Coronavirus: Thousands of shielded residents in Peterborough and Cambridgeshire receive support

The hub is there to help ensure that services provided by key workers, such as care for the elderly, are able to continue through the redeployment of staff and the deployment of volunteers.

It also co-ordinates the distribution of support to the most vulnerable shielded group, whether it is food, medicine or social aspects. In addition, it works closely with the district/city hubs to ensure all vulnerable people are supported.

Here are some highlights resulting from the work of the hub this week:

Shielded list

Peterborough City Council and Cambridgeshire County Council have so far received the details of around 13,000 people who have registered as needing to be shielded.

Of those other residents whom the NHS believe need to shield, the hub has contacted them by letter. The hub has also responded to 1,700 direct requests for help and support.

To ensure the councils keep in contact with the ever-growing group of people, 150 redeployed staff and volunteers have been identified to make telephone contact with shielded people each week to check they have what they need and where support needs are identified.

Access to food

As more and more shielded people register for support, they are being given access to supermarket home delivery slots or are registering to receive food parcels arranged through a national scheme.

However, for many, neither option is suitable and so the councils are also using its volunteers to collect groceries ordered via click and collect and delivering food supplies from their warehouse to residents in emergency situations. Around 250 emergency deliveries have been made so far and these continue.

PPE delivery to pharmacies

National supplies of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) were received at the council’s warehouse this week. The first delivery went to 151 pharmacies across the county. Red Cross volunteers are sorting, organising and delivering supplies.

For more on the hubs, visit: https://www.peterborough.gov.uk/healthcare/public-health/coronavirus/covid-19-coordination-hub-your-community-needs-you or https://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/residents/coronavirus/covid-19-coordination-hub-your-community-needs-you.