CORONAVIRUS UPDATE 21 JULY 2020
As key workers GAMH staff have continued to provide support throughout the pandemic recognising that maintaining contact with the people we support and our colleagues is vital to help us all get through this crisis. Over the past few months we have developed and reviewed support contingency plans and strategies and used many creative solutions such as Skype, Facetime and WhatsApp to stay in touch online if we cannot safely meet face to face.
As the lockdown restrictions ease we are now taking gentle steps to “normalising “our support activities. The safety and wellbeing of those we support, their families and carers, and our workforce remain of paramount importance to us at GAMH, however we are confident in the measures we have put in place to allow our workforce to return to more normal working practices. All GAMH offices have now fully reopened following a strict Health and Safety risk Covid 19 assessment. Staff follow risk assessment protocols prior to any home visits and have been supplied with PPE to ensure their own and the people we support are safe. Our groups have restarted although numbers are limited due to the requirements of social distancing, and the feedback from people we support has been fantastic.
We are delighted that we can once again take referrals for our support services and will quickly respond to any referrals which have been submitted by referrers during the lockdown. We appreciate that some people, particularly those with underlying health issues, may of course be reluctant to engage in planned support, or to attend groups and gatherings. We have continued to collate and post a range of useful Wellbeing Apps that anyone can access on our website and we will continue to use telephone and other non-face to face contacts depending on people’s needs and wishes. Thank you for your patience and cooperation during this difficult time. We hope as we return to “normal life” we can expand our activities as soon as we are advised it is safe to do so and we look forward to welcoming you here at GAMH.
Information and Advice
You can still keep in touch with us via telephone & email in the usual way.
We are committed to updating the website on a regular basis during this crisis www.gamh.org.uk and you can follow us on twitter @GAMH1977
For information on the coronavirus outbreak please go to NHS Inform
There is also a dedicated Coronavirus Helpline on 0800 028 2816
Do not go to your GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital if you think you may have coronavirus. Stay at home and call 111 for advice. Call 999 if it is an emergency
General information about the pandemic can be found on the Scottish Government website
Links to looking after your mental wellbeing during the COVID outbreak is also available on https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/mental-health-considerations.pdf?sfvrsn=6d3578af_2