News

In response to Covid-19, we are working with the local voluntary and community sector to support as many people as we can.

If you're worried you may have Covid-19, please follow the advice from the NHS, which you can find here. If you want to know more about what the government is doing to tackle Covid-19, take a look at Public Health England's advice here.
 

Please note that we have temporarily closed our activities, events and buildings with immediate effect in order to contain and control the virus and protect those who are most vulnerable. Our team is working remotely.

You can contact us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call 01255 425692 (Clacton) or 01255 554115 (Harwich)

7 May 2020 - Primary care access Friday 8 May

Primary care access will be available to patients of all GP practices in north east Essex on Friday’s bank holiday (May 8) – in support of the national campaign to encourage people to get the medical help they need. Anyone wishing to contact their GP practice should do so by telephone or online. Some practices are partnering with other local practices. Details will be given when you call the practice on where you can be seen, if required to do so.

The NHS is open for business and people with any health concerns should not be deterred from seeking help and advice from the most appropriate source – NHS 111 by telephone, NHS 111 Online or by contacting their GP practice.

In an emergency, such as chest pains, breathing difficulties, severe bleeding or loss or consciousness you should always call 999.

1 May 2020 - Bereavement Support

Greater Essex Bereavement Support document

1 May 2020 - Havens Coronavirus Crisis Bereavement Line

A telephone helpline open seven days a week for bereaved adults and children from across Essex, whose loved one has died directly or indirectly as a result of Coronavirus .  Coronavirus Crisis Bereavement Line 01702 220 321

https://www.havenshospices.org.uk/

You can download this update from Essex Police regarding Cyber security and use of Zoom.

30 April 2020 - St Helena Hospice Update

24 hour advice: SinglePoint 01206 890 360

SinglePoint is our 24/7 contact centre. SinglePoint is staffed by a team of call handlers, registered nurses, and clinical nurse specialists. They are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to provide advice and support to people in the community with end of life care needs or specialist palliative care needs.

We respond to calls from the public and from healthcare professionals looking after patients in the community on a range of issues.

This team of staff can give advice and guidance on all elements of symptom control, psychological support, emotional support, and any other questions relating to somebody’s life limiting illness. Our team also provide a rapid response service when there are things that are going wrong at home that need our support and help, this can be relating to pain control, other symptoms, or can be in response to a call of an ambulance to a patient’s home.

During the current crisis, the SinglePoint service is expanding signficiantly, we are working alongside community colleagues and primary care, bringing everyone together in order to respond to any needs in the community relating to end of life care. Any calls and referrals relating to end of life care in the patient’s home, or relating to admissions into community hospital beds or hospice beds come into SinglePoint.

This means that are staff are all working in a much more coordinated and adhesive way to meet the needs of patients in a very timely fashion. It means we can get the right person into see the right patient at the right time, rather than wading our way through bureaucratic red tape that can sometimes delay patients getting the right care when they need it.

https://www.sthelena.org.uk/how-we-can-help-you/singlepoint-1

Bereavement Support information leaflet

Coronavirus and care homes information leaflet

9 April 2020 - Bank Holiday Assistance

This weekend we will have a skeleton service operating so if there are any urgent requests for help, please call 01255 425692 and leave your name and number.  Staff are checking voice mails regularly throughout the bank holiday weekend.  
You can also call the Essex Welfare Service on 0300 303 9988 or visit their website www.essexwelfareservice.org.uk

7 April 2020 - Data protection and Covid-19

You can read latest guidelines from the Information Commissioners Office about how to treat people’s personal information.  This is very important.

31 March 2020 - Community hubs set up in Tendring to support the most vulnerable

Tendring District Council (TDC) has set up two hubs within the local area to support the operation.  Already the service has stepped in to help households identified by Community Voluntary Services Tendring (CVST) as needing urgent food supplies.
To contact the Tendring hubs call 01255 686700, with the phone line open from 9am until 4pm on weekdays.
To keep up-to-date with the impact on Coronavirus on TDC services, or for further information and advice, visit www.tendringdc.gov.uk/coronavirus.

26 March 2020 - Essex Welfare Service

Essex County Council has set up a new service to help vulnerable people in our community who are staying at home and in need of support during the coronavirus period. The Essex Welfare Service is for people who are unable to access the support they need at this time. 

Essex Welfare Service is specifically for those people who are not able to get any support from either family or friends or from their local district area support groups.

Web: https://essexwelfareservice.org/

Call: 0300 303 9988

Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

25 March 2020 - Funding Update 

19 March 2020 - Update from Sharon Alexander, Chief Officer CVS Tendring.

We are facing an unprecedented situation; it is extremely challenging times for our communities. It is already impacting upon us all and the Third Sector has a key role to play in supporting people and communities to deal with the consequences. A meeting of key voluntary and community sector organisations met this week to form a co-ordinated response to the needs of the community in Tendring. We shared our plans, knowledge and expertise and highlighted concerns.  For example, CVST can take referrals from VCS and statutory sector partners and process via our Social Prescribing Team. Essex Carers Support is maintaining support for carers, Age Concern is safeguarding vulnerable older people through information and guidance and Tendring Community Transport is offering safe transport.  We will share information with our public sector partners – our role in supporting people and communities has never been more important. More voluntary organisations will join the virtual group in the coming days and weeks.

These are extra-ordinary times, and we are working with our public sector colleagues. We are re-deploying staff and volunteers to focus on this work, telephoning around, encouraging everyone to join a social media group of interest to ensure as many people as possible stay connected in our network. Normal tasks and duties have been put aside whilst the crisis lasts. We are working closely with the Integrated Care System exchanging knowledge and sharing resources so that we can be prepared as the situation escalates.

The overall message is that we can respond at different levels. If we are to make the most effective use of the resources available to us, we all need to respond in a coordinated way.

We will be sharing updates about exisiting and new funders on our funding information page.  This can be found on the menu above.

Fraudsters will go to extreme lengths to get access to your hard earned money, including posing as government officials by text message, online or by knocking at doors.

While we have only received a handful of incidents, it’s important that people be mindful before handing over money or personal details.

We’ve been made aware of incidents where people have bought items such as face masks that have never arrived, con artists have knocked on doors posing as government officials and people have received fake text messages about the new stay at home measures.

Detective Chief Inspector Stuart Truss, who leads our Serious Economic and Cyber Crime teams, said: “Specialists fraud officers – just like our regular officers – continue to keep people safe by raising awareness about fraud, by monitoring activity online and by providing help to our communities vulnerable and elderly.

“We know fraudsters will look to take advantage of any situation and this means tricking people into parting with their money and information.

“We continue to work closely with partner agencies such as Action Fraud and police forces nationally. There are also simple steps, you can take to keep yourself and your loved ones safe.

“Together we can beat fraud.”

Some simple steps you can take are:

• Take five minutes before taking action and trust your instinct. If it doesn’t feel real or genuine, it probably isn’t.
• Do not assume or believe a call, a knock on the door or a deal online is genuine.
• Challenge any calls, visits or messages you may receive.
• Never click on links and never divulge personal information – the police and government departments will never ask you for these details.
• If you receive any fake GOV.UK/Coronavirus messages, please report these to Action Fraud.
• Contact your bank immediately if you think you are a victim of a scam.

Anyone with information should call 101 or report online.

You can also call Crimestopeprs anonymously on 0800 555 111 or report information to Action Fraud by visiting the wesbite.