New trials for A&E

Queen's promotes alternative to A&E in new trial

A new approach is being trialled at Queen’s Hospital to redirect people who go the Emergency Department (ED) but could be treated elsewhere. Anyone who does not need emergency care will be redirected to the most appropriate care in the community, such as their GP or local pharmacist, during the two-week trial, which runs from 8am to 8pm. There are plenty of other places to go in the borough if someone needs medical attention including walk-in centres at Harold Wood Polyclinic, RM3 0AR, and at South End Road, Rainham RM13 7XJ, where you can get advice for any health problem. You can also book urgent on-the-day GP appointments at our GP hubs – call 020 3770 1888 to book or find out more online.

Somme remembrance

The Council is holding a two-minute silence at 11am today (Friday 1 July) in tribute to those who lost their lives and loved ones on the French battlefields. Britain observed a two-minute silence at 7.28am to mark 100 years since the start of the Battle of the Somme, at the moment when the first wave of soldiers went ‘over the top’ for the Allied offensive in Picardy in 1916. However, as most staff would have been travelling to work at that time, we will pay our respects at 11am. The ‘alarm’ bell will sound at the start and at the end of the silence at 11am and then at 11.02am at the Town Hall, Mercury House, and Romford Library. The service to the public will continue and visitors will also be able to join in the silence if they wish.

Launch of advice stand in the Market

Information where you need it. Council launches advice stand in Romford Market

Carepoint stand in Romford Market

​From last Friday (3 June) information and advice on subjects ranging from looking after yourself and getting out and about right through to your rights as a carer were available in a stand at Romford Market Place.

​The staff on hand at the stall can help with questions you may have on:

• Your health and wellbeing 
• Getting support to live in your home 
• Your housing options 
• Paying for care 
• Being a carer 
• Getting out and about 
• Being safe 
• Your benefits 
• The support services available in your area

 

As well as any other care and support enquiries you may have.

 

Barbara Nicholls, acting director of adult services, said: “This is just one of the ways the Council is adapting to ensure it reaches the residents who need its help.

 

“Our service provides free, confidential information to anyone over the age of 18 on your social care circumstances, wellbeing, getting out and about, housing and your rights as a carer. The service will also help you to find the services available in your area that may be able to support you or someone you know.

 

“We’re working hard with Family Mosaic who provide the Care Point service so residents can drop in and have a chat with one of the advisors at any one of the locations. You can find Care Point in Romford Market every Friday, at myplace Youth Centre on certain days or at Holgate House, Romford. Or you can visit Care Point at one of the drop-in’s across the borough.

 

“So, if you have a question, why not pop along and have a chat with one of the expert advisors on hand? They’re there to help.”

 

The service is based in myplace, 343 Dagnam Park Drive, Romford RM3 9EN

Monday 9.00am to 2.00pm 
Tuesday 12.00pm to 5.00pm 
Wednesday 9.00am to 2.00pm 
Thursday 12.00pm to 5.00pm

 

or can be found in Romford Market every Friday 10.00am to 3.00pm until the end of August.

 

For more information and a list of drop in sessions, visitwww.haveringcarepoint.org.

Compost Awareness Week

Havering Council gets kids composting for Compost Awareness Week

​International Compost Awareness Week (ICAW, May 1 - 7) is the world’s largest education initiative to promote composting.

​During this week Havering Council ran Compost in a Bottle workshops at three different primary schools within the borough – St Patrick’s Catholic Primary School, Clockhouse Primary School, both in Collier Row and Elm Park Primary School in Elm Park.

 

The workshops informed parents/ carers and their children of the benefits of composting. Children, parents and carers built a mini composter in a bottle by layering waste such as fruit/vegetable peelings, shredded paper, used teabags, egg shells and more.

 

The finished bottle will be observed over the coming weeks to see the production of compost which will be used in their home gardens and at school.

 

Steve Moore, Head of Streetcare at Havering Council said:  “We encourage residents to recycle their organic waste to create compost which can be used in their gardens. It’s great that young children are getting involved with composting. It’s important that we get everyone in the borough involved - schools, businesses and residents.

 

“Nearly half of the waste from an average household bin can be composted in some way. It currently costs the Council £6m a year to treat waste that could be composted, a considerable sum in these austere times. It could also save residents money when gardening and would benefit the air quality in our borough.”

 

Havering Council runs free compost workshops for residents as well as offering subsidised bins. New workshop dates and locations are to be added soon.

 

Visit www.havering.gov.uk/compostdoctor to register interest and to order a free compost guide.

 

To make sure Havering residents have the right equipment to allow them to compost their waste, Havering Council has teamed up withwww.getcomposting.com to provide reduced priced environmental products such as home compost bins, water butts and more for residents in the borough.

 

Residents can also find exclusive offers on caddy liners and other products atwww.caddyliners.com.

Havering residents cheer as Beacon lit to celebrate Queen’s 90th birthday

​The Mayor of Havering lights the Beacon.

​More than 250 residents joined the Mayor of Havering at The Green in Havering-atte-Bower on Thursday when a special beacon was lit to mark the 90th birthday of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

​The Mayor of Havering, Councillor Brian Eagling, said:  “It was a lovely evening with more than 200 people joining us at St John the Evangelist Church to celebrate Her Majesty’s 90th birthday and then to light the beacon as darkness fell. The Royal British Legion Band and Corps of Drums Romford played the National Anthem which was extremely moving.

 

“The Queen has had a remarkable reign and I was proud to be at this special event along with residents, local politicians and dignitaries. Havering was one of a 1,000 beacons lit across the UK and overseas in celebration of her birthday.”

Charlbury Court, Harold Hill, resident, Rosie George, said: “Everyone was made very welcome, both at the church service and at the beacon lighting which was a lot of fun.

 

“Reverend David Anderton conducted a lovely service and it was very emotional as the band played in the beacon’s light.”

 

The Mayor added: “I’m now looking forward to attending some of the street parties that are being planned for Sunday 12 June.”

 

The Council is encouraging local residents to hold street parties to mark the Queen’s official birthday, which is on Sunday 12 June. To apply to hold a party in your street on that weekend, fill out the form at www.havering.gov.uk/streetpartiesno later than Friday 29 April.

Remembering the Blitz

Havering remembers casualties of the blitz

Thursday 21 April 2016

​Families gathered in Romford Cemetery on Tuesday 19 April to remember and honour the lives of ordinary men, women and children in Havering who were among approximately 17,500 London civilians who perished in air raids during World War Two.

​The Mayor of Havering, Councillor Brian Eagling, laid a wreath at the foot of the granite memorial dedicated to Havering Civilians who lost their lives during the 1939-1945 conflict, followed by the Last Post and Reveille.

The Mayor of Havering said:

“The Last Post was an unusual, but fitting tribute for civilians, allowing us to remember them with the respect and dignity they deserved”

Head Teacher Mark Patient, whose pupils read the poem “We remember them”, said:

“It was a great privilege and honour to be asked to take part in this very special remembrance service. I was extremely proud of our pupils and our thoughts and prayers are with all the families that were affected by the bombings back in 1941.”

Those present, processed from the Cemetery Chapel to the Essex Road Memorial Garden led by Standard Bearers of the Royal British Legion, the Mayor of Havering, Cllr. Brian Eagling and the Mayor’s Chaplain the Revd. Canon David Banting.  Amongst the procession were those who had experienced the enduring loss of family and friends and representatives of the rescue services including the London Fire Brigade.  The graveside service was accompanied by members of the Salvation Army. 

From BHR hospitals re industrial action

Keeping our patients safe during the industrial action

 

This note is to provide you with an update on the plans we are putting in place to make sure we provide safe levels of care to our patients during the junior doctors’ strike.

 

The strike, which is taking place next week on Tuesday 26 and Wednesday 27 April, will be the first where they will not be providing emergency care.

 

We are putting robust plans in place to ensure we can provide safe and compassionate care during this time and would like to let you know that this means we will only be treating those patients who need immediate care in our emergency departments (EDs) during the strike. Anyone who comes to an ED requiring non-emergency care will be redirected to primary care and will be informed of the different treatment options available to them – we will be issuing  information leaflets issue during the strike to signpost these patients to the most appropriate care.

 

Our CCGs will be providing 16 additional GPs in the hubs across the three boroughs during the strike to give extra appointments, until 10pm on both days of the strike, which can be booked from 12noon, rather than the usual 2pm. These can be booked by calling 020 3770 1888. We will provide GP information on the leaflets issued on the strike days too.

 

The most important message during the strike is not to come to ED unless you require immediate, emergency care and we would appreciate your support in helping us to inform your residents by signposting people to the right services and sharing this message wherever possible.

 

 

Further information, as well as the information leaflets which you can share, are on our website.