You may be aware of a series of ongoing pilots using lateral flow devices (LFDs) to test for COVID-19. This is an on-the-spot test for COVID-19 for people without symptoms, that gives a result in 30 mins. The test is being rolled out, at first, across the country to care homes, universities and hospitals. Directors of Public Health also have access to tests for use in their local communities.

We are exploring how we might best use our testing allocation for our communities. We are considering options for places of worship to take part in this programme as test sites, to offer testing to their members. The aim is to find as many COVID-19 infections as possible in people that do not know they are infectious and could spread it to others, without realising, while attending their place of worship. By finding these asymptomatic infections, the individual can self-isolate to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and protect vulnerable members of the community.

I was wondering if you knew of any places of worship that may wish to take part in this testing programme? Or, if you would be able to cascade information / an invitation to join the programme to members of the BMFF?

Dr Elliott Roy-Highley

Public Health Registrar

London Borough of Barnet, 2 Bristol Avenue, Colindale, NW9 4EW

Tel: 020 8359 3663

Today, we are really pleased to announce the launch of the new Barnet COVID-19 Health Champions. The COVID-19 Health Champions project aims to empower hundreds of Barnet residents to be up to date on the latest advice about COVID-19, discuss it and share it with friends, family and the wider community.

This email includes:

• An overview and how to get involved
• Ways to promote the project
• Promotional materials (attached poster and social tile) for you to share

About Barnet COVID-19 Health Champions

COVID-19 Health Champions enables Barnet residents to remain up to date on the latest advice about COVID-19, so they can help family, friends and other community members make sense of the latest guidelines and information about the virus. As a Health Champion, you will receive regular updates on COVID-19 by email, WhatsApp or in live information sessions, and be able to share onward the key and current health messages with your networks, in whatever format that you like.

So, if you live, work, volunteer or study in Barnet, please sign up as a Health Champion by visiting:  

engage.barnet.gov.uk/health-champions and complete the short registration form.   

The Health Champions is being delivered by Barnet Council in partnership with Groundwork London, part of Barnet Together. For more information, please see the attached poster; or email the team: barnethealthchampions@groundwork.org.uk.

Promoting the project together

Together, we can make sure that everyone in Barnet has the information they need to take informed decisions and stay safe and healthy.

We would really appreciate your support in promoting the COVID-19 Health Champions to help engage the diverse Barnet community. Some ways you can help:

Email to colleagues / your network

• Please use copy above to promote sign up and forward on to your wider networks: ‘Support your community by becoming a Barnet COVID-19 Health Champion’ 
• Include poster attachment: ‘Become a Health Champion’ PDF

Share on social media
Through your organisations Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram:

• Share the attached social media tile
• Use suggested caption: Do you live, work, volunteer or study in Barnet? Support your community and sign up as a COVID-19 Health Champion. Visit engage.barnet.gov.uk/health-champions 
• Tag: @barnetcouncil @barnettogether
• Use: #BarnetHealthChampions

Sign up as a Health Champion 

Last of all, you too can sign up as a Health Champion and share current information and infographics about COVID-19 amongst colleagues and throughout the organisation. Please sign up by completing the online registration form.

by Tony Melnikoff

One thing that was very noticeable during my time on both the Criminal and Family Benches was how DA always spiked whenever families were “locked together”. And not just physical abuse, but also emotional, psychological, financial, sexual, and coercive and controlling behaviour. This was especially prevalent during holiday periods, with Christmas / Boxing Day being a prime example. It was therefore sad, but perhaps inevitable, that we would see a surge in such cases following the lockdown on 23rd March.

The risk was acknowledged eventually by the Government. On 14^th April they issued a document Covid19: Support for victims of Domestic Abuse. In it they stated that:

“The household isolation instruction as a result of coronavirus does not apply if you need to leave your home to escape domestic abuse.”

On 22^nd April The Department of Health & Social Care issued a safeguarding document, “Aimed at professionals and organisations who are involved in supporting and safeguarding adults and children.” The document admitted that “Emerging evidence from statutory and voluntary agencies across the UK has emphasised the increased risks of domestic abuse, with Refuge reporting a 25 per cent increase in calls and online requests since the lockdown began in March 2020.”     Then on 27^th April the Home Affairs Select Committee issued a report calling for “Urgent action … to protect victims and prevent perpetrators from exploiting the lockdown to increase abuse …  We are calling for new emergency funding for support services,” the report continued,  “new ways for victims to access help through supermarkets and pharmacies, outreach visits to known vulnerable households, support for children, and a new guarantee of safe housing for anyone needing to leave their home during lockdown because of abuse … The emotional, physical and social scars from domestic abuse can last a lifetime.”        While on 2^nd June, The Independent newspaper reported that: “Calls to the UK’s national domestic abuse helpline have risen by 66 per cent and visits to its website have surged by 950 per cent since the start of the coronavirus lockdown. Frontline service providers told The Independent they were bracing for a surge in victims coming forward as the UK starts to ease restrictions.”

My questions therefore are:

What action did you take to try to identify victims of DA within your communities?

What help and assistance did you give to those identified as victims?

Where applicable, what help did you give to perpetrators to attempt to guide them away from their abusive path?

Should further lockdowns be necessary what might you do differently?

Keep safe everybody.

Best regards

Tony

Download a pdf of the publication