Suffolk Collaborative Communities COVID-19 board news

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There is a lot of work being done in Suffolk to plan and develop our local approach to the national NHS Test and Trace programme. This includes thinking about the consequences of how we would lockdown a specific area if there is an isolated outbreak. This may include schools, care homes and locations. For the communities board, we need to consider our response if whole streets or villages, potentially have to isolate for 14 days and need help with food or medication deliveries. You can read more on Test and Trace below or visit www.suffolk.gov.uk/testing

Test and Trace in Suffolk
Organisations across Suffolk are working together to plan and develop our local approach to the national NHS Test and Trace programme. As local organisations we understand our residents and are able to call on resources and assets to both prevent local outbreaks, and support local organisations, groups and individuals where outbreaks arise. The tool for developing this response will be through Local Outbreak Management Plans which are required to be produced by 30th June. These plans include:

  • Planning for local outbreaks in Care Homes and Schools
  • Identifying and planning how to manage high risk places, locations and communities
  • Ensuring local testing is accessible to the entire population
  • Assessing Contact Tracing capability in complex settings
  • Integrating national and local data and scenario planning
  • Supporting Vulnerable people to get help to self-isolate and ensuring services meet the needs of diverse communities

The plans will identify and outline support for different settings e.g. workplaces, housing complexes, care homes, schools, groups e.g. rough sleepers and vulnerable individuals who may be most at risk from the coronavirus. Focusing on both preventive actions and outbreak response. The plan will also ensure testing capacity is deployed effectively, as well as helping the most vulnerable in self-isolation access essential services in their area. It will build on and strengthen existing relationship and processes already in place for these types of settings.

The Government has announced another lifting of some lockdown restrictions. It is important that we continue to ease back into ‘normal’ life with caution and care. The communities board continue to respond to immediate need, but we are also looking at what provision and additional support may be needed in the longer term.