Southport Morrisons partners with Brunlees Court McCarthy & Stone to provide next-day doorstep delivery service

MORRISONS has partnered with McCarthy and Stone, the UK's leading developer and manager of retirement communities, to extend its doorstep food delivery service to its homeowners. Following a successful trial, McCarthy and Stone's 441 communities, including Brunlees Court can now order their groceries over the phone using Morrisons dedicated telesales line. Once placed by Brunlees Court residents, orders are then sent to their local Morrisons store in Southport where the items are picked from shelves and hand delivered by a Morrisons colleague the next day.  Residents are able to check their delivery and then pay on receipt. With their 1st order, McCarthy and Stone residents will also receive a complimentary bunch of flowers.

Morrisons Southport Community Champion; the colleague tasked with serving the community; will regularly fulfil the food orders and deliver to the development. The aim is that Morrisons Community Champions will build connections with those in need of help, learn their preferences and support their independence. Working in partnership with the on-site House or Estate Manager, each Community Champion will be fostering a strong support network and even friendships. Morrisons doorstep delivery services provide a lifeline for those who are most in need of help at this time. The partnership will enable Morrisons to deliver groceries to over 20,000 older people, some of whom don't have the technology or aren't able to order groceries online.

Anna Lane, Local Director at Morrisons, said:- "We launched our doorstep service for those who were vulnerable and shielding in the early stages of the pandemic. Customers have since told us it's been a vital service and that's why we're extending the service to new communities such as McCarthy and Stone's homeowners."

David Searle, Managing Director of Services at McCarthy and Stone said:- "The Morrisons doorstep delivery service allows our homeowners to independently get the groceries they need in a simple, convenient way. We plan to build even stronger retirement communities with the support of local Morrisons Community Champions and continue to offer a great place to live, for the life you want to live."

Mrs Elsie Burrell, who was part of the trial at McCarthy and Stone's Oaktree Court development in Tenterden said:- "Morrisons doorstep delivery is such a great service. I am thrilled and can't thank them enough; it has given me more independence. A big thank you to Claire and Tracy who delivered the shopping, they were absolute stars and so helpful. I'm sure we will see their friendly faces again!"

Residents in all of McCarthy and Stone's 441 developments are able to use the Morrisons doorstep delivery service now.

Get tested at new Coronavirus local testing site in Knowsley

A walk through Coronavirus testing facility has opened at Huyton Car Park, in Knowsley, as part of the Government's UK wide drive to improve the accessibility of Coronavirus testing for communities. Anyone with Coronavirus symptoms, however mild, can get a free swab test that takes less than a minute. Tests should be booked or ordered as soon as symptoms begin at:- NHS.UK or by calling:- 119 and you can expect your result the next day.  Essential workers and members of their households can access priority testing at:- Gov.UK.

The site is easily accessible without a car. Those being tested will be required to follow public health measures, including:- social distancing, not travelling by Taxi or public transport, practising good personal hygiene and wearing a face covering throughout (including:- travelling to and from the testing centre). Anyone attending an appointment at a walk-through testing will be provided with guidance on getting to and from the test site safely. Testing at the new site started on Friday, 11 September 202, with testing is available for everyone, with additional support for vulnerable groups and people with disabilities.  The site is part of the largest network of diagnostic testing facilities created in British history, including:- 74 drive through sites, 81 walk through sites, 236 mobile units, home testing and satellite kits and 5 laboratories.

Anyone testing positive for the virus in England will be contacted by NHS Test and Trace to help them track their contacts. This will help people to identify who they may have been in close contact with, protecting others from further transmission.  Close contacts of those testing positive will also hear from NHS Test and Trace, advising them to stay at home for 14 days to prevent them from unknowingly spreading the virus. They will be advised to also book at test if they develop symptoms. Health Minister Lord Bethell said:- "Testing is proving an effective way to contain the virus so we are scaling testing capacity and walk through centres to make it even easier for everyone to get a free Coronavirus test. Our NHS Test and Trace service will contact you if you test positive or if you have been in close contact with someone who has the virus. I urge anyone with symptoms to book a test today, and anyone contacted by NHS Test and Trace to follow their advice to protect those around them from the virus."

Baroness Dido Harding, Interim Executive Chair of the National Institute for Health Protection, said:- "Getting a test is now faster and easier than ever. Local sites will mean anyone who has symptoms can get a free test quickly to find out whether they have the virus and need to stay at home, or can safely return to work and get back to the things they love. Over 95% of people will get their results the next day, and anyone who tests positive will be contacted by NHS Test and Trace to help to prevent the spread of the virus."

The testing centre is being operated in partnership with G4S, and will offer self administered tests.  Gordon Brockington, G4S Director said:- "We are proud of our important role in setting up and managing this Covid-19 testing site, and other similar sites across the UK. It has been inspiring to see the enthusiasm of our employees to step up and support the government, our health services and the public during this crisis."

Social Care's Digital Transformation

CARE England, the largest representative body for independent providers of adult social care, has embraced social care's digital transformation. Professor Martin Green OBE, Chief Executive of Care England, says:- "The provision of care centres around the individual and any measure that can help deliver better outcomes for people accessing health and social care needs to be embraced. For a real digital transformation in care it is essential that there is an equal partnership between care and health organisations which should be supported equally by NHS resources, be they financial or skills based."

On 8 September 2020, Care England hosted a webinar with Matthew Gould, Chief Executive of NHSX, to explore the power of social care's digital transformation. In its response to COVID-19 the sector has rapidly deployed digital technologies which in turn have brought about changes to work practices and new models of healthcare. The webinar explored how the focus of digital technologies could be sustained beyond the pandemic and become embedded in the fabric of health and social care.

Care England outlined the focus of digital transformation in terms of:-

► Creating value and better outcomes for individuals.

► Creating value for the health and care system as a whole.

► Creating value for care providers themselves.

► Creating value in greater safety and less risk.

Martin Green continues:- "This event crystallised Care England's willingness to support digital developments and maturity in the adult social care sector. We were very heartened that Matthew Gould was so engaged and really understood the sector, there are a number of actions we can work on together in order to ensure that the barriers in digital maturity are knocked down."

Sefton Environmental Health Team to visit beauty salon

SEFTON Council's Environmental Health team will be visiting a Bootle beauty salon claiming it is flouting required Coronavirus safety regulations to ensure that the measures to protect the business's customers and employees from the virus are in place. Environmental Health Officers were made aware that the business has been claiming in a poster that masks are not being worn at the salon despite rules requiring staff to wear surgical face masks and visors to limit the spread of the disease. The poster also denies the existence of COPVID-19, which has been the cause of death for over 1,000 people in Merseyside Hospitals, and bans mention of the pandemic.

Cllr Paulette Lappin Sefton Council's Cabinet Member for Regulatory, Compliance and Corporate Services said:- "Once our Environmental Health team was made aware of this disappointing situation, we contacted the owner of the company and have arranged a visit today. We will be meeting with the owner on Wednesday morning. If the situation cannot be resolved satisfactorily during this meeting, and we are not satisfied that measures to keep customers and staff safe are in place, we will consider taking formal enforcement action."

Merseyside Police Officers will be attending the salon to speak to the staff and owner to make sure they are aware of their responsibilities. Sefton Council is reminding local businesses and their customers of the importance of following the Government's COVID-19 guidance, which includes the distancing, cleaning and face covering measures required to help keep clients and staff safe. For customers, this means following any of the measures in place for their protection and making sure they provide any Test and Trace information requested on arrival.

Cllr Ian Moncur, Sefton Council's Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing, said:- "As well as protecting individual businesses and their customers, these measures are there to support the whole economy by helping to reduce the possibility of a wider COVID-19 outbreak and the potential need to introduce local restrictions, which would have a negative effect on everyone."

Sefton Community Policing Superintendent Graeme Robson said:- "My officers will be visiting the salon to speak to the staff and manager and reminding them of their continued responsibilities around Covid-19 and the safety and wellbeing of their staff and customers. We will also be linking in with colleagues in the Environmental Health team at Sefton Council. We continue to remind the public and our local businesses that they should be continuing to follow the current Government guidance around social distancing, face coverings and Test and Trace."

Sefton Council's Environmental Health team has been working with businesses across the Borough to help them put in place the measures needed to keep employees and customers safe.