Updates on Coronavirus (Covid-19)
We are all currently experiencing extraordinary daily changes to our lives in response to the serious and concerning global issue of Coronavirus.
As a provider of health and social care services, Together has been working with all of its stakeholders to ensure that we are responding in the most effective way possible to safeguard our service users, staff and volunteers. We are actively responding to all of the relevant public health advice and putting measures in place to play our role in combatting Coronavirus.
We have service continuity plans in place which are updated regularly in response to advice and guidance from central government and from agencies such as the Care Quality Commission. Our frontline managers are in contact with their relevant Local Authorities and NHS Trusts to ensure we are coordinating our efforts at a local level.
Our staff are also supporting people in practical ways to respond to the current situation, for example, with help with their benefits. The following guidance has been announced by the Department of Work & Pensions.
Information for DWP claimants:
The DWP have announced that special arrangements will be in place for:
- People in receipt of benefits who cannot attend reassessments or jobcentre appointments because they are required to stay at home or are infected by coronavirus
- People who need to make a new Universal Credit or ESA claim
- Employees and self-employed sick people who need to claim Statutory Sick Pay and Universal Credit.
You can read more here.
Our senior leadership team continue to monitor and review the latest advice and guidance on a daily basis to ensure the safe operating of our services and that our planning remains relevant.
Supporting the people who use our services
We fully appreciate the potential for all the news and information about Coronavirus to cause increased stress and anxiety for the people we work alongside who already live with mental distress. We also recognise the potential impact on people’s emotional wellbeing should they, for example, be asked to self-isolate. Our resilient and dedicated staff continue to focus their efforts on listening to and supporting our service users as well as their families and friends.
We wanted to share some links to advice and guidance that we have found helpful around how people can manage their mental wellbeing during this time:-
- The World Health Organisation has produced the following guidance https://www.together-uk.org/about-us/our-approach/
- The BBC recently published an article where people share their experiences of the effect the news of the virus has had on their mental health as well as providing tips and coping strategies – https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-51873799
- Some of our fellow mental health charities have produced some very useful guidance including:
