Healthwatch staff have been pivotal in LifeLine’s response via BD CAN – co-ordinating the vital provision of food and medicines to those who are shielding, vulnerable or self-isolating. The team have moved from the usual face-to-face public engagement work to focus on engagement through various online and remote platforms as well as providing vital local health information to residents by:
- Keeping the public updated with the latest advice, including access to healthcare services and medicines, via healthwatch.bd on FaceBook and @healthwatchbd on Twitter, and of course, our website.
- Sending out updates to our members.
- Answering phone calls from the public and signposting them to relevant up-to-date information during the crisis.
For example, if people can’t get their regular medication, the NE London Pharmaceutical Committee has set up a dedicated COVID-19 email account to respond to all issues relating to COVID-19 and community pharmacy services. All COVID-19 related issues will be prioritised to be dealt with as a matter of urgency. This includes where people might not get all their medications when they pick up their prescriptions. Please share with your networks! They can be contacted at [email protected]. - Continuing to receive feedback from the local community–by phone, social media and email–and are asking a series of important questions to everyone who contacts us to see if they’re getting all the support they need.
- And last–but certainly not least–the team is taking part in the Coronavirus task force locally and is phoning those who are lonely, frightened, or just needing a friendly chat. If you want to get in touch, you can do so by going to the BD CAN website or by phoning 0800 298 5331.
