Major incident declared in Bucks

~ BAACA

Dear Resident,

I’m sure you will have heard the good news this morning about the approval of the Oxford vaccine. Whilst this is excellent news for the future, we are currently faced with a rapidly deteriorating situation with regards to our Buckinghamshire health and social care system.

This is a direct result of the situation prior to the introduction of Tier 4 when our number of positive cases were increasing. As we still haven’t yet seen the impact from moving into Tier 4, these numbers have continued to increase swiftly, fuelled by the new, far more transmissible COVID-19 variant.

Figures up to 24 December put the number of cases now up at 514 per 100,000 and current projections are expecting this to increase to closer to 800 per 100,000 by next week. This compares to the current average COVID-19 rate in England of 402.6 per 100,000.

Of greatest concern, this increase is also being seen in our older age groups. Our rate in the over 60s population has gone up by over 60% and this is now putting our health services under very severe pressure, not helped by staff shortages through increasing numbers of positive cases and self-isolation amongst staff. The pressure on the Buckinghamshire NHS is mirrored in surrounding areas.

Taking all of this into account, Buckinghamshire Council, in consultation with NHS partners, has declared a ‘Major Incident’, amid fears the number of COVID-19 cases could overwhelm our local health and social care services. For example, hospitals in Buckinghamshire are already having to postpone or delay non urgent treatment.

I completely understand that most people are continuing to follow the government’s guidance. However, frankly some are not. Also, it would be quite tempting to see the announcement of the new Oxford vaccine as meaning that the pandemic is nearly over and we can relax. It is not over and we certainly cannot relax our behaviours. It’s vital that we all continue to play our part in helping to reduce the transmission of the virus by strictly following the current Tier 4 guidance. I would encourage everyone to stay at home as much as possible and help those who are vulnerable, by offering to collect their shopping and prescriptions etc.

Of course, I realise that many people are struggling during this difficult time; so, if you or someone you know needs support – perhaps with food or finances – then please don’t hesitate to contact one of the support lines below.

  • Helping Hands – Call 01296 531 151 to get support with food and energy bills over winter. The phone line is open Monday to Thursday, 9am to 5:30pm, Friday, 9am to 5pm. In an emergency, please call our out of hours team on 0800 999 7677.
  • Test and Trace Support Payments – If you are asked to self-isolate, you may be entitled to a Test and Trace Support Payment of £500, depending on your personal circumstances. (See the link for full details.)
  • Local Emergency Support – If you live in Buckinghamshire, you may be able to apply for Local Emergency Support. This is intended to cover urgent short-term emergencies (i.e. no immediate food, no heating or lighting) through the use of food banks, food vouchers, and utility meter top-ups. Apply online or call us on 01296 382 414 during office hours. An out of hours service is also available by calling 0800 999 7677.

If you or anyone from your household develops COVID-19 symptoms, it is important to be tested as soon as possible. Call 119 or book a test online. If you or someone in your household is feeling unwell (about anything), call 111 for information and advice or call 999 if it’s an emergency.

If you have a less urgent concern or a minor illness, I’d like to remind you that excellent sources of health advice are also available via the Ask NHS app, NHS 111 online and at your local pharmacy. By using these options for minor health concerns, you can help GP practices ensure that we support patients with the most urgent needs more quickly.

Lots of other health and wellbeing information, including advice on self-care and looking after your mental health, is available via the Buckinghamshire Ready for Winter page.

Vaccinations

Our NHS partners are working hard to get the vaccines rolled out as quickly as possible and we are expecting more local sites to come on stream in the next few weeks. The NHS will be announcing these as soon as possible. You will also be advised when it is your turn to be vaccinated.

We are so close to turning the corner on the control of this horrible pandemic. I am confident that by late spring things should have improved significantly and we can begin to look forward to a return to something nearer normality. However, please don’t let us fall at this final hurdle. There is still time for many vulnerable people to contract COVID-19, with possibly fatal consequences, in this winter period. An overloaded local health system can also endanger the lives of those with other serious health conditions. So, for the coming weeks please, if you can, stay at home, stay safe, and protect Bucks and each other.

Martin Tett
Leader of Buckinghamshire Council

St John’s Bellingdon – Service for 27th December 2020 – Oxford Diocese Church at Home

~ BAACA

Dear all

We hope you had a good Christmas Day and enjoyed the sunshine.

As promised here is the link to the ‘Church at Home’ service for this Sunday from the Diocese of Oxford. It’s on YouTube on the Diocese of Oxford channel with the link

You can find more details at https://www.oxford.anglican.org/coronavirus-covid-19-2/livestream/#tab-id-4 and even find an order of service here.

Th timing is slightly different to normal as it ‘premiers’ at 10.00 which means you can watch from the start at 10.00 and then whenever you want after it finishes.

We should be back on 03 January with a service from Bellingdon.

With prayers and best wishes to you all ,Take care

Tim and Fionnagh

St John’s Bellingdon – Christmas Day Service 25th December 2020

~ BAACA

Dear all

It’s time to upload our Christmas Day service for St John’s Bellingdon onto YouTube.

The psalm is 98 and the readings are Hebrews 1:1-4 and John 1:1-14 and they are ready by Fionnagh. I’m leading the intercessions.

It is on the Parish YouTube channel as usual – and this link should take you there https://youtu.be/gQNX8x5c_2U

As usual the service is available after 09.45 tomorrow when it goes public (and live)!

If I seem amused at the start that’s because it was really cold and in the sunlight we could both see our breath (and that was in the church!)

For the 27th I’ll send the link to the service for the Diocese and then we’ll be back on 3rd January with our annual look at the Wise Men! Our next service in the church building should be 10th January when we’ll celebrate ‘Plough Sunday’!

With prayers and best wishes to you all at this really challenging time! Take care

Tim and Fionnagh

Huge Farm Christmas Carols

~ BAACA

Slightly differently this year, the Christmas Eve Carol Service usually held at Huge Farm has been pre-recorded and will go live at 4pm on Christmas Eve.

You can find the video here: https://youtu.be/L67Yx6i-_g0

There will be carols and readings by a few brave souls who have volunteered (or been volunteered in some cases) to pre-record their reading.

Please do join us at 4pm on Christmas Eve (unfortunately you’ll have to bring your own mince pies and mulled wine!)

Update from Martin Tett, Leader of Buckinghamshire Council

~ BAACA

Dear Resident

You will almost certainly have seen, heard or read about Saturday’s announcement by the Prime Minister that Buckinghamshire has been placed under even tighter ‘Tier 4’ restrictions, along with many other parts of east and south east England. These new rules took effect at one minute past midnight yesterday morning and replace the Tier 3 restrictions we previously had been put into.

These new rules for Buckinghamshire also mean that, very sadly, ‘Christmas bubbles’ are now not allowed and people in Bucks should spend Christmas within their own household or support bubble only. Non-essential retail is also closed.

This development is a shock to us all and is certainly a nasty sting in the tail at the end of a terrible year. Frankly, I did not expect this, although the figures I see regularly were clearly heading in the wrong direction across the whole council area, in all former District Council areas. I had thought that we might have additional restrictions after Christmas but did not expect the problem to escalate so rapidly. It’s clear that the pandemic has, unfortunately, entered a new phase especially due to the risk posed by the new variant strain of the COVID-19 virus, which government scientists tell us makes the coronavirus spread more easily.

Because we have seen the number of cases in Buckinghamshire increase rapidly in recent weeks, the situation is one of urgency as we try to contain the spread of the virus. You can see our latest data on the Council’s website via our COVID-19 dashboard and via information published by the Government. The Government also has an interactive map where you can find the latest case numbers in your postcode area.

I am aware from emails I receive that some people are not supportive of the new Tier 4 restrictions. I fully understand that. Personally, I am very concerned for our Buckinghamshire businesses and the real threat to their future and the jobs they create. Nevertheless, whatever one’s own private opinions, this is now the law and we should follow the new rules. If we do not, we risk spreading the new Covid strain further across the UK.

On a positive note, this past week saw our first vaccination centre open and next week should hopefully see two more open. I am also expecting more sites either before or just after New Year. These are run by the NHS and they will contact people to advise them when and where to attend. Please wait to be contacted, although I understand that can be frustrating. 2020 has been a horrible year but there is hope on the horizon and we need to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe until then.

The new ‘Tier 4’ rules for Buckinghamshire

These are the main rules now in place. Please carefully read the link at the bottom which gives the full Government advice.

·         You must stay at home other than for the following essential reasons:

§  Exercise with people you live with or who are in your support bubble

§  Shopping for essential supplies like food and medicine

§  Work and volunteering that you cannot do at home

§  Education during term time and childcare

§  To visit some public outdoor spaces such as parks and the countryside for exercise or recreation

§  Medical reasons, including to get a COVID-19 test if you have symptoms

§  Communal worship within the guidelines for places of worship

§  For one person to meet one other person separately in a permitted outdoor place

·         You should work from home if possible and in agreement with your employer

·         You should not travel outside your Tier 4 area unless for work or another legally permitted reason

·         You cannot stay away from home unless permitted by law

·         You cannot form a ‘Christmas bubble’ and must spend Christmas within your own household or support bubble

·         Non-essential retail is closed

·         Pubs, cafes, bars and restaurants are closed other than for takeaway/click and collect

·         Leisure centres and gyms must close; outdoor gyms can remain open

·         Hotels and other accommodation must close

·         Personal care like hairdressers, barbers and nail salons must close

·         Community Centres and halls must close except for a limited number of exempt activities

·         Our libraries will close from now and over Christmas and some sites will reopen from Monday 28 Dec for essential IT access and click and collect services only

·         Household Recycling Centres remain open

This is a short summary of the main points of the Tier 4 restrictions but it’s impossible to include all the detail plus the exemptions, so please read the Tier 4 guidance in full on the Government’s website.

Remember – Hands, Face, Space

We must all remember the main defences we have against this virus are the basics:

·         Wash your hands thoroughly and regularly

·         Keep a distance from people you don’t live with or who you’re not in a support bubble with

·         Wear a face covering where required

If you or anyone you live with develops symptoms of coronavirus your whole household must isolate and anyone with symptoms must book a test either online, via the NHS COVID-19 app or by calling 119.

Outdoor events

Unfortunately, any planned outdoor events such as carol singing should not take place in Buckinghamshire and should be cancelled, as these aren’t classed as a ‘reasonable reason’ to leave home in a Tier 4 area.

Support for businesses

I know this news brings fresh misery for our local businesses already struggling after this awful year. Government support remains available via the furlough and other schemes. Locally we offer the Local Restrictions Support Grant. In addition, we have been urgently working over the weekend on a new scheme to support businesses impacted by the changes and hope to release details within the next few days. The finances available for this are limited but our aim is to support as many businesses as possible impacted by the new restrictions. Please keep checking the ‘support for businesses’ section of our website and the information for businesses on the Government’s website. (Please note some of these pages are still being updated to reflect the new Tier 4 restrictions, so please keep checking back for the latest information).

People who are Clinically Extremely Vulnerable

The ‘shielding’ programme will come back into effect for areas in Tier 4, including Buckinghamshire. This means there is special advice for people who are classed as ‘Clinically Extremely Vulnerable’. This is the same advice as was applied during the national November lockdown. Please note, the guidance is not the same as it was back in the spring during the first lockdown. As before, people who are Clinically Extremely Vulnerable will get letters and texts and emails where the national programme has their contact details. Please call us on 01296 395 000 if you have any questions about the ‘shielding’ programme.

Our NHS

Our colleagues in the NHS are facing high demand on their services now, caused by the usual winter illnesses and rising COVID cases. These services are there for you if you need them urgently and the best thing we can do to support our frontline workers is to stay at home and reduce the spread of the virus.

Stay safe, protect Bucks

At the end of an incredibly difficult year, these latest developments hurt us all, especially with so many of us now having to change plans for Christmas at the last minute. It is undoubtedly a testing time and if you’re struggling, please reach out as our local support services are ready to help. You can find out more via the ‘Health and Wellbeing Bucks’ website which has details of all the organisations that can help you if you need.  

This makes us all feel more vulnerable and comes at a difficult time of year for many so let’s check in on each other in a safe way, maybe just by picking up the phone or dropping our friends and neighbours a text message to see if they’re ok and whether they need anything.

I am so proud of our strong communities here in Buckinghamshire and my main message today is to remember those strengths, and how much stronger we are together. If we all take collective responsibility, following the rules as individuals, we can turn this situation around together. I know it’s hard, but this year is nearly behind us and while we face a very serious immediate challenge in the present, the future will be better and we will get through this.

Stay at home, stay safe, and protect Bucks and each other,

Martin Tett,

Leader, 

Buckinghamshire Council