Digital Support for Patients – Prescribing ‘digital skills’

We know that many services and day-to-day activities have moved online, but using the internet can be hard for some people to adapt to. If your patients could benefit from support to develop their digital skills, you might want to mention the following two services to them:

How-to videos

Short and simple video guides on www.hackney.gov.uk/digital-skills covering Zoom, online shopping, searching the Internet, virtual group consultations, and more.

Digital buddies

We connect individuals with a buddy who takes them through what they want to do or learn, step-by-step over the phone. Please visit www.hackney.gov.uk/digital-skills#buddies for more info or complete the form on your patient’s behalf directly at digital skills buddies

DfE funding available to support low income families with disabled and critically ill children

The Dept for Education is providing £37.3 million for the Family Fund in 2020-21, including £10 million specifically in response to COVID-19, to support low income families with disabled and critically ill children.  This includes helping to buy specialist equipment and devices.
 
See letter attached; more details on how to apply for the Family Fund can be found at: https://www.familyfund.org.uk/
 
Families must meet the following eligibility criteria:

• You live in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales
• You are the parent or carer of a disabled or seriously ill child or young person aged 0-17 who lives with you
• You are currently living in the UK and done so for at least six months, or three months if your child is less than six months old. You are eligible to work and apply for public funds
• Your child is not in Local Authority care
• You have evidence of entitlement to any one of the following:
• Universal Credit
• Child Tax Credit
• Working Tax Credit
• Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
• Income Related Employment Support Allowance
• Income Support
• Housing Benefit
• Pension Credit.
• Your child or young person has a high level of additional support needs arising from a long term disability or disabling condition or a serious or life limiting illness. By long term we mean lasting or likely to last 12 months or more. 

 
More details about the criteria can be found here: https://www.familyfund.org.uk/.

Congratulations to Dr Meena Krishnamurthy, GP at the Heron Practice, for her Royal College of General Practitioner's Award!

Exercise programmes in Hackney from the 5th November

From Thursday 5th November the following programmes have been cancelled until further notice to protect people from the coronavirus outbreak:

• New Age Games (online classes are available). For further information visit: https://hackney.gov.uk/new-age-games  Newly added online sessions are chair-based activity, Monday, 10.30am -11.30am and a special exercise dance session on 16th December celebrating Black History.  The Pilates class is currently full and operating a waiting list. 

• Walkingtogether (self-led walks available to download inline with government guidance). For further information visit:   https://hackney.gov.uk/walking

• Fit 4 Health - Exercise after Stroke Scheme. For further information visit: https://hackney.gov.uk/after-stroke-programme  Unfortunately after getting the full programme back in mid October, we are now pausing until further notice. We are still accepting referrals to the scheme. 

• A range of exercise online opportunities can also be viewed at:  Keep active — Love Hackney

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John Scott Gardening Group

A small group of doctors started a gardening group in October 2018 to improve the appearance of the grounds.

We opened the group up to patients and service users in 2019 and have met a few times a year to do planting pruning and weeding around the front and sides of the building.

We stopped for a while during the pandemic but are keen to get going again in Spring 2020.

If you are interested in joining us -please email johnscottgarden@gmail.com.

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