The SouthGlos Post

Batches of the swine flu vaccine have begun to arrive in South Gloucestershire paving the way for the vaccination of frontline health and social care staff and patients in at risk groups to begin.

The vaccine against swine flu will be delivered to NHS South Gloucestershire and GP surgeries in South Gloucestershire from now up until the 9 November. NHS South Gloucestershire will hold its first clinic to vaccinate frontline health staff against swine flu on Monday 2 November.

Director of Public Health for South Gloucestershire, Dr Chris Payne, said: “It is very important that we offer the swine flu vaccine to our frontline health and social care workers and all the other at risk groups. Although swine flu is a mild illness for the majority of patients, for some it can be serious. I would therefore encourage everyone in the at risk groups to take up their offer of a vaccination.”

Across the UK around two million frontline health and social care workers will be offered the vaccine. Frontline health and social care workers are at increased risk of infection and of transmitting that infection to susceptible patients. Protecting these people will help the NHS workforce to remain resilient and able to treat sick patients.

The following at risk groups will be prioritised in the following order:

• People aged over six months and under 65 years in current seasonal flu vaccine clinical at risk groups
• All pregnant women
• Household contacts of people with compromised immune systems e.g. people in regular close contact with patients on treatment for cancer
• People aged 65 and over in the current seasonal flu vaccine clinical at risk groups. (This does not include otherwise healthy over 65s, since they appear to have some natural immunity to the virus.)

Patients will be contacted by their GPs if they fall into one of the at risk categories. GP surgeries will begin contacting those patients who fall into the at risk groups when they have stocks of vaccines available.

NHS South Gloucestershire has set up a variety of clinics in a variety of locations over a four week period in an effort to make it as easy as possible for its frontline staff to be vaccinated. It is also working with South Gloucestershire Council and some other organisations to ensure that staff who perform a frontline social care role are also offered a vaccine.

Michelle Jefferies, Matron at Thornbury Hospital is one of those who will be choosing to get the vaccination. She said, “I want to be vaccinated as it will protect me, my colleagues and patients and my family over the winter. I also hope my team members will choose to have the vaccine for exactly the same reasons and I will be encouraging them to do so.”

Source: NHS South Gloucestershire

Police are appealing for help to trace a Kingswood man’s treasured Morris Minor car.

It was stolen from Hanham Road between 9.30pm on October 25 and 8am on the 26th.

The owner says the car is of particular sentimental value – given to him by his grandfather when he was three years old. He’s lovingly restored it and says he’s devastated that it’s been stolen.

The Morris Minor is red, index number NNK 394H.

Anyone with information should contact police on 0845 456 7000 or call the charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Source: Avon and Somerset Police

South Gloucestershire Trading Standards have conducted a mystery shopper exercise to assess the advice being given to consumers in the run up to Christmas about the digital switchover.

The exercise took place in October with Trading Standards officers ringing 19 aerial installers and visiting eight local retail premises to ask a series of questions about the forthcoming digital switchover, scheduled to take place in the West on 24 March 2010.

The responses provided were analysed by Bill Taylor, South West regional manager for Digital UK, the not-for-profit agency set up to oversee the switchover nationally.

The mystery shopper exercise highlighted some areas of concern, particularly with information provided by aerial installers. Out of the 19 installers contacted, five gave poor or inaccurate advice. However, many were helpful and provided accurate and reliable advice, including a member of the Trading Standards-operated Buy With Confidence scheme.

All of the retailers contacted were confident in answering switchover enquiries and the quality of digital switchover advice given was, in most cases, of a high standard with very few inaccuracies.

Cllr Heather Goddard, executive member for communities, said: “South Gloucestershire residents rely on the information provided by local companies. It is therefore essential that traders provide honest, accurate and correct advice regarding the products and services they sell to enable consumers to access digital television. The mystery shopper exercise demonstrates that the council is determined to ensure that residents get the best advice available.”

Bill Taylor, South West regional manager of Digital UK, said: “It is vitally important that retailers and aerial installers give the best possible advice about equipment needed for digital TV switchover – especially in the run-up to Christmas. This survey shows that some shop staff and some installers need to improve the advice they give. I want to make sure that no- one is duped into spending money unnecessarily on digital TV switchover.”

A list of traders who are members of the Buy With Confidence schemecan be found on the website: www.buywithconfidence.gov.uk or by contacting South Gloucestershire Trading Standards on 01454 634 001.

For impartial advice on the digital switchover visit the Digital UK Website: www.digitaluk.co.uk

Source: South Gloucestershire Council

Police were called to reports of a multi vehicle road traffic collision on the M4 this morning at about 6am.

The incident occurred between the exit and entry slip roads of junction 18 (Tormarton, A46 Bath turn-off) and involved three lorries, which had been in collision with the central reservation.

One of the vehicles was carrying what is believed to be concrete building blocks. The vehicle ended up on its side lying across the motorway scattering its load across all lanes of the motorway.

Traffic travelling both directions along the motorway were diverted off the motorway via the slip roads at junction 18 to allow the police and highways agency to clear the motorway of the concrete blocks.

However, because the peak period of people travelling to work is approaching police are advising people to avoid the area and find an alternative route into work. The westbound section of the motorway is particularly busy.

Recovery vehicles have been called to the scene.

The driver of one of the vehicles injured in the collision – a man in his 50s – has been taken to Frenchay Hospital although his injuries are not believed to be life-threatening or life-changing.

Source: Avon and Somerset Police

South Gloucestershire Police hope Halloween will hold no horrors for local people this year.

Officers have worked with schools, shops, the community and council to try to ensure people who want to celebrate the festival can do so safely, without causing problems for those who don’t.

South Gloucestershire Police District Superintendent Steve Jeffries said: “Traditionally, October 31 has been one of the busiest nights of the year for police across the country, with the potential for ‘trick or treating’ getting out of hand and leading to anti-social behaviour, damage and nuisance.

“Over the past few years we have been working hard with the council and other partners to try to tackle these problems as part of Operation Relentless, and we hope that this year we will continue to see a reduction in complaints about nuisance.”

Neighbourhood PCs and Police Community Support Officers across South Gloucestershire have visited schools and youth groups to give young people advice on staying safe and keeping out of trouble while trick or treating.

Local shops have agreed not to sell eggs and flour to children.

Neighbourhood Teams have also given vulnerable residents posters to display at home telling callers ’sorry, no trick or treat here’.

Supt Jeffries said: “What may seem like harmless fun to one person can be distressing and frightening for the more vulnerable people in our communities. We want young people to have fun, but they must realise they will have to take responsibility for their actions if they go too far.”

He added that parents should ensure their children’s safety by:

• Supervising younger children to make sure they don’t call on strangers
• Knowing where teenagers are going and with whom
• Making sure their children won’t call on anyone with a ’sorry no trick or treat’ poster on display

On the night, police officers, PCSOs and Special Constables will be out on highly visible patrols on foot, bicycle and in vehicles responding to any reports of anti-social behaviour.

Officers have powers to confiscate eggs, flour and alcohol from children and to bar anyone aged 16 or over from specific areas for up to 48 hours to prevent alcohol-related crime and disorder.

Anyone experiencing problems can call police at any time on 0845 456 7000. Call 999 if someone could get hurt or a crime is happening at the time.

Source: Avon and Somerset Police