Welcome to Wyre Forest

Home of I.C.H.C.

Contact

01562 823 581

Please use this answer-phone service to contact our office. You can also make contact with specific Councillors via the phone / e.mail details on <Councillors>

E.mail

Please use talk2us@healthconcern.org.uk to send a message. It will either be replied to directly or acknowledged & forwarded to the appropriate person.

Fax

Yes; we still use the jolly-old fax - it cannot be hacked the way these new-fangled systems can. Our number is 01562 77 00 11

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The Premier Independent political party in Wyre Forest

The Wyre Forest area of north Worcestershire is the home of independent political thought - having been represented in Parliament for two terms (ten years) by the Independent M.P. Dr. Richard Taylor M.B.E.

Representing Wyre Forest people

The party works at Wyre Forest District and local Town and Parish levels with Councillors on the Bewdley, Kidderminster and Stourport-on-Severn town councils.

Not just a ‘Single Issue’ party

As is reflected in it’s title, Independent Community and Health Concern is NOT just a ‘single issue’ grouping of independent representatives of the people; taking on-board all manner of local problems (and solving them) and local aspirations (and aiding in their delivery). It grew out of the projected closure of Kidderminster Hospital (to which so many had contributed with fund-raising). This prompted mass protest and street parades and, ultimately, the rejection of the sitting Labour MP - a junior Minister. While I.C.H.C. remains fundamentally concerned with the provision of health facilities and the delivery of all that results in ‘good health’ it is associated with concern for all aspects of a healthy community - education for all ages, support for the disabled and the elderly, transport, arts and entertainment, nature and the environment.

STATISTICS

as per 31st May 2020

of LOCKDOWN

UK

Known UK cases: 274,762 Known UK deaths: 3,489 Includes tests carried out by commercial partners Deaths of people who have had a positive test which are not included in the 4 National totals result confirmed by a Public Health or NHS lab. Daily confirmed cases: 1,936 Daily deaths (national): 412 [- 299] [Compared with previous total)s] Worcestershire cases: 1,379 [= ] Worcestershire deaths: 254 [+ 7] The above figures confirmed by NHS Worcester Acute Trust Worcs. News quotes 273 Wolverhampton cases: 998 [- 14] Sandwell cases: 1,029 [-283] Dudley cases: 878 [- 63] Birmingham cases: 3,231 [- 97] Following the PM’s speech on Sunday 10th May - Lockdown will be reviewed every 2 (two) weeks (instead of every three).

Revised Lockdown Conditions

(Sunday 24th May) SCHOOLS The Prime Minister has announced that some primary school pupils will return from June 1 “as planned”, while older students in Years 10 and 12 will begin going back two weeks later, with secondary school students returning to staggered lunch times and smaller classes in an effort to reduce the risk of transmission. “We intend, from June 15, for secondary schools to provide some contact for year 10 and year 12 students to help them to prepare for exams next year, with up to a quarter of these students in at any point. The phased return of schools is ‘crucial’ for children and that all classrooms will be fully reopened by September ‘at the latest’. We will begin with early years' settings and reception, year one, and year six in primary schools.” Mr Johnson will update the Cabinet on plans to lift the lockdown on Monday, but it is unlikely that any easing will come into effect before the start of next week. _____________________________________ The main steps outlined in the guidance for teachers are: • Children under 2 years need 3.5 metres squared per child, two-year-olds need 2.5 metres squared per child , and children aged 3 to 5 years need 2.3 metres squared per child • Once children have returned make sure any surfaces touched are cleaned several times a day • Consider how to keep small consistent groups of children together throughout the day • Staff will have to implement some kind of queuing system when picking up children, to limit contact with carers • Dividers could help keep children in different parts of the room; remove all soft toys or any toys that are hard to clean • To reduce the risk of infection ensure children with symptoms and staff who are symptomatic do not come in • Ensure social distancing of groups of children and staff as much as possible • Ensure hands are washed regularly throughout the day and children are observed doing so • Ensure you have a good supply of disposable tissues throughout the setting to implement ‘catch it, bin it, kill it’ • Arrange for children to be collected at the door if possible • Limit visitors and keep windows open for ventilation • Institutions should have a policy in place for responding to a case of coronavirus _____________________________________ For the latest “DO’s AND DON’Ts” .. see our <News> page _____________________________________ The Government is introducing a 5-point scale of reaction to the on-going severity of the contagion - see <Virus News> page. _____________________________________ The steps-down from ‘Lockdown’ are also shown on <Virus News>. _____________________________________ And “No Nattering” at the school gate (that’s ‘official) !