FLU Vaccines Now Available!

Having received a missive from East Sussex County Council I thought I should share this, "for those who fit into the categories, flu vaccinations are now available (NHS website). A severe flu season is expected this winter, with cases likely to begin rising in October - earlier than usual. The best way to protect yourself and others is with a flu vaccination. Flu vaccinations are available for everyone in priority groups from 1 October: Frontline workers in health and social care; People aged 65 years and over; People aged 6 months to 65 years in clinical risk groups; People in long-stay residential care homes; Carers (getting carer’s allowance or main carers of an elderly or disabled person); Live with someone with a weakened immune system; Pregnant people; Children aged 2 and 3; School children; Book your vaccine via your GP, pharmacy, workplace, care home or school. Protect yourself and others." Stay safe folks! 🤗

The fence is up!

And the road has been closed west of Iceland overnight recently for a new road surface, fewer pot holes now obviously, and people are still blaming HBC not ESCC!

Sussex Mayor, Your Opinion?

For the future, Central Government at Westminster plans for you to be served by just one council (known as ‘unitary government’) rather than the present two-tier system of East Sussex County Council and a borough or district council (For example Hastings), with a Mayor elected for overall policy in Sussex. Now, I know that in Hastings there are varying opinions about Hastings Borough Council and East Sussex County Council, whatever, you now have your chance to make your opinion known about the future of local governance in Hastings and Sussex. For further information, and to give your opinion, go to the Government website.

Pharmacies open over Christmas.

East Sussex County Council have issued a list of pharmacies that will be open in Hastings during the public holidays, including Kamsons Pharmacy (above) in Wellington Place, in the town centre, which will be open Christmas Day (25th) 10-13.00, Boxing Day/St Stephen's Day (26th) 14-17.00, and New Years Day (1st January) 14-17.00. 2 other pharmacies will be open differently over those days, as will 2 in St Leonards; opening times are listed on the Council website.

Wellbeing Support

At this time of year loneliness may become an even more pressing problem for mental health, East Sussex County Council provides details of support available at its website. Stay safe folks.

East Sussex Keep Warm & Well

East Sussex County Council offer advice and help for keeping warm (website). If you know someone who is on a low income and living with a long-term condition or disability, or on a means-tested benefit, or are yourself, a free home visit for a Warm Home Check can be arranged (website). Also, for advice about cost of living support go to their website.

East Sussex funding gap consultations

UK local authorities face a collective funding gap of £2.3bn for the 2025-26 financial year. East Sussex County Council is facing a funding gap of £55 million. As local authorities have a legal responsibility to set a balanced budget, this means making some difficult decisions. The County Council will still have a net revenue budget of £538.1 million next year, but every department will need to find savings to close the gap. Consultations on some of the savings proposals for Adult Social Care and Health have already started and more proposals for all departments will be considered by Cabinet in November. The consultations started on 3 October and will close on 28 November 2024. Decisions are expected to be made about all of these proposals by councillors in February 2025. Take part in the consultations here to have your say on the proposals.

2024/25 Council Tax Bill

Yes, indeed, my 2024/25 Council Tax Bill came through the letterbox this afternoon, unsurprisingly it's gone up again, this year by an overall 4.7%. January saw the last official British inflation rate at 4% and it was projected to drop over the year. So, the rise is slightly more than the inflation rate at the moment, but of course, prices have increased significantly more than 4% since March 2023.

Adult Social Care has the lowest increase since last year at 2%; East Sussex County Council, Hastings Borough Council and East Sussex Fire Authority have all had increases of 3%; as usual, the amount of increase gone to the Sussex Police & Crime Commissioner is higher, that is by 5.4% (remember this when you're told more money is being spent on increasing the number of police officers).

Local elections coming in May, General Election soon-ish?!?

Road Closure for Resurfacing from this evening - A259

From 19.00 hours this evening to 06.00 hours in the morning, and between the same times overnight for the next 3 weeks, the A259 will be closed to traffic in Hastings old town, stretching between the seafront and up The Bourne to Old London Road. A diversionary route will be in place via Priory Road, Mount Pleasant Road and Elphinstone Road; access for residents will be possible from the Old London Road/Priory Road junction to 100 metres north of the High Street (website).

East Sussex County Council say this is part of their continuing improvement of East Sussex roads and this particular work should continue until the 22nd of March, weather permitting. Not the worst road in the area, I'd suggest...😕

Be aware folks, there are going to be likely delays...

ESCC Libraries' Late Book Amnesty!

To encourage people to return late books to East Sussex County Council's Library Service there is currently an amnesty, and they will waive all fines on overdue book returns until the end of March 2024 (website).

They say that every year thousands of borrowed books are not returned, meaning that library users regularly miss out on the chance to borrow books they want to read, and this is a free service, it must be remembered; use libraries or lose them folks!

Details of East Sussex library services can be found at the website.

East Sussex Health & Social Care News

Photo by James Fisher

I just received by email the first issue of the year from East Sussex County Council of their Health and Social Care News, copied here: 

Welcome to our first issue of 2024, where we're kicking off with stories on a range of ways you can help to protect your health - including making sure you're protected from measles, getting inspired to be more physically active, and details of HIV Testing Week. 

We're also bringing you news on some of the latest service developments, from urgent care for children at Eastbourne District General Hospital, to outreach support for the homeless community in Hastings, and the latest on construction of a new mental health hospital in Bexhill.

Finally, our feature this month celebrates 10 years of the Joint Community Rehabilitation Team, who have been looking back over all the service has achieved since it formed a decade ago.

From the newsroom...

 

Measles is on the rise, make sure you're protected

Measles cases are rising in England, so it's important to make sure you know the symptoms, what to do if you have it, and how to help stop it spreading. It can have serious and sometimes fatal consequences, and anyone who isn't vaccinated can catch it. Make sure your family is protected from becoming seriously unwell from measles by ensuring you and your child are up to date with your MMR vaccinations. The MMR vaccine is a safe and effective combined vaccine for measles, mumps and rubella. Visit the NHS website to learn about measles and the MMR vaccine, and ask your GP practice about catch up jabs if needed.

 

Improvements to urgent care for children at EDGH

East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust has shared an update for parents and carers on improvements to urgent care for children at Eastbourne District General Hospital. The improvements within the emergency department and urgent treatment centre, with increased paediatric expertise, will ensure children are seen sooner, with earlier paediatric intervention and will reduce waiting times. Read about the improvements here.

 

Get inspired to get more active in our county this year

Being more physically active has been compared to a wonder drug because of the huge range of benefits it offers to everyone, no matter your age, state of health, or disability. Getting more active can help to control weight, reduce the risk of serious diseases like cardiac problems and diabetes, and improve your mood and sleep. That’s why the Public Health team at East Sussex County Council, in partnership with Active Sussex and other partners across the county, have launched the #GettingEastSussexMoving social media campaign. The campaign highlights and celebrates a range of support to get active, as well as the wonderful locations to get moving across our county. Get involved and get the benefits.

 

Get tested for HIV in National HIV Testing Week 2024 

National HIV Testing Week starts from today. Sexually active people across East Sussex are encouraged to test for HIV, particularly if they have had new sexual partners.   Testing is free and confidential and is the only way to know if you have HIV. You can use a discreet at-home self-test kit, or attend a sexual health clinic or GP practice. The sooner you know your HIV status, the sooner you can get free, highly effective treatment to stay healthy and avoid passing the virus on. Visit the East Sussex Sexual Health website for more information about sexual health services.

 

What's the latest advice from the NHS on COVID-19? 

COVID-19 is still circulating in our communities, so it’s still important to take steps to protect yourself. Make sure you know the symptoms to look out for, what to do if you get unwell, and when to seek medical help. Take a look at the website for an overview on protecting yourself, symptoms, testing, medical help and recovery - including local services for people with long COVID. Visit the Health and Social Care News website.

 

Outreach support for the homeless community in Hastings

After many years supporting Hastings’ homeless community with their health and care needs, St John Ambulance (SJA) brought their outreach services to a close in January and their teams are thanked for all of their hard work to support people in and around the town. Outreach support for the homeless community in Hastings will transfer to Integrated Care 24 (IC24), which already runs Hastings Primary Care Hub at Station Plaza Health Centre in the town. IC24 will continue to support the homeless community with a GP and nurse-led service that builds on the valuable work of SJA, ensuring that some of the most vulnerable members of the local community continue to receive the care that they need. Find out how people can access the service.

 

Breaking ground for new mental health hospital in Bexhill

A ground breaking ceremony took place on Tuesday 30 January on the site of a new mental health hospital in Bexhill, marking a major milestone for local NHS services. The 54-bed hospital on Mount View Street, Bexhill, was officially named Combe Valley – a name chosen by staff and service users. Combe Valley Hospital has been developed by Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (SPFT) alongside NHS Sussex, the Integrated Care Board for Sussex, supported by significant input from local service users and staff. Opening its doors during 2025, the new hospital will provide modern, high-quality care for people who may be experiencing serious mental health problems, emotional crisis, or severe distress which can't be treated in the community. Read more about the new hospital.

 

Using data to tackle health inequalities across Sussex

New ways of accessing information about the local population is helping health and care leaders in Sussex make improvements for the future. Improving how health and care services use digital technology and information is one of the key priorities for this year in Sussex, and a new system is helping leaders gain a better understanding of where improvements may be needed. Read about the improvements.

 

Integrated service celebrates 10 years of supporting local people’s independence

 

The Joint Community Rehabilitation team (JCR) has been celebrating their 10-year anniversary and taking a look back over what the service has achieved since it formed a decade ago.

This integrated service brings together NHS staff from East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust and adult social care staff from East Sussex County Council into three teams across the county. They support adults who need short term support to regain their independence while remaining at home, for example by improving their strength and mobility or relearning skills after a hospital stay or illness.

The teams include a wide range of professionals, like occupational therapists, physiotherapists, speech and language therapists, social care workers, and rehabilitation support workers.

Learn more about their work.

 

 

Where to find out more...

Get advice on symptoms and treatments and find your nearest services, including pharmacies, dentists, GPs, A&E and urgent care.

Want to stay living at home but finding it difficult to cope or look after someone who couldn’t cope without you? Find out how Adult Social Care can help.

Learn about the mental health services on offer or search for local care, support and wellbeing services on the 1Space directory. You can also find a range of resources linked with rises in the cost of living on the cost of living web pages.

Enjoyed reading this? Then why not share it with a friend so they can sign up to our monthly newsletter and stay informed of all the local health and social care news.

Hastings Town Centre: Another Public Consultation!

You may have already had a leaflet drop through your letterbox, but, yes, another public consultation, this time, from this week until the 1st of March 2024, and called Hastings Town Centre Public Realm and Green Connections.

We are being asked to share our opinions of the Public Realm and Green Connections project, which suggests 'green corridors buzzing with biodiversity connecting Hastings town centre to the seafront.' See below, not sure about crossing the road though, could be interesting:

During the period of consultation there will be drop-in events with slightly different venues, depending on if you read the leaflet, or you look at the website (Hastings Town Deal), including, tomorrow (27th January), from 10.00 to 16.00, according to both sources, a public exhibition in Priory Meadow Shopping Centre.

Tuesday week, the 6th of February from 12.00 to 17.00, according to the leaflet, there is another public exhibition in Hastings Community Hub, in the Queens Road Hastings Town Hall (Priory Meadow entrance). Whereas the website suggests this is again in Priory Meadow Shopping Centre. At least not far away from each other, I'm sure it will be easy enough to find the event. 😉

Then, on Wednesday the 21st of February, according to both sources, there will be pop-up consultation events at Asda, Battle Road TN37 7AA from 13.00 to 15.30, and at Tesco, Church Wood Drive TN38 9RB from 16.00 to 18.00.

More details can be found at the East Sussex County Council website.

To complete the online survey you need to go to the website, which must be completed by 23.59 on the 1st of March.

Or paper copies of the brochure and survey, plus freepost envelope, can be found at the following sites, remember, the survey must be submitted by 23.59 on the 1st of March:

Hastings Library, Brassey Institute, 13 Claremont TN34 1HE;

The Observer Building, 53 Cambridge Road TN34 1DT;

Summerfields Leisure Centre, Bohemia Road TN34 1ET.

Remember, this is your chance to have a say, and you have until 23.59 on the 1st of March 2024 to share your opinions. 👍

Reporting Potholes & Other Highway Problems

This photograph is from the SinkySnap facebook page, many thanks (more about this further down), but it's an excellent and creative method of highlighting problems with potholes, and the photograph is of a very local pothole.* To report any highway problems, concerning potholes, trees, vegetation, street lighting, footpaths, road markings, whatever, you can do so at the East Sussex County Council website.

As I've said recently (blog), together with more money coming from central government, and by raising money from other areas, ESCC has said it is hoping to increase council spending on highways to nearly £34 million for East Sussex, including drainage work, and the patching and repair of potholes, fingers crossed.

And SinkySnap? Well, apart from highlighting problems with potholes on facebook, and they are also on twitter, although haven't posted anything there this year, yet, but the mind behind it is that of a local artist, I'll cut & paste below from her etsy shop site how she describes her project:

"Rediscoving my childhood toys a few years ago, I've carried on playing ~ this time with a camera and my aquired adult skills of prop and scenery making to create stories and iconic homages featuring Sindy, Barbie, Action Man and all their 1/6th scale chums. Most recently producing the 'Pothole' series, highlighting the terrible state of our roads by assembling a tableau in or around the offending pothole, usually in the middle of a street!"

I'm now following both pages. 👍

*Winchelsea Road/Rock Lane 

Connected Futures: Research Project for 16-24 Year Olds

Connected Futures is a research project led by younger people which, in this instance, is exploring barriers to employment for younger people in Hastings  (16-24 years old), and is a collaboration between CXK, East Sussex County Council and Hastings Borough Council, and funded by the Youth Futures Foundation. For further information go to the CXK website, and to take part in the survey go to this CXK Survey.

CXK state that the research group will explore:

• The barriers NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training) young people face.

• Rates of school suspension and absence

• The experiences of young people with challenging family circumstances

• Appropriate, tailored prevision post-16 that addresses the needs of our young people

• The experiences young people face with prejudice, discrimination and hostility

• A coherent approach that enabled young people to succeed and flourish

• Plus, many more areas…

HBC Out of Hours & Other Council Telephone Contact Numbers

Hastings Borough Council Out of Hours telephone number is 01424 451999; a 24/7 service is maintained (website). 📞

Other Contact Telephone Numbers during normal hours:

Litter, graffiti and fly-tipping: 01424 451077;

Collection of bulky household items: 01424 451077;

Abandoned & Untaxed Vehicles on Hastings & St Leonards' highways: 01243 642222;

Street Lighting Faults (East Sussex County Council). Each streetlight has a number, quote this number when calling: 0345 6080 193.

More details may be found at the website.

Road Repairs... And 39-41 George Street

East Sussex County Council has agreed an additional investment of £10.7 million to help improve the condition of roads in the county and protect them for the future, with a recommendation that a further £5 million be considered at Full Council in July; £5.6 million will be from 'reserves' and £5.1 million funded through borrowing (website). This would bring the Council's total spending on highways to nearly £34 million.

The additional money will go towards vital drainage work, and more patching and repair of potholes, thus ensuring roads in the county are more fit for purpose, noting that extreme weather of recent times has caused roads to deteriorate faster. I'm sure road users will be looking forward to this development! 👍

39-41 George Street, as you can see from the photograph above, is well on the way to being demolished for redevelopment, as mentioned in this blog last year. Oh yes, and George Street is still blocked off this end, you need to turn by The Albion for access.

So, some good news, fingers crossed!

Town Centre & Around Town Parking Consultation

We may just see an end to this (above) with fewer hours of unloading allowed in the town centre, indeed, maybe even a return to 'pedestrianisation' of the town centre again, remember before the first lockdown! Parking around many areas of town is being reviewed by East Sussex County Council (website), and if you wish to have your say by the 30th of June 2023, then go to the website and complete the online survey, as I have done, there are many areas where changes are being suggested, don't lose your chance to share your views. 👌

Seasonal Problems, Loneliness, Shelter, Money and Food & Help

Every year Christmas and the 'festive season' means an increase in loneliness, but remember that the Samaritans can provide 24 hour emotional support; calls on 116 123 are free, and their local telephone number is 0330 094 5717 (local call charges apply). They can also be visited, and their opening hours and further information is on their website. Many thanks to their volunteers and staff.

2 pubs in Hastings are offering free meals over the weekend, on Saturday 24th and in association with Mental Health Help Sussex, The Pig Hastings at 37 White Rock, is offering a Free Wellbeing Christmas Meal at 6.00pm. The event is aimed at "anyone and everyone in the community who may be struggling either mentally, physically, or financially" (facebook).

On Christmas Day, Sunday the 25th of December, The London Trader at 4-7 East Beach Street is offering a free Christmas lunch and glass of wine to anyone who wants one, in their words "don't go hungry, miserable or lonely, come in, see us and get fed!" (facebook) Nice one, helped by "kind donations from locals and local businesses" including "Andy Fraser and Sedlescombe Golf Course, LWC Drinks Ltd, and Rosie Adams the people's champion at Morrisons."

In past years in Hastings & St Leonards, temporary accommodation for homeless people has been supplied by The Snowflake Trust, sadly there are still problems providing overnight dormitory style accommodation, but Hastings Borough Council are providing temporary single room accommodation for the homeless, having leased properties for the purpose. They have asked Snowflake to provide hot evening meals and to be involved still; further details can be found at their website. Help can also be sought via the Seaview Project (website) and for their other services too.

OK, it's more than just a seasonal problem these days, but foodbanks seem to be with us long term now, and Hastings Foodbank (website) is desperate for certain items:

UHT Milk, Full Fat and Semi-skimmed;

Tinned Meat (but not corned beef and pork);

Tinned Vegetables (especially peas and carrots);

Tinned Fruit;

Coffee.

Also required are:  Toilet Rolls;

Toiletries (shower gel, shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste);

Tinned Fish;

Tinned Potatoes;

Tinned Rice Pudding;

Jam;

Fruit Juice.

There are Foodbank donation points all over Hastings, and full details of addresses and opening times are at the website, and include the HBC Community Contact Centre (Muriel Matters House), The Hastings Centre (The Ridge), Tesco Extra (St Leonards), Sainsbury's (Station Approach), Asda, Tesco Express (Havelock Road), Morrisons, NatWest Bank (Havelock Road), and Nationwide Building Society branches. 

Finally, from me for now, East Sussex County Council provide advice on their website regarding 'cost of living support' with links to money help and advice, your mental health, help with benefits, your home, food, employment and learning, health, transport, and help for households.

Stay safe and secure and watch out for each other folks, and much respect to those offering help and charity. Any other places where help can be found, eg free dinners, please feel free to add in comments and I'll write another blog, cheers!

Hastings Parking & East Sussex Transport Consultations

I only recently discovered that there are 2 consultation exercises being carried out regarding parking and travel and transport, with both consultations closing on Friday 9th December, so you still have time to share your opinions! 

The Hastings Parking Review asks for our opinions of the East Sussex County Council's proposals to be implemented in the Spring, after considering submitted responses. Full details, and a link to the online survey, are at the Council website.

The consultation regarding the East Sussex Local Transport Plan 4 is in connection with the Council's local transport plan for 2023-2050, looking at all forms of transport, including walking. Our opinions are being sought for the following areas:

• what your priorities are for travel and transport,
• the key issues you encounter, and
• what opportunities for improving travel across the county are important to you.

Again, for further details, and a link to the online consultation, and other ways of participating, go to the Council website.

Always happy to share my opinions, are you? 😉