Letter from Our Chief Operating Officer

Sunderland Care and Support is committed to providing essential services to its customers and it has never been more crucial at this current time as the coronavirus (also known as COVID-19) pandemic continues to spread.

We know that we could not meet these demands without the dedication and commitment of staff like you. We fully acknowledge the additional stressors being faced by each of you, both at work and in your personal lives as a result of the coronavirus and I would like to reassure you that we are doing everything within our power to ensure the health and wellbeing of our employees during this global health crisis.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your continued dedication, co-operation and flexibility during these challenging times, it is very much appreciated.

Best wishes

Graham King

Service Update:

We continue to provide a range of essential services and have seen an increase in calls to our Telecare service and an increase in referrals for Reablement at Home. Staff in these services are working tirelessly to support people in their own homes.

Our Supported Living homes are ensuring the residents they support are complying with Government guidance on social distancing and are supporting customers in creative ways during the ‘Lockdown’ with various in-house activities.

Our Community Equipment Store is delivering a range of equipment to residents in the city enabling people to continue to live independently at home.

Farmborough Court is supporting City Hospitals to maintain its bed capacity during the COVID-19 pandemic by expanding the service and facilitating hospital discharges, freeing up vital bed spaces.

This is a rapidly changing situation and we will continue to act on the latest scientific and clinical advice and issue regular updates.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your continued dedication and share the attached message of thanks from the Rt Hon Matt Hancock MP, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, to those working in social care….

28 March 2020

To my brilliant colleagues in social care,

 

The last few weeks have been difficult for all of us. I am acutely conscious that you, along with colleagues across the health and social care system, are on the front line caring for and supporting people in incredibly challenging circumstances. Many of the people you care for will be in groups that are at higher risk from Covid-19 and I know that you will have naturally felt concerned for them. At the same time, you will have been grappling with the same issues we all face: how we can best keep ourselves and our loved ones healthy, juggling our own personal caring responsibilities, and looking out for our friends, our neighbours and communities.

 

My main message to you is simple: thank you.

 

Thank you for going the extra mile to make sure the people who rely on you are supported. Thank you in advance for the difficult decisions you will have to make that will keep as many people as possible safe. Thank you for taking on extra shifts to cover for those who need to isolate or have their own caring responsibilities. Thank you for doing the right thing by isolating if you or somebody you live with has symptoms. Thank you for everything you are doing this week, next week and in the months to come.

 

We face more difficult times ahead and I know you will have been personally impacted by the measures we have had to take to reduce the spread of Covid-19. Whilst many people are now staying at home, I know that is not an option for most of you as your work, caring for others, cannot be done from home. We will do all we can to make your lives easier during this period, including, for example, making parking on council owned on-street spaces and car parks free for those who work in social care.

 

The Government is releasing advice and information updates daily and we are working round the clock to make sure you and your employer have the information, equipment and resources you need. For those of you that use Twitter, please follow the Department for Health and Social Care (@DHSCgovuk) for the latest information. We will also make it available through other channels. I also want to reiterate what the Chancellor has said: we are committed to doing whatever is needed; that promise applies just as much to social care as it does for the NHS.

 

Thank you again for everything you do.

 

Yours ever,

MATT HANCOCK