Bulletin Thursday 17 September 2020

Testing FAQs

The last few days has seen a lot of focus on the borough because of the high rate of infection and the continued lack of capacity.

We are strongly pushing back to the government to make sure that the borough is prioritised for tests and will be raising the matter again when we meet them this week.

We have produced the enclosed FAQS on our website to answer questions: http://www.bolton.gov.uk/covidtest (Link no longer live).

Bolton calls on government to provide extra support

Council leadership in Bolton is calling on the government to provide extra support for the borough as the rate of infections here in Bolton continues to climb.

A sudden increase in COVID-19 cases in Bolton has seen the local infection rate jump to nearly 200 per 100,000 and prompted the government to impose restrictions on household mixing and the hospitality sector.

Now the council is lobbying government asking for help and changes to guidance in a number of areas.

Supermarket warning: Mega stores reminded of COVID responsibilities

Major supermarket chains should be doing more to enforce COVID-19 restrictions, council bosses have warned.

Bolton Council and Greater Manchester Police have received multiple complaints of customers not wearing face coverings and a lack of social distancing in some of the borough’s largest stores.

Government extends support to stop business evictions this year

Businesses will be protected from the threat of eviction until the end of the year, the government has announced.

The move will help those businesses most in need of additional support to remain in their premises without the threat of eviction for the rest of this year, giving them the chance to focus on rebuilding their business over the autumn and Christmas period.

Patient access to GPs increased

Residents will benefit from more GP appointments in person as practices resume more of the services that were put on hold during Covid-19.

GP practices nationally were advised to scale back operations and prioritise the remote treatment of patients when the pandemic first hit.

This meant that patients could not walk into their local practice and speak to a receptionist. Instead, they were asked to contact their GP by phone or online.

The majority of appointments were conducted by phone or video; face-to-face appointments were only offered in extreme circumstances.

Practices are now in a position to offer more face-to-face appointments although patients should continue to contact their practice by phone or online in the first instance.

Praise for Bolton care homes keeping residents in touch with loved ones

Social care leaders have praised care home operators and staff across Bolton as they strive to protect their residents while helping them maintain contact with their loved ones.

It comes as a sudden and unexpected jump in the local COVID-19 infection rate has emphasised the need to protect the older and more vulnerable members of the community.

While government regulations have prevented families in Bolton from visiting loved ones in care homes since March, providers have used a variety of innovative solutions to help residents stay connected.

Green Summit 2020

Help shape and improve the environment in Greater Manchester- take part in the virtual GM Green Summit taking place 21-24 September 2020.

For the latest updates