Coronavirus - support for people who are shielding
Updated 5th January 2021
Thank you to everyone in our community for working together and protecting each other through maintaining physical distancing, good hand hygiene and staying at home as much as possible. It has been hard but your commitment to this is appreciated. Through our collective efforts we have reduced but not eliminated the coronavirus. We need to continue to work together to stay safe in Frome.
PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR A SUMMARY OF THE LATEST GOVERNMENT GUIDANCE & OTHER USEFUL INFORMATION
If you have symptoms of coronavirus, stay at home. Do not visit a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital.
Support for people who are shielding
Feeling isolated or need help getting food or medication?
There are several ways to get support if you feel isolated or need help getting food or medication:
Activate your support network
Contact your friends, neighbours and family. Ask them to give you a regular telephone call or call them regularly. It will be nice for them too as they may also be feeling a bit isolated. Also ask someone to shop for you when they are doing their regular shop. They can leave it at your door and tell you when to expect it.
Local community support
If you don’t have friends and family nearby, there are towns and villages that have set up community support with volunteers to help people like you. If you have internet access, you can see the list of this community support on the Health Connections Mendip directory website here. The people who have volunteered in these groups really want to support people in the local area who need help.
You may also have received an offer of help through your letter box. These are also local people who have offered to help their neighbours.
Register with the government
If you have received a ‘most vulnerable’ patient letter because of a medical condition and do not have anyone to help, you can use this link to register to get help with delivery of food and medications: www.gov.uk/coronavirus-extremely-vulnerable. You can of course also access the other support listed in this document.
Local support if you feel isolated or need support
If you want help and you don’t have friends, family or local community support then telephone Frome Town Council on 01373 465757 for help with food or Active and In Touch on 07539 795261 for a befriending telephone call.
If you don’t feel up to calling these numbers, contact Health Connections Mendip on 01373 468368.
Directory of Local Support
Support available in villages - Health Connections Mendip round up of local community support
Frome Town Council - coronavirus advice and information, covering a range of topics, from accessing food to employment advice
Active and In Touch - for befriending phone calls contact 07539 795261. Active and In Touch are also seeking volunteers to help with their work
Emotional Support - contact Mindline Somerset on 01823 276 892. Also see our useful links page for more support around mental health and wellbeing.
Patient Transport Advice Centre - please call 01278 727444
Frome Community Cars - please call 07596 591391. Frome Community Cars are also looking for volunteers.
Citizens Advice in Mendip - please call 03444 889623
Mendip Distict Council - please call 0300 303 8588
Shelter - please call 0808 800 4444
ACAS - please call 0300 123 1100
Domestic Abuse and Violence - please contact Somerset Integrated Domestic Abuse Service on 0800 69 49 999
Other Useful Links and Information
Please see our useful links page for more advice and information on coronavirus, such as:
- government and NHS guidance
- information in different formats
- handwashing advice
- local advice and information
- mental health and wellbeing
- information and advice for parents
- health information
COVID-19 (coronavirus)
- Our latest practice update on coronavirus
- Sign up for the NHS App
- Latest government guidance
- COVID-19 vaccinations
- How to avoid catching and spreading coronavirus
- What to do if you think you might have coronavirus
- Use of face coverings
- Information for patients who are shielding
- Support for people who are shielding
- Temporary changes to services
- Signs and symptoms
- Isolation notes
- Information in different formats
- Useful links
- Volunteer to help find a vaccine