Statement on Coronavirus
Updated 29/5/20
Yesterday the Prime Minister announced that, from Monday, people in England will be able to meet those from other households in groups of up to six, and people will be able to meet each other in back gardens, as long as those from different households stay at least two metres apart. We are expecting the government to publish additional advice on how this applies to care settings next week.
Dimensions Group (including Discovery, Waymarks and Outreach3Way) currently restricts all non-essential visits to our services, and of course many family members will be keen to make use of the new rules to see their loved ones together. However, we need to be clear that there are no changes to the current rules until next week and, before we change our current position, we need to seek clarity on a number of points and prepare detailed guidance on how we can implement the changes in a way that keeps everyone safe.
If you have concerns please speak to your locality manager for updates.
If you cannot reach your usual contacts, please complete the contact form here.
This page will be regularly updated.
Family helpline
In order to make sure every family member is as well informed as possible, we have launched a new helpline especially for the families of people we support. The line will be staffed from 10am to 2pm, Monday to Friday, and will give you the opportunity to ask questions of our team of Family Consultants. The number is 0300 303 9161.
The purpose of the line is not to answer day to day questions relating to your relative’s support; please direct any such questions to the manager of your relative’s service, rather, it is to give you all the information you might want about how we are responding to the current crisis as an organisation. Involving family members in the support we provide to their loved ones has always been a key priority for us, and this is true now more than ever.
18 March
Latest Information for people we support and their families and carers about Day Services
Discovery want to keep you and your families as safe as possible during this unprecedented time. Following the latest government guidance on protecting those that are most at risk and vulnerable, we have taken the decision to close the buildings that we provide day services from.
Colleagues from each service are contacting affected people directly and telling them what we can and will be doing to help them today (18th March). As a minimum, we will be keeping in touch with everyone and sharing any resources and information that we feel that might help.
All day services will be closed from Monday 23rd March.
Respite and Short Break Service
We will be keeping an emergency respite service running to help those people most in need. This may mean that we ask some people to move or delay their stay to help us do this. Managers of the service will be speaking to people and families directly and we want to reassure people that we will help as much as we can. There will be a much higher level of cleanliness and hygiene during this time and we will not be allowing visitors. We will help you stay in touch via assistive technology, for example Skype calls and Alexa drop in’s.
16 March
Dimensions Group (including Discovery, Waymarks and Outreach3Way) is developing staged and, wherever possible, personalised Service Emergency Pandemic Plans, in line with Government advice and in order to best protect the people we support and our colleagues.
We advise (but do not yet require) the restriction of all external visits to our services except when they are urgent. This includes visits by families and friends.
Similarly, we are advising against any visits by people we support to day services and other gatherings of vulnerable people, such as Everybody Counts groups.
Family members and people we support, if you have concerns please speak to your locality manager for updates.
Everybody else, please speak to your usual contact.
All colleagues will be receiving information via email.
If you cannot reach your usual contacts, please complete the contact form here.
This page will be regularly updated.