News reports located on this page = 4.

What will Dental Practices after they open again?

ENGLAND'S Dental Practice s will be among the most sterile environments in the country when they reopen in line with the latest Government guidelines, from Monday, 8 June 2020. From temperature screening to cleansing mouthwashes, patients will notice significant differences to their usual Dentist experience since COVID-19, all specifically made to minimise the risk of spreading the virus. Dentists hope the measures will help reduce the concern of almost a ⅓ of Brits who expressed a reluctance to return to their Dentist post lockdown, according to research from leading dental group, Portman Dental Care.

Catherine Tannahill, director of clinical Dentistry at Portman Dental Care, which has more than 130 Practice s across the UK, said:- "As practitioners we want to reassure patients that a trip to the Dentist in the new normal will mean they will be visiting one of the safest environments in the UK. While our research shows some people are nervous to return, it's vital as a profession that we reopen and provide treatments once again to those in need, to help curb any potential dental health crisis in the future, such as a spike in oral cancer, one of the UK's biggest causes of cancer related deaths. The patient journey from the 8 June will be different, to ensure everyone's safety, but the care and professionalism from our dental practitioners will continue to be exemplary. In order to help combat any nervousness and uncertainty around returning to dental Practices we want to clearly explain what this new patient journey is likely to look like across the majority of UK Practice, including all of our own, that way people know 1st hand what to expect, how to prepare and understand that it is safe. The virtual or remote consultations we have become accustomed to will continue even after reopening to aid convenience and reduce the need for contact in a surgery, with those in need of treatment then invited into Practice. All patients in need of treatment will be called and briefed on the new procedures in place and details of their appointment before visiting the Practice. They may also be asked to complete and return a new medical history form digitally ahead of their appointment. It is also crucial that people come to the Practice alone where possible, with the exception of young children and those with carers, and that they bring as minimal personal belongings with them as possible. The Practice doors will only be open to those with an appointment at the corresponding time, in order to stop people gathering in the waiting rooms. Therefore, patients will need to call the Practice upon their arrival and either wait in their car or stand outside, practicing the social distancing recommendations, until a member of the team calls them to tell them to enter the Practice. Before entering the Practice, the patient's temperature will be screened, which is something all colleagues will also undergo each day. This is to check whether they have a fever, and anyone with a temperature below 37.5 degrees will then be invited in. For safety, those with a temperature above this will be asked to rearrange their appointment. Once inside, receptionists will be sat behind plastic screens and the patient will be asked to sanitise their hands and put on a facemask. As Dentists we obviously can't carry out social distancing when performing routine check ups and treatments, so the teams will be in full Personal Protective Equipment. In our Portman Dental Care Practices, we have also decided to further invest in state of the art air purifying technology, which will continuously clean the air and eliminates 99.99% of airborne viruses. Once the appointment is complete, patients will need to wash their hands and replace their facemask, before returning to the reception, where they will dispose of their mask in a designated bin. The treatment room and other key surfaces will then be fully cleaned and disinfected. This means that there will be longer time periods between patients, and so Practice s will be seeing a reduced number of patients each day. Before, a private Dentist may have seen up to 21 patients per day, but post lockdown this may reduce to as little as 8. Dentists are likely to begin working longer hours to accommodate the backlog of patients, but there will be a priority for appointments in the 1st instance, with those who are vulnerable, those in need of urgent dental care or those in need of continued routine dental treatment getting first priority."

According to the research from Portman Dental Care, only 28% of people say they will feel comfortable enough to return to their Dentist right away post lockdown, with a third stating they will wait a couple of months or so and one in ten even claiming they will wait a year or more. Patients in London (44%) and those aged 18 to 34 (51%) are the most hesitant to return, while those in the East Midlands and Scotland are most likely to wait more than a year to return. Catherine continued:- "We understand that people might be nervous about returning to their Dentists, as similarly to the hairdressers, social distancing simply isn't possible between clinician and patient, but it is concerning to see through our research that so many people are hesitant to return and some may even wait months before visiting.  As with many other services, we are no longer in a place of business as usual, and so Dentists have been working tirelessly behind the scenes over the past few months to restructure the way in which we carry out check ups and treatments in order to help keep people safe and ensure the patient experience is as seamless as possible. Hopefully this outline shows everyone that Practice s are safe, but if people need further information, we have also created a full breakdown of what a new patient journey will look like in dental Practices post lockdown, which you can view online."

LGA Responds to Children's Society report

RESPONDING to the Children's Society report which found long term and sustained cuts to local emergency support schemes are leaving families, especially those affected by Coronavirus, with nowhere to turn in a financial crisis, Cllr Richard Watts, Chair of the LGA's Resources Board, said:- "Councils are best placed to understand and respond to the challenges faced by their communities and we continue to highlight the vital role of the local safety net in providing timely, targeted and effective support to households at risk of financial hardship. Despite the financial challenges they themselves have faced during the Coronavirus pandemic, Councils have rapidly expanded existing support to the meet the needs of low income households who are struggling financially, or who have become economically vulnerable. The impacts of the current crisis are likely to be felt in our communities for some time to come. It is therefore vital that Councils have the tools they need to ensure that all of our diverse communities have the best possible chance of contributing to and benefiting from economic recovery. Many Councils will find it hard to sustain the levels of support that people are likely to need without additional funding. With the right funding and flexibilities, Councils can better support low income and disadvantaged households, lift thousands out of poverty and help the Government realise its commitment to level up communities across the country."

'Beat the Boredom' with the British Heart Foundation

THE British Heart Foundation (BHF) is encouraging the nation to 'Beat the Boredom' and get fundraising to support the charity's vital work while at home this summer. For those of us missing seeing friends and family in person, the BHF is encouraging people to get together virtually by hosting a quiz, a talent show or even a grand night in with your nearest and dearest. The charity says the virtual meetups will help keep those fed-up feelings at bay while raising funds for vital research. It's simple to take part; just download the how to guides and start planning your virtual event.

During this Coronavirus crisis, the BHF has been working tirelessly to support people with heart and circulatory diseases by providing vital information via its dedicated Heart Helpline and an online Coronavirus hub. But with the pandemic costing the charity around £10 million a month, it is now urging the public to #BackTheBHF and help the 7.4 million people in the UK living with heart and circulatory diseases including coronary heart disease, stroke and vascular dementia. Research suggests that people with these conditions are at higher risk from Covid-19.

Chrish Perera, Head of Community Fundraising at the BHF, said:- "We're all looking for different ways to 'Beat the Boredom' so why not host a virtual quiz, talent show or grand night in. Download our how to guides for tips and stay connected with your families and friends by hosting a virtual fundraiser to #BackTheBHF. Every penny will go towards helping us support those across the UK living with heart and circulatory conditions."

So how can you get involved and help to raise funds?

Host your own Talent Show... Show off your newly harnessed lockdown skills, party tricks or your secret hidden talents by gathering your family and friends together for a fun filled talent show. From dancing, poetry or your very own cute pet show, you never know who will surprise you with their new found talents.

Virtual Quiz Night... Do you know your Olympic winners from your Oscar winners? Quiz nights are an absolute winner when it comes to fundraising so put your knowledge to the test with our virtual quiz guide. We've put some quiz questions together for you or why not get creative and make up your own?

Grand night in... Get your friends and family together for an unforgettable night indoors. Put together a list of fun activities and start planning. Anything goes, so why not think big with a club night and karaoke? Or keep it simple with bingo or a book club. All the fun of going out but from the comfort of your own home.

More people than ever now need the British Heart Foundation's (BHF) support to provide vital information and patient services. Without support from you, the BHF can't be there in their time of need. Let's beat heartbreak together; set up your fundraising page today by visiting:- BHF.Org.UK.

Arrests and drugs seizures in Southport and Lancashire

MERSEYSIDE Police have arrested 2 men and recovered cannabis during 2 days of Policing activity, in both Southport and Ormskirk. Cannabis was recovered from 4 addresses after 6 warrants were executed by Officers from the Targeted Team and Community Officers, supported by Officers from Lancashire Police. On Thursday, 28 May 2020, 3 warrants were carried out in Southport, with a further warrant in Southport and 2 in Ormskirk, on Friday, 29 May 2020. A 23 year old male, from Birkdale, was arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply cannabis after a stop check on Canning Road, Southport, and a 37 year old male, from Ormskirk, was also arrested on suspicion of driving offences. Inspector Graham Fisher said:- "Our efforts to tackle and disrupt criminals involved in serious and organised crime continue. This activity should serve as a wake up call to anyone engaging in the storing and selling of illegal drugs; we will stop you in the street and turn up on your doorstep if we suspect you are involved. We know that offenders cross county borders to deal drugs and our work alongside other forces, such as Lancashire Police, to search homes and make arrests so that geography is no obstacle to the pursuit of justice." Anyone with information on drug dealing in their area is asked to contact Merseyside Police social media desk via Twitter or Facebook:- 'Merseyside Police Contact Centre.' You can also call 101 or contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously, on:- 0800 555 111 or via their online form.