Wednesday 20th May 6.30 pm for a 7.00 pm start.

The St Luke’s Residents Group are organising a ZOOM Quiz Night.

The quiz is being complied by Martin Thrift of Kingsdale Court.

If you would like to take part, please phone Mandy Thrift – 07841350487 to get an invitation Zoom number and password.

To join you will need to download Zoom.us on your device. This is a free app and can be done via the App Store on Apple devices or Playstore on Android devices.

Many thanks to Kevin Foster for permitting us to use part of his weekly Residents’ Update.

This is an abridged version and the full version can be found on his website.

Dear All,

Testing,

Earlier this week the eligibility criteria for a test was expanded. Anyone in England with symptoms of coronavirus who has to leave home to go to work, and all symptomatic members of the public aged 65 and over, will now be able to get tested.

This means Torbay residents who cannot work from home and those aged 65 and over can know for sure whether they have coronavirus and need to continue isolating. Members of their households with symptoms – a new continuous cough or high temperature – will also be eligible for testing.

Anyone eligible can book a test using the online portal.

The government has also announced NHS staff, care home staff and care home residents will be eligible for testing whether or not they have symptoms.

NHS Torbay Update,

I am advised our local NHS Trust continues to see a reduction in people with COVID-19 enabling them to step down some of their escalation capacity and increase the number of other services they can offer to people who require urgent elective treatments including diagnostic assessments, cancer treatment and other priority clinical services.

There has also been an increase in the number of people who are presenting to the hospital in an emergency or for planned appointments. I know our local NHS team have been concerned people may not have felt able to attend Torbay Hospital so they have been actively communicating messages encouraging people to attend when they need to do so.

The progress made with tackling Covid-19 means a range of NHS services have been able to restart and the message is clear Torbay’s NHS is there if you need it, not just for Covid-19 issues.

More Funding For Torbay,

There was welcome news earlier this week that Torbay Council will receive an extra £3,764,926, its share of an extra £1.6bn in Government Funding to make sure councils can continue to support their communities and deliver vital services through this challenging time.

Torbay Council has now been allocated a total of £9,136,880 to continue providing essential services and support to those who need it the most. The full financial impact of the current crisis on our council is not yet known, yet this additional funding has helped ease the burden so far.

The Council has implemented a range of measures to support 3,975 people in our bay who need to shield themselves from a range of daily contact with other people due to being in high risk groups which make them very vulnerable to Covid-19. It is also continuing to support a range of vulnerable children and adults.

Whilst we may all have our complaints about Torbay Council at times getting this service up and running so quickly has been a major achievement.

Debenhams Purchase,

Torbay Council has today confirmed it has purchased a landmark site in Torquay as part of its plans to regenerate Torbay’s town centres and help boost the local economy.

The Debenhams building on the Strand in Torquay, has been purchased for an undisclosed sum after the company which owns it went into administration. I am advised this does not mean the store will have to close, but it does mean the site can be secured for a positive use in future if a change of use is needed.

Dog Beach Ban,

I have had a few emails over the last week about whether Torbay Council could be persuaded to delay the seasonal ban on dogs which came into force on several beaches today.

This is a decision for Torbay Council and last week the Leader of the Council, Steve Darling, stated the following in the Herald Express in response to whether they would amend the byelaw:

“As a dog owner; I don’t see it as being a significant issue” he said “We have other priorities.”

I asked today in my regular call what the approach to enforcement of it would be and was advised the Council will take a “proportionate approach.”

That is all for this week and enjoy your weekend.

Best Wishes,

Kevin

If you no longer wish to receive emails from the St Luke’s Residents Group. Visit the stlukesra.org.uk homepage. Click on ‘Manage your subscriptions’ in the box located in the centre of the page.

or

If you are aware of any resident who is not on our database and would like to receive regular updates they can add their email address in the box on the right of the Home page and click ‘Subscribe’.

Many thanks to Kevin Foster for permitting us to use part of his mid-week Residents’ Update.

This is an abridged version and the full version can be found on his website.

Keyworker Testing Facility

I am advised there are booking slots available for this week.

The situation in terms of testing here in the bay may contrast with the impression being created by the national media, for example test slots were available “on the day” on Sunday whilst national headlines were indicating testing had been fully booked the day before.

The keyworker testing facility in Torquay will be on site tomorrow (Wednesday 29th April) Thursday and Friday of this week. The more demand from key workers there is for it, the more likely it will continue. Hence this email to highlight the chance to get tested in our community. This site is being run by personnel from 42 Commando based at Bickleigh Barracks.

If you are a keyworker, and you or anyone in your household is displaying COVID symptoms (check at NHS COVID-19 symptom checker), you can now book a test at the site via the government portal. The definition of key worker being used does not just cover Torbay Council and Emergency Services Staff, but a range of services such as childcare, food distribution, transport workers and a number of other essential jobs.

The facility is based at the coach station car park in Lymington Road, Torquay, TQ1 4BD, and you will have to provide photo ID.  

In order for testing to take place the coach station car park is closed to cars and pedestrians and the council is asking people for their understanding while the temporary facility is in place.

That is all for now and my regular update will be sent as normal on Friday.

Best Wishes,

Kevin

If you no longer wish to receive emails from the St Luke’s Residents Group. Visit the stlukesra.org.uk homepage. Click on ‘Manage your subscriptions’ in the box located in the centre of the page.

or

If you are aware of any resident who is not on our database and would like to receive regular updates they can add their email address in the box on the right of the Home page and click ‘Subscribe’.

Many thanks to Kevin Foster for permitting us to use part of his weekly Residents’ Update.

This is an abridged version and the full version can be found on his website.

Testing Torbay,

I mentioned in last week’s update work was being done to secure a testing facility for Covid-19 in our bay to support key services and to avoid having to travel to Plymouth for one.

I was therefore pleased to receive confirmation this evening a Covid-19 testing station will shortly open in Torbay for essential workers and their families. From Sunday 26th April, a mobile unit will be situated in the coach station car park in Lymington Road, Torquay.

If an essential worker or someone in their family is displaying symptoms of COVID-19 they can access the service to book a test. When they arrive for their booked test they will need a workplace form of identification e.g. ID badge, to be able to get tested. The tests are to see if someone is infected at the time of the test, they cannot predict if someone will get it or confirm if they have had it previously.

I am grateful to the team at Torbay Council, including the Council Leadership, who have worked with the national testing programme to ensure this facility could be provided. This facility will be a welcome part of the Government’s national effort to get more testing in place and help safeguard our local community.

To find out more, check the list of Essential Workers covered by this programme and book a test you can find the Government portal by clicking here.

Nightingale Exeter,

NHS Nightingale Exeter is set to open in a new location. 

The NHS’ newest hospital will now be built on the site of a former retail unit on the outskirts of the city.  Earlier plans had indicated this hospital would be based at Westpoint. 

Paignton Care Home Outbreak,

There was very sad news this week as a serious outbreak at a care home in Paignton was confirmed.

Several residents have now died, with others battling the virus. I know them and their families will be in the thoughts and prayers of all update readers this weekend.

As the issue emerged last weekend our local NHS and Council teams reacted swiftly, with local GPs going into the home to check residents. Torbay’s Integrated Care Organisation (ICO) has provided nursing staff and PPE to support the team at the home.

I am advised a recovery plan is now place and the Council’s Safeguarding Adults team is providing twice daily briefings with the staff in the Older Persons Mental Health team, who will be reviewing clients. The Nursing Home’s staff are now starting to return to work and a team from Optima Care (who operate the home) have arrived to support.

There is an ICO team in the home presently supporting the situation and ensuring the wellbeing of residents. The Council has also been working closely with Public Health England who are identifying and following up agency staff to ensure they are self-isolating and not working in any other home. You can read more on Devon Live.

Community Hotline,

Torbay’s Community Coronavirus helplines have now received more than 4,500 calls.

Hundreds of people have already been helped with their shopping and prescription collections and a new befriending service is being rolled out to help combat loneliness and isolation.

More than 900 people are also helping each other and hopefully will continue to help each other throughout the crisis have been matched with others based on their needs.

Urgent or very urgent calls are currently running at a rate of around 30 a day meaning a family or individual has run out of food, electricity or urgently needed medications.

The phone line, which will be staffed 24/7, covers Torquay and Paignton. The number is 01803 446022. Brixham Does Care can be contacted directly on 01803 857727 (Mon-Fri, 9am-4:30pm).

Zoo Appeal,

From naughty Gorillas vandalising their enclosure to an elephant sized sandpit, the residents of Paignton Zoo have been regular features of the “and finally….” section in my weekly update.

Yet today their future looks very bleak as the Zoo struggles to pay its bills with visitors barred due to the current restrictions. As many of the staff occupy key animal welfare roles they cannot be furloughed, plus no matter how friendly they might look you can’t take a Giraffe home for a couple of weeks.

Earlier today the Zoo spoke of its ongoing financial battle, which Anthony and I have raised with the Government as our bay’s MPs. It would be sad to see some of our favourite animals lost due to the measures needed to protect our bay from this virus.

The Zoo has launched an appeal to help support these animals which you can find by clicking on line.

That is all for this week and keep safe whilst enjoying your weekend.

Best Wishes,

Kevin

If you no longer wish to receive emails from the St Luke’s Residents Group. Visit the stlukesra.org.uk homepage. Click on ‘Manage your subscriptions’ in the box located in the centre of the page.

or

If you are aware of any resident who is not on our database and would like to receive regular updates they can add their email address in the box on the right of the Home page and click ‘Subscribe’.

Cycle Update as promised

Pauline Baker our Vice Chair of the St Luke’s Residents group managed to cycle 80 miles on her exercise bike last Thursday night.

Pauline would like to thank everyone who made a donation to this appeal.