Shielding our most vulnerable
Our most vulnerable residents across Oxfordshire will have recently received correspondence from the NHS, identifying them as high risk and advising them to strictly self-isolate for 12 weeks.
We know this long term restriction may cause additional concerns for those without any nearby support and we want to make sure any shielded resident, who doesn’t know where to turn, are not handling these additional worries alone.
Local authorities across Oxfordshire have worked with the local Voluntary and Community Sector, to develop a simple point of contact for those who have been told by government that they have been identified as extremely vulnerable, and who have no support network and would otherwise be completely isolated.
This new, dedicated line provides our extremely vulnerable residents access to a central team who will be able to offer advice on a range of issues.
The shield phone line opening hours will be: 9am-6pm Monday to Friday and 10am-2pm on Saturday. Closed on Sunday. (This is effective from Saturday 30th May),
If you or someone you know has been identified as extremely vulnerable by the NHS and have no support network, please contact the dedicated team on 01865 89 78 20 or email shield@oxfordshire.gov.uk. If you live in Oxford City, you can also phone 01865 24 98 11 between 8am and 5pm or visit www.oxford.gov.uk/CommunityAssistance
For those residents who are not in a high risk category but still in need of support, there are a number of initiatives taking place across the county. You can visit Oxfordshire All In or Oxford Together for more information on community support near you.
Councillor Ian Corkin spoke to BBC Radio Oxford about the shielding phone line and the difference it makes to our residents. Listen to the inserted audio in this article.
The County, City and District Councils in Oxfordshire are all working hard to maintain frontline council services, so for any queries related to every day council service please check out the County, City or relevant District website.
For more advice and information on Covid-19, please visit Public Health England.