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CAMRA welcomes confirmation in law on pub deliveries and takeaways

The emergency Coronavirus (Scotland) Bill passed by the Scottish Parliament on Wednesday confirms that pubs can sell alcohol and food to take-away or for home delivery, where it is safe to do so.

The legislation clarifies that pubs across the country can continue to sell alcohol for consumption off the premises, as well as take-away or home delivery of food if this was previously provided on the premises.

Any pubs continuing to offer take-away or delivery services must adhere to the Scottish Government’s safe social distancing guidance, as well as complying with all other standard health and safety requirements.

This includes making sure that there is a distance of at least two metres between staff and any customers collecting items, and control of queues outside the premises consistent with social distancing advice.

CAMRA Director for Scotland Sarah Crawford said: “The fact that this emergency legislation puts it beyond doubt that pubs can sell alcohol for consumption off the premises, and offer food for takeaway or delivery where the pub previously offered food, will be welcome news for pubs who are still looking to offer services throughout the COVID-19 restriction.

“This will need to be done safely and in line with strict social distancing measures, but it does mean that communities who want to continue to support their local can do so. This will be especially important in our rural communities, where the local pub may be the only accessible business in the area.

“CAMRA is continuing to call on the UK and Scottish Governments to make sure that pubs of all types and sizes receive the support they need to get through the coronavirus crisis, so they can keep paying staff and are able to re-open and thrive once this is over.”

I’ll drink to that …

Early release to protect NHS from coronavirus risk in prisons

Risk-assessed prisoners who are within two months of their release date will be released from jail, as part of the national plan to protect the NHS and save lives.

Plan to protect the NHS from further pressure
Measures will also benefit brave prison staff
Selected low-risk offenders, within weeks of their release dates, will be electronically tagged and temporarily released on licence in stages
Offenders can be recalled at the first sign of concern
Violent and sexual offenders and those of security concern will not be considered

This action being taken is necessary to avoid thousands of prisoners becoming infected, overwhelming local NHS services. This is due to the close proximity between prisoners, who often share cells.

Prisoners who pass the stringent criteria for release will be subject to strict conditions, and will be electronically monitored, including with GPS tags, to enforce the requirement to stay at home.

They can be immediately recalled to prison for breaching these conditions or committing further offences. The releases will be phased over time but can start from next week.

Public protection is paramount. No high-risk offenders, including those convicted of violent or sexual offences, anyone of national security concern or a danger to children, will be considered for release, nor any prisoners who have not served at least half their custodial term. Additionally, no offender convicted of COVID-19 related offences, including coughing at emergency workers or stealing personal protective equipment, will be eligible.

No prisoner would be released if they have symptoms of coronavirus or without housing and health support being in place.

In addition, the Ministry of Justice is working to identify publicly owned sites that could be used to house temporary prison accommodation to ease pressure on the permanent estate, further separate prisoners and reduce the spread of the virus.

Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary Robert Buckland QC MP said: “This Government is committed to ensuring that justice is served to those who break the law – but this is an unprecedented situation because if Coronavirus takes hold in our prisons, the NHS could be overwhelmed and more lives put at risk.

“All prisoners will face a tough risk assessment and must comply with strict conditions, including an electronic tag, while they are closely monitored. Those that do not will be recalled to prison.”

Some 88 prisoners and 15 staff have so far tested positive for COVID-19.

Prison staff have continued to ensure the effective running of our jails despite around 26% being absent or self-isolating.

To further protect them and reduce pressure on prisons, the Ministry of Justice is already:

Shielding vulnerable prisoners through social distancing measures
Re-deploying staff, where appropriate, from headquarters into operational roles
Working with the judiciary to expedite sentencing hearings for those on remand to reduce the numbers being held in custody.

Prisons are moving towards single-cell accommodation as much as possible across the estate – to limit the spread of infection and the number of deaths. This follows public health advice that prisons present a unique environment where rapid outbreaks of the virus could place a significant strain on local NHS services.

Strong, further action now will strike the right balance between protecting the public and managing the risk of an escalating situation in prisons.

Steps are being taken to expand the use of electronic monitoring to facilitate the safe release of more low-risk prisoners who were due to leave jail in the next two months regardless.

This means those nearing the end of their sentences will be released in stages on temporary licence – allowing prisons to continue to safely manage vulnerable but higher-risk offenders within the estate.

Statutory Instruments to allow these releases to take place will be laid on Monday and the move aligns us with countries such as France, the United States, Australia, Germany, and Canada who have also sanctioned the early release of prisoners.

France has announced the release of some 5,000 prisoners, while in the US state of California alone, 3,500 are being granted early release.

The Prison Service has already taken decisive action to ensure prisons are complying with social distancing rules and provided alternative means for prisoners to keep in touch with their families after cancelling family visits.

Additionally, the Justice Secretary Robert Buckland granted temporary release of pregnant women in custody, while movements between jails have been limited in all but exceptional cases.

All actions have been informed by the advice of experts from Public Health England and will be kept under constant review.

PARKS: Respect the guidance

Edinburgh’s Council Leaders have urged the public to follow social distancing guidance when spending time in our parks.

While parks are still open for local people to use for exercise, Adam McVey and Cammy Day have called for residents to follow the national instructions for social distancing, stay local, limit outings to once a day for exercise and adhere to the restrictions in our own parks and greenspaces:

One outing for exercise per day – walk, run or cycle, alone or with members of your household
Stay local – don’t get in a car to drive to other areas
Stay at least 2m away from other people but do call a friendly greeting or wave.
Avoid touching surfaces and use gloves or hand gel if you need to open gates
Don’t stop to eat or drink
Keep dogs on a lead or under close control and don’t let them approach other people
Take your litter and dog poo bags home with you

Council Leader Adam McVey said: “We all need to play our part in controlling the spread of coronavirus and we can do that by sticking to the measures put in place by the Government.

“It‘s so important right now for both our physical health and mental wellbeing that we stay active and spend some time outdoors once a day. We’re the greenest city in the UK and we’ve got 144 parks across the Capital that can accommodate lots of people walking, running, cycling or playing without being within two metres of others.

“Our playparks and outdoor gym equipment might be off limits for now, but our grass and woodlands are still open for a walk or run. We just ask that you be sensible and considerate of others, follow the rules and exercise close to your home. Please don’t travel elsewhere to access the outdoors. We know it’s not easy but it’s the right thing to do and the best way for us to control the spread of the virus.

Depute Leader Cammy Day said: “We’re all adapting to significant changes in our day-to-day lives, and it will take time to adjust to this new norm. We must all make sure that we get out into nature for some fresh air, even if it’s just to clear our heads for 30 minutes from the stresses of isolation.

“If you live close to a park or woodland, the open space is still available to you, but please do not allow children to play on equipment and please observe social distancing protocols.

“I understand the frustrations you will feel, especially when trying to keep young people entertained in these extraordinary times, but everyone must play by the rules. Of course, it is a minority who are not following the guidance, but right now the damage that can be done by a few is huge.

“Everyone’s help and understanding is essential at this challenging time. It is only by us all working together, following Government and Public Health advice, that we can defeat this, save lives and protect the NHS.”

Several service changes have been implemented by the Council to help limit the impact of the coronavirus outbreak in Edinburgh. These include the suspension of pay and display parking charges, closure of culture venues and establishing Local Critical Resilience Centres.

Further information on services, support and how to report any concerns can be found on the Council website. If you’re experiencing an emergency or critical situation, please call 0131 200 2000

Moggy Modules make home schooling pawsome

Cats Protection comes to the rescue of parents struggling to make home schooling fun, with the Moggy Modules; five pawsome new free learning tools to keep kids happy and engaged.

Each of the online resource packs includes cat-themed worksheets, quizzes, creative writing exercises, feline facts, recipes and other fun learning activities linked to one of the five cat welfare needs; a place to live, behaviour, the right diet, good healthcare and space.

The packs have been created by Cats Protection’s educational experts to help young learners discover more about our feline friends and their welfare needs, with age-appropriate learning tools for children aged five-seven and seven-11.

Moggy Modules are free to download: https://education.cats.org.uk/moggy-modules-for-learning-at-home/

On completing #TheMoggyModules, children can download and print a colour certificate to celebrate their knowledge of the five cat welfare needs.

The Moggy Modules support Cats Protection’s call for animal welfare to be included as a mainstream topic in the National Curriculum to give children a basic understanding of how to respect and care for animals.

Shelley Brown, Cats Protection’s Education Team Manager, said: “Children learn best and stay focused longer if they enjoy what they are doing. Home schooling can be fun for families.

“Our Moggy Modules are designed to give parents a helping hand, while teaching children about better animal welfare and encouraging them to be better stewards of our environment for years to come.”

A social media campaign will encourage parents to share their stories, photos and videos on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter using the #TheMoggyModules hashtag.

Cats Protection’s learning library has additional video resources: www.cats.org.uk/education

Race Against Time: search is on for coronavirus treatments

The largest randomised clinical trial of potential coronavirus (COVID-19) treatments is underway as part of the race to find a treatment.

The world’s largest randomised clinical trial of potential coronavirus treatments is well underway in the UK as part of the race to find a treatment.

A number of promising treatments are being tested and, if the science supports it, will be given to NHS patients as quickly as possible.

Definitive results on whether the treatments are safe and effective are expected within months and, if positive, they could potentially benefit hundreds of thousands of people worldwide.

Almost 1,000 patients from 132 different hospitals have been already recruited in just 15 days and thousands more are expected to join the Randomised Evaluation of COVID-19 Therapy (RECOVERY) trial in the coming weeks, making it the largest randomised controlled trial of potential COVID-19 treatments in the world.

Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock said: “The coronavirus outbreak is the biggest public health emergency in a generation and we are doing everything we can to fight it on all fronts through our evidence-based action plan.

“The UK is leading the way on research in the race to find treatments and we have now launched the largest trial in the world, pooling resources with our world-leading life science sector.

“As one of three major trials funded by the government, this marks a major milestone in our battle against coronavirus and offers renewed hope that together we can beat this.

“The public still has a crucial role to play by staying at home so we can protect the NHS and save lives.”

The trial is testing a number of medicines recommended by an expert panel advising the Chief Medical Officer for England. They include:

Lopinavir-Ritonavir, commonly used to treat HIV
Dexamethasone, a type of steroid use in a range of conditions to reduce inflammation
Hydroxychloroquine, a treatment for malaria

The trial is being conducted in over 130 NHS hospitals across the UK. Adult patients who have been admitted to hospital with COVID-19 are being invited to take part. The trial is specially designed so that as further medicines are identified, these can be added to the study within days.

Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty said: “The UK has world-leading life sciences and research sectors and, because of our joined up healthcare and health research system, we have been able to get hundreds of patients involved in this clinical trial in just 2 weeks.

“This marks a significant step in identifying treatments for coronavirus that could benefit patients and underpins our science-backed approach to fighting this virus.”

The trial is being coordinated by researchers at the University of Oxford, led by Peter Horby, Professor of Emerging Infectious Diseases and Global Health in the Nuffield Department of Medicine, and Martin Landray, Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology at the Nuffield Department of Population Health.

To ensure that the healthcare system research resource is directed to benefit the national effort, the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) has put in place a national process to prioritise COVID-19 research. The RECOVERY trial is one of those prioritised.

The study has received £2.1 million from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the Department of Health and Social Care, through the NIHR. It is part of a wider £20 million rapid research response investment by the government to support looking at ways to tackle the coronavirus outbreak.

The move further bolsters the ‘research’ phase in the government’s science-led coronavirus action plan.

It follows decisive action by the UK’s medicines regulator to fast-track clinical trials for potential coronavirus treatments, meaning NHS patients could have faster access if medicines are proven to be effective.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has been working hard to put in place procedures to support manufacturers and researchers developing these treatments and approve clinical trial applications in days, rather than weeks.

Its experience as a world-renowned regulator means these rapid approvals are based on the latest scientific advice and do not compromise the government’s top priority of maintaining patient safety.

Peter Horby, Professor of Emerging Infectious Diseases and Global Health in the Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, said: “The RECOVERY trial will provide much-needed evidence on the best care for patients with COVID-19.

“The more patients that are enrolled, the sooner we will know how best to treat this disease.

“We are very grateful to those patients who are participating and to the hospital and research staff who are helping us to find the best treatments.”

Easter childcare for key workers

Learning and childcare hubs for the children of key workers will remain open across Scotland over the Easter holidays.

The move will help support key workers in the NHS and other key sectors on the frontline of the response to coronavirus (COVID-19).

All of Scotland’s local authorities will keep learning and childcare hubs open in their areas to support children and young people. The number of hubs that are open, and the types of support they provide, will vary between each council area in response to local demand.

Education Secretary John Swinney said: “I am very grateful to colleagues in education and childcare who are working so hard to deliver this service.

“Clearly these are unprecedented times and this will be a very different Easter holiday period for teachers and pupils across the country. I would like to thank all of those who have volunteered to provide support over this time.

“Our key workers are on the frontline of the response to coronavirus and it’s only right that we do everything we possibly can to support them.

“By keeping learning and childcare hubs open in our local authorities, we can make sure children are safe and well looked-after while their parents are doing critical jobs helping our communities.”

Guidance on key workers

Key workers whose children already attend learning and childcare hubs will be contacted by their local authority to explain the arrangements over the spring break.

Local authority websites are being updated regularly with the latest information on the learning and childcare hubs and should be contacted directly for further information if necessary.

Stick to advice: STAY HOME THIS WEEKEND

With warm weather forecast this weekend people may feel tempted to head out more, but please stick to government guidance. You are saving lives by staying at home.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: “Don’t travel unless it is essential and particularly avoid using public transport this weekend.

“I know that during the warm weather this weekend people may feel tempted to make the most of it and head out to nearby green spaces more than they have in recent weeks.

“But I want to urge everyone to continue to follow government guidance; that means not travelling too far to exercise or walk pets, staying 2 metres away from other people when outside, and only making journeys when absolutely essential.

“Please remember that anyone can get coronavirus and anyone can spread it – so stay home, protect the NHS, and save lives. As the Prime Minister has said, we will beat coronavirus, and we will beat it together. But to do that we need to stick with the guidance in place, and not break the regulations set to help tackle this outbreak.

“And for those people in the transport sector continuing to work day in and day out to ensure frontline workers can get to work, I want to reiterate my heartfelt thanks at the efforts and dedication you’re showing in helping with this nationwide effort.”

Morrisons thanks staff with threefold increase in bonus for next 12 months

Full time colleagues will earn a bonus of £1,050 compared to around £350 average last year
The special bonus is the largest for frontline supermarket staff announced in recent weeks

Morrisons is recognising the huge effort by its colleagues who are helping to feed the nation during the coronavirus outbreak by increasing this year’s annual bonus payout threefold from last year.

Morrisons annual colleague bonus will become a ‘thank you’ bonus with the increase lasting for the next 12 months.

Because it will be a percentage of the entire year’s pay, frontline colleagues at Morrisons will see the largest special bonus of those announced over the last few weeks in the supermarket sector.

Morrisons colleagues have worked tirelessly to help meet demand and to thank them they will see these changes to the current bonus scheme:

All frontline colleagues will receive a 6% bonus on their earnings for the next 12 months rather than just the next 8-12 weeks
The changes represent a bonus payment of £1,050 for a full-time frontline colleague compared to the £351 that would have been paid last year
The bonus will be guaranteed in recognition of the effort made by very hard working colleagues
It will be paid quarterly so colleagues don’t have to wait until next year to be paid
The bonus will continue to be paid as a percentage of actual earnings as per previous years
Colleagues who are off sick or are self-isolating will remain eligible
Both permanent and temporary colleagues will be eligible in recognition of the thousands of new colleagues who have joined Morrisons in recent weeks.

Clare Grainger, Group People Director said: “Our highly valued colleagues have stood tall amidst the coronavirus pandemic, playing their full part in feeding the nation.

“We want to thank every single one of them for their continued hard work during these unprecedented times by paying a much higher guaranteed bonus for the whole year in recognition of their effort.”

Morrisons frontline salaried managers are also guaranteed to receive a bonus that will be twice their maximum yearly amount in a normal year, again guaranteed and paid quarterly.

The bonus overhaul is the latest change that Morrisons has put in place for its highly valued colleagues.

Previous measures include paying extremely vulnerable and high risk colleagues 12 weeks paid leave to self isolate as well as paying 12 weeks paid leave to colleagues who live with someone who is high risk and extremely vulnerable.

In store, perspex screens have been installed to protect colleagues and customers while paying for groceries at the checkouts and social distancing measures have been introduced.

#ItsMoreThanOurJob

Deliveries begin for high risk groups

People in Scotland at highest risk of severe illness from coronavirus (COVID-19) will begin to receive home deliveries of essential groceries today.

Letters from the Chief Medical Officer have been issuing this week to those who are at greatest risk of COVID-19, to provide bespoke guidance on shielding from infection and information about the support available, which includes access to home deliveries through a text message service.

People who have received the letter this week and signed up to the service have been texted with the option of starting their weekly deliveries of essential food items including soup, pasta, rice, fruit, vegetables, tea, coffee and biscuits, as well as toiletries such as shower gel and toilet roll, on Friday.

Other measures being put in place include:

Specialist medicines such as chemotherapy drugs delivered through local health boards
Local Resilience Partnerships working with Community Pharmacy to scale up deliveries of pharmacy medicines
Work with supermarkets to ensure priority delivery slots for people at high clinical risk

Deputy First Minister John Swinney said: “These new services are available to those at the highest risk of severe illness from COVID-19 who do not have support structures around them to help.

“This includes people with specific forms of cancer, severe respiratory conditions, certain rare diseases, recipients of organ transplants, those on immunosuppression therapies and pregnant women with congenital heart disease.

“Many people will have support from friends and family but I would encourage everyone who receives a letter and requires support to sign up to the service immediately – this will ensure you have adequate supplies of food and essential items during these challenging times.

“It is vitally important that people at highest clinical risk are shielded as much as possible, and our advice alongside this text service will help protect people from the detrimental effects of the virus, including disruption to health and social care and key services.

“Our local services must prioritise those most in need and – by doing so – we will protect them, reduce the burden on the NHS and save lives. By continuing to work together, we can all play our part in keeping everyone safe.”

Those in the high risk group who do not have access to mobile phones will be able to register for deliveries through their local authority.

Contact details are on the NHS Inform website and can also be accessed through the main switchboard number for local councils.

The grocery delivery service will be led by Brakes and Bidfood with the first deliveries expected on 3 April.

The six categories of risk – as agreed by the UK’s Chief Medical Officers – are:

1. Solid organ transplant recipients

2. People with specific cancers:
a. People with cancer who are undergoing active chemotherapy or radical radiotherapy for lung cancer
b. People with cancers of the blood or bone marrow such as leukaemia, lymphoma or myeloma who are at any stage of treatment
c. People having immunotherapy or other continuing antibody treatments for cancer
d. People having other targeted cancer treatments which can affect the immune system, such as protein kinase inhibitors or PARP inhibitors
e. People who have had bone marrow or stem cell transplants in the last six months, or who are still taking immunosuppression drugs

3. People with severe respiratory conditions including all cystic fibrosis, severe asthma and severe COPD

4. People with rare diseases and inborn errors of metabolism that significantly increase the risk of infections (such as SCID, homozygous sickle cell)

5. People on immunosuppression therapies sufficient to significantly increase risk of infection

6. People who are pregnant with significant congenital heart disease

Initial estimates of the numbers involved were 150,000-200,000, however, a large number of people have been found to qualify in more than one category, and examination of patient records has identified patients who do not fall into the categories and do not need to apply such stringent measures to protect themselves.

NET sends further £5million to front line charities

The National Emergencies Trust has announced a further £5m of funding will be distributed to front line charities today helping those most impacted by the coronavirus outbreak. This is possible thanks to the generosity of the UK public, major charitable trusts and corporate donations.

So far, around half of the £16m total pledged to the Coronavirus Appeal has been given out (£7.5m in total), following an initial allocation of almost £2.5m a week after the appeal launched. Further distributions will be made in the coming days, to continue to support the most vulnerable in society.

The money will be distributed through UK Community Foundations to 46 local community foundations across the country.

Major businesses and charitable trusts across the UK, as well as the British public, have generously donated to the appeal, including corporate donors such as BT, Tesco, HSBC, M&S and National Grid.

The appeal is responding to the needs of local communities across the UK and allocating money to community foundations based on local factors such as levels of deprivation and demographics in each region.

Local Distribution

A snapshot of some of the local groups already benefitting from the appeal include:

Horncastle Food Bank

Horncastle Food Bank in Lincolnshire which has seen a 300% increase in demand for food and hygiene parcels. The group has also stepped in to help combat child poverty, by providing food for those children no longer receiving free school meals and are now also distributing hot meals for vulnerable people currently in isolation.

ASD Helping Hands

ASD Helping Hands helps those caring for children and young adults with autism, supporting over 1,300 families in Norfolk. Since the outbreak, the organisation has launched a web and phone-based advice and listening service to continue to support the mental wellbeing of families during this stressful time.

Musical Memories

Social enterprise Musical Memories saw its 5th anniversary Big Sing concert for more than 150 older people in the community cancelled due to the outbreak. However, the social enterprise hasn’t been deterred and is now hosting live music online sessions every day for older people across rural Yorkshire to help fight loneliness and isolation. Funding will provide recording equipment to facilitate ever more creative and engaging remote concerts.

NET Coronavirus Appeal

The National Emergencies Trust’s Coronavirus Appeal was launched in partnership with the British Red Cross and with the support of the Duke of Cambridge.

Anyone can make a donation and further donations can be made by clicking the below button.

DONATE

This week celebrity supporters including Miranda Hart, Joe Lycett and Kate Thornton have shared video messages on their social media urging the public to get behind the appeal.

John Herriman, CEO of the National Emergencies Trust, said: “It is fantastic that good causes across the UK are already seeing the benefits of the public’s support and the overwhelming generosity of our corporate donors. It’s vital that we are able to offer support to these groups as soon as we can.

“Our work may have started but there is still much more to do. We’re asking the public to get behind the appeal and make contribution if possible, or to spread the word to help raise awareness.

“Everyone who donates can be confident their money is reaching those in need quickly and making an instant difference to the most vulnerable in our communities at this difficult time. We need to come together more than ever and I’m heartened the British public are rising to the challenge.”

Rosemary Macdonald, Interim CEO of UK Community Foundations, said: “Working closely with our network of 46 community foundations, we’re seeing unprecedented demand for support from those in need across our society.

“We’re working to make sure that donations reach communities quickly and in response to particular needs, so that we are properly supporting the most vulnerable as best we can.”