wellbeing
• Tackling social inequalities

Information of eligibility and support on making an application can be found on warwickshire.gov.uk/colgrant

To ensure the funding can be allocated as quickly as possible the deadline for applications is 5pm on Sunday 18 December 2022. Applications will then be evaluated, and successful bids will be allocated funds from 9 January 2023. The WCC Cost of Living Grant was launched at the Warwickshire Cost of Living Summit. The event was co-hosted by WCC and the University of Warwick, in partnership with Warwickshire’s Borough and District Councils. It provided an opportunity for organisations to come together and discuss how they can work together to deliver a collaborative package of support around cost of living pressures.

Cost of Living support 
A new website has been launched as services across Warwickshire work together to help people find the information they need to manage increased household costs. Please share this website link with people in your local communities to spread awareness of the help and support available:
www.costoflivingwarwickshire.co.uk/

Further information about existing support such as help with buying food, paying energy bills, or covering childcare costs, can be found at
www.warwickshire.gov.uk/costofliving.

Local Welfare Scheme
The Warwickshire Local Welfare Scheme helps the most vulnerable residents at times of unavoidable crisis when they have no other means of help.
Residents can contact the Local Welfare Scheme by phone on 0800 408 1448.

Staying safe and well
The pressures posed by increased household costs can lead to worry and anxiety, impacting on physical and mental health. The Council’s winter wellness support offer can be found at www.warwickshire.gov.uk/winterwellness and includes information about health, wellbeing and help for residents who are struggling at the moment. Information about loneliness and social isolation support is also available at www.warwickshire.gov.uk/loneliness.

WCC distributed a Winter Wellness guide to households across the county to further share this information and support. A digital version of the guide is available to download from the ‘Shareable Content’ section of this newsletter.

Keeping Warm
Keeping warm is a vital part of keeping well in the winter particularly for older people, the young and those with chronic illness. Advice and support is available at www.warwickshire.gov.uk/keepwarm. WCC will also be providing new information soon about warm hubs to be set up in libraries, museums and other locations across the county.

Mental Health
There are a range of mental health and wellbeing services and support available across Warwickshire that can help to improve wellbeing during difficult times. Visit www.warwickshire.gov.uk/mentalhealth for more information.

Financial stress can also have a huge impact on our mental health, particularly if it is over a prolonged period. Support for those experiencing stress due to the rising costs of living is available on the County Council website.

If you, or someone you know, is having thoughts of suicide or significant self-harm, help and support is available now at www.dearlife.org.uk where you will find details for crisis support. If there is immediate risk to life, call 999.

Support for your communities

• 3 December at Stratford Library, 12 Henley Street, Stratford-upon-Avon, CV37 6PZ, 10.30am-12.30pm
• 5 December at Arley and St Michaels Community Centre, Gun Hill, Arley, CV7 8HA, 4-6pm

• 7 December at Harbour Centre, 12 Congreve Walk, Bedworth, CV12 8LY, 4-6pm
• 10 December at Rugby Library, Little Elborow St, Rugby, CV21 3BZ, 10am-12pm

The team will be available for questions during the events and provide more details and information about the scheme. There is a continued need for new hosts in the county, so please help to spread the word about these events. If anyone in your town or parish is interested in supporting Ukrainian refugees through the Homes for Ukraine scheme, contact ukraine@warwickshire.gov.uk.

Share your view with The Boundary Commission for England
The Boundary Commission for England is redrawing constituency boundaries in order to rebalance the number of electors represented by each MP, and a final consultation on proposed new constituencies is now open. A new revised map of constituency proposals, which takes into account feedback sent in by the public on the initial proposals, has been published on the consultation website bcereviews.org.uk. Send in your views before the closing date of 5 December to have your say on new parliamentary constituency boundaries.

Families in Warwickshire encouraged to have their say on children and family centres
On behalf of WCC, Place Group Consulting is asking residents to share their views on Warwickshire’s children and family centres to help shape the future of the service. Open until 9 December, the feedback from the survey will help to shape the future service delivery, ensuring that it meets the needs of families in Warwickshire. Please share this survey with families in your area.

Have your say on Warwickshire County Council’s climate change plans
Our new draft Sustainable Futures Strategy establishes the direction and priorities of WCC to reduce carbon emissions, support biodiversity and promote economic growth across the County. It directly addresses the significant challenges of climate change, which poses a direct risk to Warwickshire communities and economy, and declining biodiversity, which impacts on both our wellbeing and economic prosperity.

The online survey has just been launched and will be open until 15 January 2023. To read the Strategy and complete the survey, please go to: https://ask.warwickshire.gov.uk/insights-service/sustainable-futures-strategy

Find out more at www.warwickshire.gov.uk/news/article/3561/help-to-shape-a-sustainable-future-for-warwickshire

Avian Influenza in Warwickshire
Cases of avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 were confirmed in captive birds at a premises near Napton on the Hill in Warwickshire on 22 November 2022. A 3km captive bird (monitoring) controlled zone has been placed around the premises. Owners of captive birds can find out if they are in the 3km zone by visiting the Bird Flu Disease Control Map.

The public is encouraged to report dead wild birds to the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) helpline on 03459 33 55 77. Do not touch or pick up any dead or visibly sick birds that you find. Please share this Avian Flu information with residents in your local communities.

Warwickshire Libraries set to benefit from national Arts Council England funding
WCC’s library service has been successful in a bid to become a National Portfolio Organisation (NPO) in Arts Council England’s funding plans for 2023-26. This means that Warwickshire Libraries will receive up to £630,000 in funding from Arts Council England’s Investment Programme over the next three years to support with cultural and creative programming as well as outreach activities. Find out more on the County Council website.

Let’s Talk Warwickshire podcast launched
WCC has launched a brand new podcast channel called Let’s Talk Warwickshire. The podcast series will be available through Spotify and focus on important issues facing the communities of Warwickshire.

Additional housing support package for Warwickshire residents under the Homes for Ukraine scheme
In recognition of the tremendous support that has been shown to Ukrainian refugees by Warwickshire residents through the Homes for Ukraine scheme over the last six months, WCC has announced it will be implementing an additional housing support package.

The package is aimed to alleviate some of the financial pressures experienced by hosts as a direct result of offering their homes to Ukrainian guests as well as the impact of the cost-of-living crisis. Find out more on the County Council website.

Your support is needed to recruit on-call firefighters
Warwickshire Fire & Rescue Service needs more on-call firefighters to be able to continue to keep communities safe, and need the support of town and parish councils to spread this message to rural areas where on-call cover is needed most.

On-call firefighters like Ian who has shared his story to inspire others, dedicate a number of flexible hours per week where they are available to respond to incidents. To be eligible, candidates must live or work within 5 minutes of an on-call station or be able to do their main job remotely from one of the stations.

Please promote this opportunity through your communications channels as widely as possible. If you require any communications resources, please email fireandrescuecommunications@warwickshire.gov.uk.

Warwickshire Carers welcome the new All Age Carers Wellbeing Service
WCC is thrilled to launch a brand new service, Caring Together Warwickshire for anyone who offers informal care across the county. To kickstart the launch, a new interactive website has gone live, which has been designed for carers, by carers: www.caringtogetherwarwickshire.org.uk/. Find out more on the County Council website.

Solarvision Lighting Technologies expands in Warwickshire
Solarvision Lighting Technologies provides off-grid lighting across the county, and is set to expand in 2023 after receiving support from The WCC Local Community and Enterprise Fund, a pillar of the Warwickshire Recovery Investment Fund. Find out more on the County Council website.

Rangers spread Christmas cheer across Warwickshire Country Parks
Countryside rangers have been busy preparing a packed programme of activities for the winter months, with a feast of Christmas events guaranteed to get the whole family into the festive spirit. Find out more on the County Council website, and please share this information with your local communities.