Health

Local coronavirus testing is being introduced in Sefton’s Formby area in response to recent COVID-19 outbreaks, which showed cases of the variant first identified in India.

Starting from Friday 14^th May, mobile, drive-through test centres will be set up at Deansgate Lane Park in Formby (L37 3LF) and at Ainsdale Hope on Sandringham Road (PR8 2PJ), and there will be a walk-through test centre at Sefton Professional Development Centre (PDC) on Park Road (L37 6EW).

The Deansgate drive-through test centre will be open from 9am to 4pm Monday to Friday, and the PDC on Park Lane will be open between 9am and 4pm seven days a week.

The test centre at Ainsdale will be open from 9am until 4pm on Friday 14^th May, but from Saturday 15^th May will be open 9am to 8pm seven days a week.

Appointments are not needed for tests at any of these centres.

There are also pop-up test sites at Formby and Freshfields rail stations.

Open 9am to 4pm until Friday 21 May, between 9am and 4pm, the two sites will be offering PCR tests to people without COVID-19 symptoms as part of efforts to find cases of the virus variant first identified in India. The teams at the pop-ups will also be handing out free home testing kits and will be joined by Community COVID Engagement Officers who can provide vaccination advice.

Identified sites

 Sefton’s Director of Public Health, Margaret Jones said: “Working with Public Health England, in response to a localised outbreak of infections and cases of the variant first identified in India, we have identified sites for test centres in and around Formby.

“We are encouraging everyone aged over 16 who lives, works or studies in Formby to attend one of these dedicated local test sites, once they are open.

“Anyone who has visited any venue in Formby over the last 2 weeks is also welcome to be tested at these test sites.”

Dedicated

She continued: “It’s important that people go to these dedicated test sites and not to our other sites, as these are the ones specifically set up to identify the Indian variant.”

This variant, which has been classified by Public Health England as a ‘variant of concern’, has been linked with coronavirus cases in Sefton’s Formby area.

Confident

Mrs Jones added:

“This variant, which was first identified in India, is not thought to affect people more seriously, inhibit the effectiveness of the vaccines, or to be more infectious than the dominant Kent variant. However, identifying cases is important so that infections can be identified, traced and contained before they spread any further will support the return to a more normal life that we all want to see.

“I am confident that our local communities will, as they did in Southport earlier this year, help us by taking part in this local, dedicated testing.”

Vaccinations

People across Sefton are being reminded of the need to continue taking every precaution, getting tested and registering the results. And it is important that people go along to get their first and second vaccination jabs when they are offered them. You can now get the COVID-19 vaccine if you’re aged 38 and over or if your 38th birthday is between now and 1st July. You can book your appointment online or by phone.

Anyone with the coronavirus symptoms of a new, persistent cough, a fever or loss of taste or smell to self-isolate and book a PCR test by calling 119 or visiting www.nhs.uk/coronavirus.

And, whether vaccinated or not, it’s still important that people going to work or out and about take rapid tests, which are free and widely available across the Borough, twice a week.

Rapid home test kits can be collected from Bootle Town Hall and Splash World in Southport from 8am-8pm seven days a week. No appointments are needed.

Rapid tests

Rapid tests for people without coronavirus symptoms usually provide a result in around 30 minutes. Rapid testing involves taking a throat & nasal swab, dropping the sample into the container supplied and then checking the result after 20 to 30 minutes.

Kits can also be collected between 2.30pm and 8pm, seven days a week, from walk-through Local Test Centres opposite Bootle Town Hall and at Crosby Library Car Park, Netherton Activity Centre and Southport Town Hall. No appointments are needed.

They are available from all Sefton’s pharmacies and they can be ordered online at www.gov.uk/order-coronavirus-rapid-lateral-flow-tests

Assisted

People can also choose to have assisted testing at one of Sefton’s Rapid test sites, which are also open 8am to 8pm seven days a week and located at Bootle Leisure Centre and at Splash World in Southport.

Anyone without symptoms can visit the asymptomatic test sites at Bootle Town Hall and Splash World in Southport from 8am-8pm seven days a week, no appointments are needed.

Home Testing Kits can also be collected between 2.30pm and 8pm, seven days a week, from walk-through Local Test Centres opposite Bootle Town Hall and at Crosby Library Car Park, Netherton Activity Centre and Southport Town Hall. No appointments are needed.

Sefton Council has a range of schemes, grants, information and advice available to anyone who may be struggling financially due to Covid, or who may need support when Self Isolating. More information is available at www.sefton.gov.uk/COVID-testing.

A new online resource has been launched this #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek to help children, young people, parents and professionals to make referrals into partnership mental health services in Liverpool and Sefton.

The new platform, available on the Liverpool CAMHS and Sefton CAMHS websites, allows just one referral form linking a wide range of mental health services across Liverpool and Sefton, who work in partnership together.

Previously, the referral process has been long, complicated and difficult to navigate. It is the first-time mental health services have been integrated in this way in the UK.

Alder Hey’s innovation team have worked closely with service users; children and young people & their families and mental health providers to develop the Sefton and Liverpool CAMHS platform that makes accessing the right mental health services much easier.

Lisa Cooper, Director of Community and Mental Health Services at Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust said:

“7 in 10 children and young people who experience mental health conditions in the UK have not had appropriate interventions at a sufficiently early age. Part of the problem can be knowing what is available and accessibility. The new digital platform makes the process so much easier to self-refer and also gives children and young people online support before they see a clinician.

Mental health is just as important as physical health and this past year has had a huge impact on our children and young people. We’ve seen more than double the amount of crisis cases than the previous year. I’m thrilled that with this new platform we are pioneering the future for digitising healthcare and helping some of our most vulnerable children and young people get the help they so desperately need and deserve.”

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) is a collection of NHS and voluntary sector organisations that provide a range of mental health support for children, young people and their families. As well as offering information, advice and guidance, assessment, diagnosis, treatment and intervention for young people who are experiencing problems with their emotions, behaviour or mental health, these partners also promote ways to develop positive mental health, including building resilience and training. This support covers a range of mental health difficulties including depression, eating disorders, self-harm, abuse, violence or anger, bi-polar, schizophrenia and anxiety among many other difficulties.

Lisa Nolan, Programme Manager for children and young people’s mental health at Liverpool Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) said:

“This is an exciting development which will improve access to mental health support for the population of children and young people and their families.  A true example of co-production and collaboration between the CAMHS Partnerships across Liverpool and Sefton, Alder Hey Innovation team, CCG’s, digital partners and Children, Young People and Families. This digital development will ensure quicker access to information, advice, resources and support for Children and Young People across both Liverpool and Sefton.”

Wendy Hewitt, Children and Safeguarding Lead for NHS South Sefton CCG and NHS Southport and Formby CCG said:

“This is a fantastic new development which will enable GPs and other professionals across Sefton and Liverpool to better support children and young people with mental health conditions. As everything is in one place, we will be able to access and share health information more easily, and quickly refer those children and young people needing mental health support.”

You can access the platform here: www.seftonliverpoolcamhs.com

Partners in Sefton have been awarded £320,000 of new funding to extend their Mental Health Support Team (MHST) programme, to boost early intervention and mental health support for school children and young people in the borough.

The news follows the earlier roll out this spring of two pilot MHSTs working across 40 schools and colleges in Sefton, as part of a national programme to transform children and young people’s mental health services. The announcement of additional funding means that the teams can extend their support across even more educational institutions in Sefton from 2022 autumn term onwards.

MHSTs are led locally by a partnership bringing together Sefton Council and NHS South Sefton Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), NHS Southport and Formby CCG, Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, North West Boroughs Healthcare, schools and voluntary community and faith (VCF) sector colleagues.

These teams aim to provide early intervention of some mental health and emotional wellbeing issues and build on the support already available in schools from local health and care services and community, voluntary and faith sector organisations. They can help support children and young people with issues such as mild to moderate anxiety, offering one to one and group support to pupils and their families, as well as school staff.

They are also helping staff within the 40 schools and colleges to provide a ‘whole school approach’ to mental health and wellbeing, by supporting designated mental health leads at each school to embed a culture of awareness of emotional wellbeing and good mental health, within each school community.

Jackie Lunt, clinical lead for Sefton Schools MHST, said:

“Our Mental Health Support Teams are part of a revolutionary change in how child mental health support is provided.

“Funding an additional team will help us to provide support to many more schools in Sefton, creating educational communities that strengthen our young people’s emotional health and wellbeing.”

“We are so pleased to be providing psychological support for students, families and educators alike. Ultimately, our goal is to help children and young people to get the right help at the right time for their mental health and emotional wellbeing and thrive as well as access all the life chances the education systems can provide.”

Find out more about the Mental Health Support Teams in Sefton, on the Alder Hey website here: https://alderhey.nhs.uk/services/sefton-mental-health-support-team-mhst

You can find out more about MHSTs in schools across England here: www.england.nhs.uk/2021/05/more-than-a-million-children-given-access-to-nhs-mental-health-support-at-school/

Organisations across Sefton are championing the benefits of the great outdoors during Mental Health Awareness Week (10-16 May), as well as sharing resources and services to help residents boost their mental health.

The theme for this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week is ‘nature’. Sefton Council, NHS South Sefton Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and NHS Southport and Formby CCG are sharing a video encouraging residents to get outdoors and reap the health benefits of the borough’s bounty of beauty spots.

Sefton boasts outstanding green spaces such as Formby nature reserve, Rimrose Valley Country Park, many golf clubs and local parks throughout the borough. There are also miles of beautiful coastal trails and beaches stretching from Waterloo in the south to Marshside in the north.

You can view it on the Sefton Council YouTube channel

Fiona Taylor, Chief Officer of the CCGs in Sefton, said:

“Spending time outdoors in green spaces, or bringing nature indoors into your home environment, can be of huge benefit to your mental health and wellbeing. We are lucky that, in Sefton, we are surrounded by fantastic  scenery that ranges from wide ocean views and coastal trails to local parks, trees and roadside planting in urban areas.

“Spending time in nature can help us stay physically active, connect us with other people and give us opportunities to learn new skills. It can also be useful to help us practice mindfulness, by paying more attention to the present moment, to our thoughts and feelings, and to the world around us. All of these can help positively change our mood and protect our mental health.”

Cllr Ian Moncur, Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing said:

“From our stunning dunes to our leafy parks, Sefton is a borough bursting with nature. During this past year we’ve seen more people than ever spending time at these amazing spaces, reflecting on these challenging times but finding comfort from a connection with nature.  

“I know that for many of our residents, daily walks have kept them going and many have found beautiful places right on their doorstep that they hadn’t realised were so close to home.

“Spending time outdoors has been shown to really promote good mental health and I would encourage everyone to take a moment this week whether it’s listening to birdsong from your window or walking with a friend down your street to appreciate nature and talk about your mental health.”

As well as connecting with nature, there are many other activities and services across Sefton that are available to those seeking help or support with mental health concerns at any time. Many of these services in Sefton will be sharing advice, tips and resources on social media using the hashtag #SeftonInMind throughout the week.

Talking Matters Sefton, Sefton’s talking therapies service, is launching its first online workshop this month, focusing on ‘coping with low mood and depression’ for those aged over 16. You can find out more by calling 0300 303 2708 or online at: www.mhm.org.uk/talking-matters-sefton

Sefton Council for Voluntary Services (CVS), is using Mental Health Awareness Week to promote ‘walking for health’. It is asking Sefton residents to share photos on social media of ‘things that make them smile’ on their local walks, using the #SeftonInMind hashtag.

You can search for the #SeftonInMind online and follow the Sefton Council and Sefton CCGs on social media to see more content about Mental Health Awareness Week here:

Sefton Council: Facebook: www.facebook.com/onesefton  Twitter: @seftoncouncil

NHS South Sefton CCG Twitter: @NHSSSCCG

NHS Southport and Formby CCG Twitter: @NHSSFCCG

If you would like to find out more about the green spaces you can visit in Sefton, visit the Sefton Council website here: www.sefton.gov.uk/around-sefton/parks-and-greenspaces