LR Peterlee Town Council Winter 2020 - Flipbook - Page 2
Council Comment
Mayor’s Welcome
Season’s Greengs and
welcome to the 2nd
edion of the Peterlee
magazine!
We’re really pleased
with the reacon to the
1st edion leng us
know you enjoyed it and
we would like to thank
you for your feedback.
Remember, although this
magazine is produced by
Peterlee Town Council, it
is very much your
magazine. So, please let
us know if there’s anything we can do to improve it, or
what you would like to see included.
As the Christmas season begins, the dark nights have
drawn in and winter is upon us. I really look forward to
warm stews and tasty broths that the change of season
brings. As we spend more me inside the house, please
remember to keep an eye on neighbours, just to be
sure they are coping.
I think we can all agree that 2020 has been, and is
connuing to be, a challenging year for us all. Social
restricons are not always easy to understand and
certainly not always easy to follow, especially if that
means liming interacons with family and loved ones
at a me when we would usually be making plans to
spend me together. Please be assured that these
restricons have been put in place to keep us all safe
and to help the NHS manage the poorly. Wherever
possible, these restricons should be adhered to, not
only to protect yourself, but to keep your loved ones
and extended family safe and well.
Stay safe and well.
Kind regards,
Terry Duffy
Councillor Terry Duy
Mayor of Peterlee
Your Letters
If you have any views you would like to share or if there
are any poets or wordsmiths in Peterlee, please send your leers
with your name and contact details to:
Peterlee Town Council, Shoon Hall, Peterlee,
Co. Durham, SR8 2PH or email council@peterlee.gov.uk
For editorial and adversing enquiries please contact Lesley Palmer
email: lesleypalmer3@sky.com
01642 760700 • 07737 739583
www.lesleypalmer.co.uk
2 Peterlee
Don’t just turn up to
A&E – think pharmacy,
111 and GP rst
Public asked to #doyourbit to protect the NHS by keeping A&E
free for serious emergencies
HEALTH ocials across County Durham are asking people to do
their bit by thinking pharmacy, GP and 111 rst, and not just to
turn up to A&E.
The plea is the rst part of a new ‘Do Your Bit’ campaign aimed at
raising awareness of the rst routes people should take for
urgent medical advice and treatment, following the disrupon
caused by Covid19.
Health chiefs say that due to social distancing and infecon
precauons, the space available in A&E to care for people and
allow NHS sta to work safely has been reduced by 30-50 per
cent.
Dr Stewart Findlay, chief ocer, NHS County Durham Clinical
Commissioning Group (CCG) said: “We want to make it easier and
safer for paents to get the right advice or treatment when they
urgently need it.
“We’ve already put in place measures to support and guide the
public to make the right healthcare choices and help ensure their
safety, as well as making sure they get the right treatment in the
right place.
“If a need is not life threatening, we would advise paents’ to
contact their local pharmacy, their GP pracce or 111 online in
the rst instance or to call NHS111 if you need to speak to
someone out of hours”
Health advice will be provided based on individual issues with
soluons ranging from self-care through to an appointment with
a GP, or being directed to go to a pharmacist or Urgent Treatment
Centre.
People that do turn up to either an A&E department or an Urgent
Treatment Centre, will be assessed by a clinician and if suitable,
will be re-directed to a more appropriate service for their needs.
“In light of COVID-19, and with winter ahead, it is more
important than ever that we don’t have large volumes of people
in our surgeries, clinics and hospitals when they could have been
cared for elsewhere" added Dr Findlay.
“By thinking of alternave services such as pharmacist, GP and
111 rst people can do their bit to help stop the spread of
Coronavirus, keep people safe and keep A&E for real
emergencies.
In addion, the NHS is also asking people to act responsibly and
consider carefully the impact drug use and alcohol has on people
behaviours which can increase demands within A&E
departments.
Anyone concerned about their mental health is being encouraged
to contact a new freephone line making it easier to access urgent
help. People in County Durham including children and older
people, can contact their local crisis service on freephone
number 0800 0516171. Advice on what to do in a mental health
emergency is also available at www.tewv.nhs.uk/crisisadvice.
Sue Jacques, chief execuve, County Durham and Darlington NHS
Foundaon Trust (CDDFT), added: “The support for the NHS has
been amazing over recent months and as winter approaches we
will be asking people to keep this up and do their bit to protect
the NHS and each other.
“I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all our health
and care sta across County Durham. The last few months have
been dicult and their
commitment to delivering
excellent quality care has
never waived.”