East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service helping people to stay safe in their homes

A safety drive by East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service aims to help people save safely and keep warm this winter with ideas to save money and help reduce the chances of a fire.

The Service’s ‘Save Safely’ campaign has brought together a number of ideas devised to keep costs down and ensure residents stay as safe as possible.

The safety drive’s advice includes:

  • Close doors. It’s amazing how much heat can disappear out of the door, and by keeping doors shut, you also reduce the chance of fires spreading from room to room.
  • Switch off at night. You may be surprised to hear that energy often isn’t any cheaper at night, so you might not actually save anything by running the washing machine overnight. Before you go to bed, or go out, check the living room, the kitchen, home office, your bedroom and so on and switch off.
  • Beat the energy vampires. Did you know that a phone charger uses power even when it’s not actually charging a phone? There may be a bit of debate over exactly how much you could save by unplugging devices which you aren’t using, but we’re still fans of the suggestion from a safety point of view.

The service’s free Home Safety Visits offer a range of advice on keeping your home warm safely; falls and accident prevention; health and wellbeing; escape route planning and much more. It will also fit free smoke alarms and other specialist equipment when needed.

To find out more call 0800 177 7069 (freephone) or visit the Service’s website.

Podcast explains how you can help ease the pressure on the NHS this winter

As we move into the winter months, the latest NHS Sussex News podcast gives you insight into the service at one of its most challenging times of the year.

On the podcast, Allison Cannon, Chief Nursing Officer for NHS Sussex, outlines how you can play your part in easing the pressures on the service at this time of the year.

Allison’s advice covers the importance of eligible people receiving their COVID-19 and flu vaccines and some of the options available for accessing health care this winter.

Allison also talks about how winter pressures impact on the NHS workforce and explains what you can do to help ease those pressure at this busy time of the year.

The podcast can be heard on NHS Sussex’s website. 

It can also be found on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and Deezer – just search for ‘NHS Sussex News’.

It’s also available to listen to on Alexa smart speakers – to verbally set the command, folk say ‘Alexa, enable NHS Sussex News’, then ‘Alexa, play NHS Sussex News’.

Podcast explains how digital technologies can support patients in their home

How NHS Sussex is embracing digital technology to support people’s health and wellbeing in the comfort of their own home is the topic of the latest NHS Sussex News podcast.

Lisa Emery, the organisation’s Chief Transformation, Innovation and Digital Officer, talks in easy-to-understand terms about the concept of ‘virtual wards’.

Virtual wards are an initiative being rolled out nationally to support patients who are awaiting surgery, recovering from hospitalisation or able to complete treatment outside of hospital to be regularly monitored by a clinical team in the place they call home, using a range of simple technologies.

Lisa also talks about the benefits of the free NHS App, and how it provides simple and secure access to a range of healthcare services from your smartphone, that might otherwise mean a call to your GP or NHS 111.

Available on all major podcast platforms such as Spotify, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts and Deezer, the NHS Sussex News podcast can be accessed via Alexa smart-speakers, on Twitter @NHSSussex or through the news page of the Sussex Health and Care website.

 

GP practices working together to offer evening and Saturday appointments

Surgeries across East Sussex are offering evening and Saturday appointments to give people access to care at a time that best suits them.

It is now possible to get an appointment between 6-30pm and 8pm Monday to Friday and between 9am and 5pm on Saturdays.

The additional face-to-face, telephone or video call appointments will be provided by groups of practices working closely together to provide services and share resources.

This means when patients ask for an evening or Saturday appointment, it may not always be held at their usual practice but at another one nearby.

To request an appointment, contact the GP practice you are registered with or contact NHS 111.

Learn more about accessing the weekday and Saturday appointments.

Protect yourself during the festive period with COVID-19 and flu boosters

The NHS in Sussex is calling for anyone who is yet to get their COVID-19 Autumn Booster to come forward and ensure their health is better protected during the festive and New Year period.

The protection from vaccines reduces over time so the booster is being offered to those at greatest risk from COVID-19 to increase their protection during the winter months when viruses spread most easily.

Appointments are available at walk-in centres in Eastbourne and Hastings to make it as easy as possible for you to get the top-up jab, or you can book an appointment on the National Booking Service online, by calling 119 or by following an invitation from a local team.

To date, more than 565,000 people in the county have received their COVID-19 boosters.

People eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine include everyone aged 50 and over and those with conditions that put them at greater risk of the disease, such as people with weakened immune systems and pregnant women.

People in these groups are also eligible for a free flu vaccination.

If you have a question about the Sussex COVID-19 vaccination programme you can contact the Vaccine Enquiries Team at sxicb.vaccineenquiries@nhs.net or by calling the vaccine enquiry phone line 0800 433 4545 (open 9am to 4pm, Monday to Friday).

Project launched to cut waiting times for adult gender services in Sussex

NHS England has commissioned an adult gender service pilot in Sussex to reduce waiting times for people needing specialist gender identity assessment and treatments.

The service is available to adults that are registered with a GP in Sussex and already on one of NHS England’s seven National Gender Identity Clinics.

There are around 800 people in Sussex waiting for these services.

The plan is to open the new service in Spring 2023 after completing a six-month engagement, planning, recruitment and training period that is underway.

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (SPFT) is keen to work with individuals and the local trans and non-binary community to make sure the pilot service meets needs and is shaped by lived experience.

The service will be led by SPFT in partnership with Nottingham Centre for Transgender Healthcare, which delivers the East of England Gender Service and is the link clinic for the Indigo Gender Service, both of which deliver gender service pilots across the country.

After two years, the service will be assessed and next steps agreed, which could include extending the pilot for an additional year. The evaluation will also be used to inform national policy.

White Ribbon Day campaign sets goal of tackling misogyny as World Cup begins

Held at the start of the football World Cup tournament — a time when domestic violence incidents spike — this year’s White Ribbon Day message highlighting the dangers women encounter was especially important.

Held on 25 November, #TheGoal of this year’s campaign was to highlight the challenges and dangers women and girls face in traditionally male-dominated contexts like the football pitch and public transportation.

The annual event raises awareness of violence against women and girls by addressing its root causes such as harmful attitudes and behaviours around masculinity.

White Ribbon Day coincides with the start of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, which ends on 10 December, an international campaign led by women’s groups.

Events to mark the whole 16 Days campaign in East Sussex and nationally include:

East Sussex County Council’s website has more information about domestic abuse and where to get help.

County Council celebrates ten years of East Sussex 1Space

In the same year that London hosted the Olympics and Curiosity Rover landed on Mars, East Sussex 1Space was launched by East Sussex County Council.

1Space is an online directory with a focus on care, support and wellbeing services for people who live in the county.

To mark the 10th anniversary, the County Council is running a survey until 28 February 2023 that will inform and guide improvements to the site. If you can spare a few minutes, please answer five quick questions telling us what you think of East Sussex 1Space.

Since its launch in November 2012, 1Space has grown from small beginnings of around 700 entries to now include more than 2,000 services.

On 1Space you’ll find information about organisations and groups offering services to East Sussex residents, including:

  • food banks
  • organisations who can help with money and housing issues
  • mental health
  • residential services
  • care in the community
  • activities for the less active
  • support groups, and much more

In November 2021, 1Space expanded to include East Sussex Local Offer services for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

County Council thanks Homes for Ukraine hosts with payment increase

Residents hosting guests through the Homes for Ukraine scheme are now eligible for an extra £150 a month to help them cope with cost-of-living concerns.

The thank you payment from East Sussex County Council is to help hosts cope with increased living costs this winter and show gratitude to those who have shown continued kindness and generosity.

From October 2022 to March 2023, monthly payments for existing and new hosts with fewer than five guests rise to £500 while those accommodating families of five this rises to £650.

In addition, residents who host for 12 consecutive months and are willing to extend their placements beyond the 12-month period will get a one-off incentive payment of £1,000.

In East Sussex, 529 households are hosting Ukrainian guests, and more host families are desperately needed. More information on hosting and the support available to Ukrainian guests is accessible via the County Council’s website.

 

Competition seeks ideas to improve planetary health in Rother

A challenge has been set to the people of Rother to come up with ideas that can both improve planetary health and bring together people of all ages.

The competition aims to inspire quality connections between different generations by encouraging the mutual sharing of wisdom, knowledge, experience and skills.

The closing date is 2 January 2023, with the best ideas due to be funded.

East Sussex County Council will be holding design workshops in December to give people the chance to work up an idea, meet with others they can work with, seek advice and refine ideas.

Examples of the ideas being sought include:

  • Community allotments where cultivation skills and produce are shared
  • A repair café where a sense of community is developed, and practical skills are handed down to younger people
  • A Tuk Tuk or a trishaw to take older people with restricted mobility around their village, for example to a doctor’s appointment or along the seafront
  • Intergenerational cooking classes using local produce

The competition is being jointly held by the County Council, HAIRE and Rother Voluntary Action.

If you have a great idea and want to see it implemented in Rother or have an idea and would like help in putting together an intergenerational working group, email sue.dunkley@eastsussex.gov.uk by 31 December 2022.

Your email should include: your contact details, the idea with approximate costings, which part of Rother your design is for, and details of your inter-generational group.