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Somerset Health and Wellbeing Advisory Network
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Cases of flu have climbed quickly in the past week, indicating that the season has started earlier than normal.
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How to book your NHS Flu Vaccination:
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Those who are eligible for the NHS free flu jab can be vaccinated via their Community Pharmacy or GP Surgery.
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Those that are eligible may have received a letter from their GP about getting the flu jab and should follow the instructions outlined on that letter. If an individual has not yet heard from their GP surgery regarding the flu jab and they are eligible for a free flu jab, then please help them to book at a local pharmacy.
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How to book your NHS Covid-19 Autumn Booster:
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Appointments are available to people aged 50 and over, pregnant women, clinically vulnerable / immunosuppressed individuals, health and social care workers and paid and unpaid carers. Anyone who falls into these groups are able to book now online or by calling 119. Calls to 119 are free from mobiles and landlines. 119 provides support in 200 languages.
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Please look out for older relatives, friends and neighbours who may need help and support to book their vaccination appointments.
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Reminder for People Working or Living with Individuals on the Learning Disability (LD) Register
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All those working or living with individuals who are listed on the LD register, as well as frontline health and social care workers and paid and unpaid carers have a right to access the Covid-19 Autumn booster vaccination as a priority group.
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Everyone on the doctors learning disability register will be invited to have their coronavirus vaccination if they haven’t already had it. NHS England » Improving health
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Appointments can be made by calling 119 or booking online through the National Booking Service. The vaccine is free to those eligible and it’s easy to book by selecting “Yes, I am a frontline social care worker”. Those eligible just need to self-declare when booking their appointment and will not be required to bring along evidence to the appointment.
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Public Health Film
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This week Clinton Rogers looks ahead to how we can stay warm this winter. He speaks to Kate Thomas from the Centre for Sustainable Energy about the support they offer, including giving advice and offering grants to those who need to make changes to their homes.
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Clinton hears from Public Health Consultant, Alice Munro about the health dangers that cold weather brings, and why it is so important for people to stay warm during the winter months. He also visits St George's Church in Taunton to hear about how they are providing a warm space within their local community.
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Support for the Cost-of-Living crisis this Winter
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Somerset County Council are providing a wide-ranging package of support to help Somerset people deal with the impacts of the Cost-of-Living crisis this winter. Support includes financial assistance with food and energy bills through the Household Support Fund, a ‘Warm Welcome’ network of venues where people can find warmth and company, as well as targeted support for clinically vulnerable people in cold homes.
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This funding will be used to provide food vouchers worth £10 a week to children eligible for Free School Meals during the school holidays and enable people to apply for support with a range of urgent essentials including fuel, food, and white goods.
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Somerset County Council has contributed to the Somerset Community Foundation’s Cost of Living Crisis Appeal fund which will be used to support food resilience, energy projects and the ‘Warm Welcome’ network. Somerset West and Taunton Council, Sedgemoor District Council, South Somerset District Council and Mendip District Council have also contributed to the SCF Cost of Living Crisis Appeal.
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The Warm Welcome initiative is a network of venues that will offer an inviting place for people to keep warm. These venues will offer optional activities, or a place to get some work or homework done, or even just see a friendly face for a chat.
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Spark Somerset is being funded to develop the programme and build a framework, identify appropriate spaces and co-ordinate the project moving forward. Somerset Libraries will be open as usual to offer a warm and welcoming space to all. Once all of the warm spaces have been confirmed, a public map will be made available.
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Spark Somerset will also be supporting food resilience in the county as part of this work, meanwhile a map of all foodbanks, pantries, and food cupboards in Somerset is being developed which will be made publicly available.
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Funding has been provided from Somerset County Council’s Clinically Extremely Vulnerable (CEV) Grant which means that in addition to delivery of their standard offer, CSE will also take on targeted outreach to clinically vulnerable people in cold homes and help arrange the installation of insulation and heating measures to improve the energy efficiency of low income or low EPC-rated homes.
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Money is also being used to fund Open Mental Health to provide targeted face-to-face help at home for approximately 500 older adults in need of mental health support.
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To make an application to the Household Support Fund, please visit: Somerset County Council | Login or Register (aurigaapp.org). If you need help to apply, please phone Somerset County Council on 0300 123 2224. People who applied to previous rounds of the Household Support Fund are welcome to apply again in this round of funding.
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Occupational Therapy Week 7 - 13 November
To celebrate national Occupational Therapy Week, Somerset County Council are holding a TEC Come and Try Event at the new Shepton Mallet Independent Living Centre (SILC) on Thursday 10 November 2022 from 10am – 4pm (Mendip District Council Offices, Cannards Grave Road, Shepton Mallet, Somerset, BA4 5BT).
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The drop in event will give people the opportunity to get ‘hands on’ with technology from TEC providers who will be providing demonstrations on the day. The session is aimed at people working in the health and social care sector, not the general public at this stage.
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We are asking people to book in for an hour slot for participation in to ensure everyone has the opportunity to try the equipment and spend time talking to SILC colleagues as well as the technology providers who will be there on the day. You will also be able to look around the ILC if you have never visited before.
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We want to hear from you
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Your feedback is valuable to us and we'd like to receive more from you and your communities. Information on issues you are spotting locally will help us to reduce barriers to accessing healthcare. Use the button below to give us your details and we'll give you a call back.
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Local Helplines
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Mendip District Council call 0300 303 8588
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Sedgemoor District Council call 0300 303 7800
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South Somerset District Council call 01935 462462
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Somerset West and Taunton Council call 0300 304 8000
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Somerset County Council call 0300 123 22224
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Resources and Further Information:
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You have received this Health and Wellbeing newsletter from Somerset County Council as you are currently part of the Health and Wellbeing Advisory Network. If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter, click here to unsubscribe
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