1 Minutes of Public Meeting of the Horsham District Older Peoples Forum Tuesday 12Th January 2021, 10.30Am

Minutes of Public Meeting of the Horsham District Older Peoples Forum Tuesday 12th January 2021, 10.30am – 1pm (Zoom)

Zoom Meeting

1. Introduction: Martin Bruton welcomed all who were attending the meeting and introduced the guest speakers:

1. Stacey Cullen – Development Manager, Age UK, Lavinia House, Horsham on their current situation and available services 2. Jeff Hemmings – Office for National Statistics on the National Census in March 2021 3. Laura Robertson – Ass Director of Communications Sussex NHS CCG with the current situation on the Covid vaccine programme in Horsham District

Stacey Cullen Age UK: • Age UK Horsham now forms part of Age UK Brighton, Hove and West Sussex. • The new structure will reach out to rural areas within WS. • All staff are currently working from home. • All telephone numbers are re-directed to the central number. • All existing services can be accessed via existing or central number. • Home from Hospital service is still running. • Help at Home service, which is a paid for service, is still running. • Befriending service is still running. • Winter Warmer. WSCC are contributing to fund the following: o Practical help towards heating costs and problems o Meal delivery service. Meals are prepared by Age UK people. They are frozen meals and can be supplied to suit the person. £2 for main meals is asked for but they can be provided free where necessary. • Age UK will still be there during the pandemic for those who need help. • Lavinia House currently closed but eager to re-open when possible. • Want to volunteer? 01903731800

Jeff Hemmings, Office for National Statistics (ONS): • Engagement Manager for Horsham & Crawley • 2021 National Census will go ahead as planned on 21st March 2021. • First time an online system will be used as well as postal. • Leaflets will be sent to each home explaining the process.

• The particulars have to represent the position on the day, it being 21st March. • The online submission can be completed in stages but before 21st. • No plans to defer as decision to run made at top level. • Increased levels of telephone support for those having difficulty in compiling. • Complete assurance that the data supplied is only held by the ONS and no other part of the State can access information at an individual level. • The purpose is to know numbers and demographic of the population.

Laura Robertson; Sussex NHS CCG • Vaccinations available at hospital hubs, Worthing, St Richards Chichester Princess Royal Haywards Heath, focusing on care-staff and patients. • GP led services, will operate through GP hubs i.e. Park Surgery and treating their own patients, with practices aligned with central sites to provide for most vulnerable. • National Vaccination Centres are being set up to treat bigger numbers. Nearest for Horsham is currently Epsom but Brighton is a possibility for Sussex. • Order will follow the Priority Lists. • Aim to complete all those in care homes by end of January using the easier to store vaccine. • There are concerns that delays in postal service will cause some to miss their appointments. • People will be given the vaccine available, there is no choice. • Missed appointments are being dealt with via a back-up system of candidates which will try to use all vaccines to avoid them being wasted. • Phone and email scams are happening. The advice that all vaccines are free and only the NHS provide. Never give bank details and if asked, report via 101. • At present, vaccines are only being distributed to GP practices signed up to programme. • Volunteers are only used for admin purposes, not to administer the vaccine.

From the Audience: • David Searle said his experience at the GP Park Surgery hub yesterday was very good. • Trudie had a very similar experience at the Christ’s Hospital hub. • Confirmation that the 2nd jab will take place at the same place as the 1st. • The pressures on hospital and ambulance services are real. We all must take steps to reduce the impact. • There were many ‘chat’s’ from the audience that the speakers addressed from the above.

Martin Bruton thanks all three speakers for their time and bringing the up to date situation to the Forum. He also thanked the supporters of the Forum for their input and Stacey Cullen for her help in managing the Zoom side of things. He reminded people of the public meetings planned for this year and wished everybody well.

Forum meetings for 2021 – all 10.30am Wednesday 3rd March 21 – Zoom Tuesday 8th June 21 – Zoom

Tuesday 7th September – venue awaits Friday 5th November – MP Question Time with Jeremy Quin MP – venue awaits

Meeting closed.