Posted 24/03/2020
Our Response to the Coronavirus Update 24|03|20
We know that this is a worrying and uncertain time for everyone. We wanted to reassure you that we will continue to do all we can to support you and your family over the coming weeks and months.
We will continue to update this webpage throughout the Coronavirus response and will also continue to be active on social media and digital channels. We will, where appropriate provide postal / paper updates too, where that is possible.
Following the latest advice issued by the Prime Minister on 23 March, we've adapted our plan further. As you will understand, we may have to adapt it again as the situation develops but we are committed to keeping you updated.
- In line with Government advice, we are moving our staff who are not key workers to working from home and have now closed all of our offices to visitors. You can access information about our services on www.swan.org.uk and speak to us via Live Chat there too. If you cannot find what you need online, you can speak to us via live chat on our website or you can email us at info@swan.org.uk. You can also call us but please do bear with us, you might wait a bit longer than usual to speak to our staff.
- Furthermore, in line with Government advice, our staff have been re-arranging all currently booked face to face visits so they can be carried out by telephone or other means. Aside from planned care visits, our teams will only visit you in your home in exceptional or emergency situations. We will be unable to visit a property where a household member is self-isolating or has symptoms of the virus. If you need us during this period, please do contact us and we will talk through the options as to how we can support you.
- Our repairs contractor Axis has put arrangements in place to try to maintain services to residents. However, because of the Government restrictions now in place and in response to the availability of materials and staff, they have now confirmed that they will be providing emergency repairs only. These are repairs that are needed to keep your home safe and include those which are needed to protect life, ensure health and safety, secure premises, stop leaks and reinstate power.
If you had an appointment booked for non - emergency repairs scheduled for tomorrow onwards Axis will be cancelling these. These arrangements are being put in place to help us maintain a safe and secure home for you and all Swan residents and new appointments will be agreed once restrictions have been lifted sufficiently for Axis to resume non-emergency repairs.
- Our Housing Teams will remain available to support you via our website where you can use live chat on www.swan.org.uk and on the telephone if you cannot find what you need online.
- If you are concerned about your financial position because of the impact of the C-19 virus, our Welfare Benefits team are standing by to support you. They have already published useful advice on our website and will be regularly updating this advice here. You can email our team via info@swan.org.uk or if you need to discuss your financial position in person, you can call them on 0300 303 2500 but again please do bear in mind, that they are likely to receive lots of additional calls, so it may take time for them to get back to you, but they will do so.
- Our Estates Services Team will continue to provide caretaking services but they may have to adapt their schedules to cover staff absences and to respond to the evolving restrictions on movement. Again, we ask for your patience, if you find that the service isn't delivered in the usual way over the coming weeks.
- If you are a resident living in one of our supported housing schemes - advice has been shared locally as to how we will do our best to maintain services during this period.
- If you are a resident in one of our NHS schemes, you may notice that there are some changes and potentially a reduction to the housekeeping regime to reflect changes to our safe working arrangements with staff and potentially to reflect reduced staffing levels.
- If we provide care in your home, we're currently working with the Clinical Commissioners with regards to the continued provision of care at this time.
- We will continue to seek to engage with you about our services but you will appreciate that we won't be arranging face to face meetings until restrictions are lifted. Our Resident Involvement and Community Development Team will be working with our engaged residents to find ways to continue to speak to you.
- If you are a Hera resident the team will continue to be available to support you on email via: info@hermanagementservices.co.uk or via phone 0345 683 8812.
- If you are a buyer of one of our NU living homes please visit www.nuliving.co.uk for more information.
We will continue to communicate with you over this period both through our social media and website and also through the next edition of HOME which we are timing to come out to you with useful advice on this evolving situation.
Our teams are going to be very focused on delivery of services during this difficult time, so if you need help please first go to our website www.swan.org.uk, check out our advice on Facebook and Twitter, contact us by email to info@swan.org.uk or use Live Chat on our website. If you still don't find what you need please do call the team on 0300 303 2500, but note that it may take longer than usual to answer your call.
We would like to take this opportunity to ask all customers to follow Government guidance around social distancing and to ensure that they are observing the latest restrictions on movement, socialising etc. Remember, if you can, stay home and save lives.