People in Oxfordshire who are eligible for annual winter flu and COVID jabs are being encouraged to get vaccinated as soon as possible.

Flu vaccinations are now available for pregnant women, children aged two to three years, school-aged children from reception to year 11, and children aged six months and over who have a long-term health condition that puts them at greater risk from flu.

Those aged 65 and over, those under 65 years old in a clinic risk group, people who live in care homes, carers, frontline health and social care workers, and those experiencing homelessness, will be able to get their free booster from 1 October.

Residents in care homes for older people, all adults aged 75 or over and individuals who are immunosuppressed aged six months and over can also get a free COVID booster. 

An RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) vaccine is also available to pregnant women, people aged 75 and over, adults of any age living in a care home for older adults, and those aged 65 to 74 who have a weakened immune system or a long-term lung condition (excluding well-controlled asthma).

Ansaf Azhar, Oxfordshire County Council’s Director for Public Health, said: "Flu, COVID and RSV can pose serious risks, especially to people with certain health conditions. They spread more in winter as we gather indoors, increasing the risk of severe illness. 

“The vaccination programme aims to provide those who need the most protection with the help they need. Getting the vaccine not only gives you extra protection but also protects your loved ones and those you work with.

“It's important to boost your protection regularly, as immunity decreases and viruses change each year, so don’t put it off, book your appointment today.

"As always, if you have a fever or feel unwell from a respiratory infection, stay home and limit contact with others."  

Where possible, vaccines will be given on the same day. Find out more about the vaccinations and how to book an appointment by visiting the NHS website.

Sign up to hear from us and receive the latest news and updates in our fortnightly newsletter, Your Oxfordshire.

And with colder weather at the start of 2026, people can follow the activities of the newly named gritters’ journeys on cold winter nights through the online gritter tracker.

In 2025, Oxfordshire County Council and its highways maintenance contractor M Group announced a competition to name the 30 gritting lorries that ensure that the county’s roads keep moving and stay safe when the cold weather hits. Nearly 1,500 suggestions were received.

Wartime Prime Minister Sir Winston Chur-chill and his Woodstock birthplace of Blenheim Pal-ice made the cut, along with Wantage-born King Alfred the Grit.

People would be right to suspect that Wallingford’s queen of the whodunnits Agatha Gritstie was a popular choice, while Oxford’s most famous fictional detective Endeavour Morse has been immortalised as Inspector Norse. The late actor who played him, the appropriately named John Thaw, was also chosen.

There will be no surprises that local rock legends Radiohead – fresh from their sell-out comeback tour – had a vehicle, Radiospread, named after them.

Sir Roger Ban-ice-ster, who broke the four minute mile barrier at Oxford’s Iffley Road running track in 1954, was a worthy recipient, along with the late footballer Joey Beauchamp – regarded by many as the greatest player in Oxford United’s history. Snowy Beauchamp was chosen to honour him.

Groundbreaking Oxford-born cosmologist Professor Stephen Thawking and Snowdo Baggins – named after Frodo Baggins, a character in Oxford don JRR Tolkien’s The Hobbit – made the grade.

Oxfordshire landmarks Shotover Hill and the Wittenham Clumps – aka Shotover Chill and Grittenham Clumps – were also among the successful public suggestions.

The process followed the appeal in October, which put an emphasis on names with local significance, inspired by Oxfordshire’s rich history and cultural importance.

A shortlist was compiled from the 1,480 suggestions received, with the gritter drivers themselves choosing the winners.

Listeners to the BBC Radio Oxford Breakfast Show took part as well, coming up with three of the names.

Pupils from the schools closest to the council’s depots where the gritters and salt barns are based – Woodcote Primary, Deddington CE Primary and Drayton Community Primary – also chose three names each. The children will get the chance to meet their gritters later this winter.

Two vehicles were named in tribute to gritter drivers and supervisors who died recently, while Blizzard of Ozz was a nod to Black Sabbath singer Ozzy Osbourne, who passed away earlier this year. While not local, the cover of their debut album was photographed on the Mapledurham estate in Oxfordshire.

The names in full

• Bossy
• Monster Rich
• Snow-bi Wan Kenobi
• Robin the Great
• Duck, Duck, Grit
• Draytonator!
• Did You Just In-Salt Me?
• Great Gritain
• Hansel and Gritel
• Gritasaurus
• Ready, Spready, Go
• Elvis Spreadley
• Inspector Norse
• Agatha Gritstie
• Snowy Beauchamp
• Gritty Gritty Bang Bang
• Sir Winston Chur-chill
• Shotover Chill
• Snowdo Baggins
• Radiospread
• Professor Stephen Thawking
• Claudia Sprinkleman
• Blenheim Pal-ice
• Sir Roger Ban-ice-ster
• Grittenham Clumps
• Grittmeister 5000
• Alfred the Grit
• Spready Mercury
• John Thaw
• Blizzard of Ozz.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport Management, said: “Thank you to everyone who took part in helping us name these gritters. It’s been great fun and Oxfordshire’s residents have come up with some wonderful ideas.

“Our gritter drivers do an amazing job at the most unsociable hours and in the coldest temperatures, helping to make our roads safer. If you do find yourself behind one of them, which are restricted to 30mph when they are carrying out their work, so please be patient and considerate – they are there to keep you safe.

“And remember that while we make great efforts to keep roads clear in winter, drivers must never assume that a road will be free from ice and should adjust their driving to suit the conditions.”

The fleet of gritting vehicles consist of 15 26 tonne trucks, 12 18 tonne vehicles, two 7.5 tonne trucks and one 3.5 tonne ‘baby gritter’, to treat very narrow roads and the park and rides. In total, 30 vehicles are stationed at three winter depots across the county, ready for when the temperatures drop.

Every time the temperature drops below freezing, the gritters hit the highways to spread salt and make our motorists safer. They’ve already been out several times this winter.

Richard Lovewell, M Group Business Director, said: “Naming our new gritters has been a lot of fun but does bring into focus the hard work that goes into ensuring that Oxfordshire is ‘winter ready’, and highlights the huge effort required, throughout the winter period, to keep our roads as safe as possible.

“Our drivers enjoyed voting on the names that the public suggested and we hope you recognise a few names as the fleet heads out across Oxfordshire over the next few months.”

The fleet of gritting vehicles consist of 15 26 tonne trucks, 12 18 tonne vehicles, two 7.5 tonne trucks and one 3.5 tonne ‘baby gritter’, to treat very narrow roads and the park and rides. In total, 30 vehicles are stationed at three winter depots across the county, ready for when the temperatures drop.

The three covered salt barns in Woodcote, Deddington and Drayton, near Abingdon, keep around 10,000 tonnes of road salt dry and in optimum condition for use by 54 specialist gritter drivers.

The council salts approximately 42 per cent of Oxfordshire’s road network, one of the highest rates in the country.

While Oxford City Council looks after the gritting inside the Oxford ring road, Oxfordshire County Council is responsible for the rest of the county – including all A roads, B roads and some C roads, apart from the M40, A43 and A34, which are covered by National Highways.

Oxfordshire’s gritter drivers treat 27 routes across the county in each gritting session, covering over 3,500km in total, of which 1,960km (1,200 miles) are salted – the equivalent of travelling from London to Iceland.

Sign up to hear from us and receive the latest news and updates in our fortnightly newsletter, Your Oxfordshire.

People can expect to receive a ‘warm welcome’ at Oxfordshire County Council’s libraries this winter, with the network offering a warm space and a hot drink for those who need it.

For the fourth year running, Oxfordshire libraries are partnering with the Warm Welcome Campaign, which supports a network of over 4,000 warm spaces across the UK.

The campaign seeks to open up more community spaces for free for those who may be feeling isolated, or whom need a warm place to stay during the colder months.

Oxfordshire’s libraries are also delivering a range of other support for residents including free cultural activities, advice sessions and signposting on helpful topics.

Simon Lay, Libraries Branch Network Operations Manager at Oxfordshire County Council, said: “We will be particularly focused on providing warmth, company and support to those affected by poverty and social isolation over the winter months.

“We’re continuing to see a rise in the number of people taking up the offer of a warm space and a hot drink. In Abingdon Library, for example, we are delighted to welcome back our regular visitors and welcome new faces.

“It’s a pleasure to see so many people enjoying the space we provide, reading newspapers, doing a jigsaw and connecting with others. Take up of the warm space offer has increased by 50 per cent, and the team are grateful that we are able to provide this hospitality.”

Councillor Neil Fawcett, Deputy Leader of Oxfordshire County Council, said: “Warm spaces such as our libraries provide a lifeline for many in our communities during the winter months. By offering a welcoming environment, a hot drink, and opportunities for connection, we’re not only helping people stay warm, but we’re also helping to tackle social isolation and support those facing hardship.

“This initiative is a clear reflection of our strategic priorities: we are committed to reducing inequalities, improving health and wellbeing, and building resilient, inclusive communities where everyone can thrive. Our libraries are at the heart of this effort, ensuring that every resident has access to the support and warmth they need this winter.”

As well as libraries, many other community buildings across the county also provide a warm space for those who need them. Find out more by visiting Warm Welcome’s website.

Find out about other ways to keep warm during the winter months, including financial help and more, by visiting the council’s dedicated webpage.

Sign up to hear from us and receive the latest news and updates in our fortnightly newsletter, Your Oxfordshire.

Now we are looking to name the fleet. And we need your help.

What do you want to see them called? If you’ve got a good idea, we want to hear it. Who knows – you might get to see your suggestion emblazoned on the side of one of our gritters.

We’d particularly love to see some names with local significance. Maybe you’ll be inspired by Oxfordshire’s rich history and cultural importance.

We’ve got plenty of famous authors to choose from, such as George Thaw-well, Lew-ice Carroll, JRR Saltbin or Sir Chill-ip Pullman? How about crime writers Dame Agatha Gritsie or Coolin’ Dexter and his famous fictional detective Inspector Morse (or perhaps Inspector Norse)? Or the actor who played him – the appropriately named John Thaw?

Maybe there should be a tribute to Wantage-born monarch King Alfred the Grit, or Blenheim Palace-born wartime Prime Minister Sir Winston Chur-chill? What about patron saint of Oxford Saint Frideswide (or should that be Saint Slideswide) or local actor and comedian Hugh Lorry?

Music fans might want a nod to legendary Oxford band Radiospread, or veteran DJ and broadcaster Whispering Bobsleigh Harris.

While football supporters may well want to give Oxford United a mention, perhaps through Milk Cup-winning manager Maur-ice Evans or club legend Snowy Beauchamp.

So, get your thinking caps on and send us your suggestions. Maybe you can help us spread a few smiles as well as the salt.

Entries can be submitted to Let’s Talk Oxfordshire by 5 November.

We’ll sort through the best and then our drivers will pick the winners – after all, they’re the ones who’ll be behind the wheel.

Other names are being by suggested by pupils from the primary schools nearest to the council’s three deports – in Deddington, Drayton near Abingdon, and Woodcote – and by listeners to the Radio Oxford Breakfast Show.

Once they’re named, it’s hoped people will be able to trace their journeys on cold winter nights through our gritter tracker.

Oxfordshire County Council and its highways maintenance contractor, M Group, work hard to ensure that the county’s roads keep moving and stay safe when the colder weather hits.

There are three covered stores around the county, keeping over 10,000 tonnes of road salt dry and in optimum condition for use by our 54 specialist gritter drivers.

The fleet of gritting vehicles consist of 15 26 tonne trucks, 12 18 tonne vehicles, two 7.5 tonne trucks and one 3.5 tonne ‘baby gritter’, to treat very narrow roads and the park and rides. In total, 30 vehicles are stationed at three winter depots across the county, ready for when the temperatures drop.

The council salts approximately 42 per cent of Oxfordshire’s road network, one of the highest rates in the country.

While Oxford City Council looks after the gritting inside the Oxford ring road, Oxfordshire County Council has responsibility for the rest of the county – including all A roads, B roads and some C roads, apart from the M40, A43 and A34, which are covered by National Highways.

Our gritter drivers treat 27 routes across the county in each gritting session, covering over 3,500km in total, of which 1,960km (1,200 miles) are salted – that’s the equivalent of travelling from London to Iceland.

Sign up to hear from us and receive the latest news and updates in our fortnightly newsletter, Your Oxfordshire.

The pilot episode of Your Oxfordshire podcast is hosted by Victoria Baran, Oxfordshire County Council’s Deputy Director of Adult Social Care, and features guests from Oxfordshire’s health and social care teams. It offers a unique, behind the scenes look at how they’re preparing to keep residents safe and well this winter.

Victoria said: “Winter can be a really difficult time of year, when germs and bugs start to spread, and the weather makes everything a little more challenging.

“I wanted to share some of the great work that Oxfordshire’s health and social care teams are doing to look after us this winter, including some brand new services helping people to receive hospital level treatment at home.

“In the podcast, I’ve spoken with professionals from the county’s hospitals, ambulance service and mental health teams, as well as social services, getting the latest information about what differences you might come across this year helping people to stay well at home.

“And if the worst happens and a loved one does need to go to hospital, we’ve got some tips on how you might be able to help them to get home to continue their recovery.”

Your Oxfordshire podcast is now available to download here, as well as from the usual podcast platforms. It's also embedded at the top of this page. 

It complements the already established  residents’ e-newsletter of the same name, which can be automatically emailed to residents by signing up. 

Councillor Neil Fawcett, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Community and Corporate Services, said: “We’re always looking for new ways to engage with the communities we serve in Oxfordshire. While we will continue with our more traditional ways of sharing information, we felt it was important to move with the times and trial even more accessible ways of keeping in touch with people.

“I hope listeners to the first episode are reassured about how Oxfordshire’s health and social care teams are working together to help support us all this winter, as well as getting some great tips about how to stay well and where to go for help should they need it.”

Organised by Dementia Oxfordshire – a service provided by Age UK Oxfordshire with funding support from Oxfordshire County Council – the event is happening at Bullingdon Community Hall, Headington, 10am - 3pm on Wednesday 6 December as part of a wider celebration of the festive season.

Councillor Tim Bearder, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, said: “Winter can be a difficult time for some people, with shorter days and fewer opportunities to meet up with friends and family.

“That’s why events like Dementia Oxfordshire’s Winter Fayre are so important. It not only gives people the chance to come together and share some festive cheer, but there’s also the opportunity to pick up some really helpful information about ways you and your loved ones can stay well through the winter months ahead.”

Whether presenting your own baking masterpiece or lending your expertise as a tasting judge, there’s something for everyone. In true competitive fashion, there will also be a prize for whoever is crowned champion of Dementia Oxfordshire’s Bake Off!

Instead of an entry fee, Dementia Oxfordshire will be asking people to donate whatever they can. A deal made even sweeter by Barclays Bank’s pledge to match all funding raised at the winter fayre.

The event will be more than just the baking competition, with entertainment and live music from a Christmas choir, the opportunity to unleash your creativity in an artistic workshop, and the chance to indulge in some festive food and drink.

It will also serve as a great opportunity for people in the local community to connect with and learn from others who share similar experiences. In addition, Age UK Oxfordshire will be providing hints, tips and information about staying well this winter.

The winter fayre is one of a number of events hosted by Dementia Oxfordshire to help support people in the area living with dementia, as well as raising awareness of the condition with the general public.

The service is provided by Age UK Oxfordshire, one of the county council’s Oxfordshire Way partners. The charity receives funding from the council’s adult social care budget to help support older people – including those with dementia – to live happily and as independently as possible, within their own communities.

Click Sign up to hear from us and receive the latest news and updates in our fortnightly newsletter, Your Oxfordshire.

Colleagues from the county's hospitals, GP practices, social services, community health services, ambulance services, mental health services, and voluntary sector are working together as ‘Team Oxfordshire’ to provide safe, effective, and sustainable care for people across the county.

Care closer to home

One particular focus for the team this year is providing more support to patients at home.  Colleagues from health and social care organisations have been working collaboratively to provide hospital level care in people’s homes, with a particular focus on tackling the additional pressure winter puts on healthcare services.

‘Hospital at Home’ and its supporting systems offer pioneering approaches to reduce the number of patients admitted to hospital and support those who, if medically appropriate, can receive care in their own home or in a care home.  Social care teams are also developing new systems to improve the flow from hospital through the Home First pathway and Discharge to Assess programme.

Sara Randall, Chief Operating Officer at Oxford University Hospitals (OUH), said: “Collaborative working across the health and social care system is a vital part of managing pressures year-round, and especially during the challenging winter months.

“The team’s innovative approach to providing hospital-level care in people’s homes is something we really want to focus on – we know that people get better quicker and return to doing things they enjoy sooner by recovering safely in their own home.  It also means people are only admitted to hospital when they really need to be here.”

The team’s ‘Home First’ approach is just as important for social care. Oxfordshire County Council is focusing on not only reducing admissions to hospital by supporting more people at home, but also helping patients to leave hospital more quickly, and to identify what support they might need to regain independence.

Karen Fuller, Interim Director of Adult Social Care at Oxfordshire County Council, said: "To keep people safe and well over the winter period, it is important that we work together to provide the right support at the right time. This is a key priority for us across Oxfordshire.

“Each week more than 30,000 hours of home care is provided for people in the county. This reflects our Oxfordshire Way vision to support more people to live well and independently within their own communities for as long as possible. Importantly, it includes enabling more residents to return home from hospital as soon as possible through our Home First pathway, supporting individuals to recover more quickly, and regain their independence.

“Once individuals are back home and settled, our Live Well Oxfordshire website provides a wealth of information to enable people to stay well - from community support, information for carers, staying independent, and activities in your local area."

Keeping yourself well and up-to-date with winter vaccinations

One of the best ways of keeping yourself and those around you well is to make sure you're up-to-date with your flu vaccination and COVID-19 booster vaccination if you are in the groups these are recommended for.

Dr Ed Capo Bianco, a GP in Oxfordshire and Urgent Care Clinical Lead for BOB ICB, said: "It is important to keep yourself well this winter, and to look out for frail or elderly neighbours and family members. Having a personal winter plan might include stocking up on the cold and flu medicines in your medicine cabinet at home, as well as thinking about other supplies that can help you manage if we have particularly cold weather.

"The flu and COVID vaccines are one of the best ways of keeping yourself well, and defending against what can often be nasty illnesses. If you do get flu and COVID at the same time, research shows you're more likely to be seriously ill."

Supporting people’s mental health this winter

Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust will continue to provide community physical health services and mental health services, including the county's out-of-hours GP service and Minor Injury Units, Oxfordshire's community hospitals, the Oxfordshire NHS 24/7 Mental Health Helpline, and a range of other services to meet the needs of the local population during winter.

Marie Crofts, Chief Nurse at Oxford Health, said: "It's important, particularly during this challenging time, that we take a moment to prepare for winter, help one another and look after our whole wellbeing, as our physical and mental health are so closely linked.

"We are here to support people to stay healthy, live well and thrive, whether that's focusing on providing clinical care at home, through our eight community hospitals, county-wide district nursing teams, school nursing service, or help through our local mental health teams.

"If you are an adult or young person struggling with your mental wellbeing, NHS help is at hand with the Oxfordshire NHS 24-hour mental health helpline via NHS 111 online."

Emergency services and 999

South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS) continues to see significant demand across its 999, 111, and patient transport services - much higher than expected for this time of year.

Kirsten Willis-Drewett, Head of Operations for Oxfordshire and Berkshire at SCAS, said: "We know what a difficult time this is for everyone and we greatly appreciate the support and understanding of the public as we continue to manage the significant pressures on our 999, 111 and patient transport services in collaboration with our partners.”

Help us to help you

Patients and residents across the BOB region (so Berkshire, Oxfordshire, and Buckinghamshire areas) are being urged to do everything they can to get ‘winter ready’ by:

• Taking up the offer of free flu and COVID vaccinations if they are in eligible groups
• Using NHS 111 for advice on the most appropriate service for their needs
• Continuing to contact their GP practice about worrying symptoms
• Speaking to a pharmacist about minor illnesses
• Only using 999 and hospital Emergency Departments for life-threatening conditions
• Making sure they get repeat prescriptions in time for weekends and bank holidays
• Stocking up on over-the-counter medicines
• Looking out for vulnerable family members, friends, and neighbours.

Dr Rachael de Caux, Chief Medical Officer from the BOB Integrated Care Board which manages health services in the area, said: “Winter is always a busy time for the NHS and comes at the end of a year which has already seen all our teams under significant pressure. 

“The focus this winter is on all parts of the health and social care system working together through our system winter plan. Thanks to the hard work which goes on every day across our BOB system we are aiming to put the NHS and social care on the front foot in supporting patients and local communities get the care they need.”

Rachael Corser, Chief Nursing Officer from the BOB Integrated Care Board, said: “Our colleagues across NHS and care services continue to do an exceptional job in incredibly challenging circumstances, and we also need to thank local people for their ongoing support in using NHS services responsibly, and for showing respect and kindness towards health and care professionals.”

Click Sign up to hear from us and receive the latest news and updates in our fortnightly newsletter, Your Oxfordshire.

Oxfordshire County Council’s gritters are always a good indication of what kind of winter we’ve had and the statistics for the 2022/3 winter tell their own story! The council sends them out to make roads as safe as possible when the forecast is due to dip below freezing.

From November through to mid- March the gritters went out on 40 occasions (plus a further three part-runs in north Oxfordshire only). Their busiest times were in the big cold spell from 5 December to 17 December when they went out on 13 consecutive days. Then they had to hit the roads on 12 out of 13 days from 16 January to 27 January.

The gritters covered 48,616 miles/78240 kilometres – almost twice around the world! They spread the grand total of 9,360 tonnes of rock salt to help keep main roads in a safe condition in the cold weather. The council’s gritters cover all A-roads, B-roads and some C-roads. National Highways treat the A34, A43 and M40 in cold weather.

How does 2022/3 compare with previous years?

• The most active recent year for the gritters was 2020/21 when they had to go out on more than 50 occasions compared to this winter’s 40.
• In the previous winter (2021/22) they went out on 38 occasions so this year was a slight rise. That 2021/22 total was similar to 2018/19 when they went out 39 times.
• The mildest recent year was 2019/20 when they only had to go out on 31 occasions.
• The snowploughs have not had to be fitted to the gritters at all since the snowy winter of 2018/19 when this had to happen on five separate occasions.

A variable winter

Paul Wilson is the person in the highways team who manages the winter gritting operation. He said: “It was a very variable winter with the gritters going out in big blocks when high pressure became established leaving us with dry but often very cold weather. Our coldest recorded night was 14 December when our road surface temperatures dropped to minus 7.9 degrees at one of our weather stations. In between times we had some very rainy spells that saw the river levels rise to quite high levels but meant that the gritters and the drivers were able to rest.

“Our gritter drivers go out at all hours depending on the most effective time of day for them to hit the roads. That can mean the drivers are out in the middle of the night sometimes more than once and often in very difficult conditions. They’re skilled drivers with high levels of concentration who aim to have the roads as safe as they can make them by the time the rush hours arrive.

“One thing we didn’t have to do this year was fit snowploughs to the front of gritters. When it snows heavily we’ll do that to clear deep snow from the roads. This year we had only one real day of significant snow on 8 March but it never reached a depth at which snowploughs would have been needed and the gritters were doing the job.

“All in all we had a little bit of everything this winter. We’re all glad it’s Spring now but we’re already in the early stages of planning for the 2023/4 winter – whatever that might have in store.”

You can read more about the winter operation on our dedicated page.

People with long-term health conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (also known as COPD) and high blood pressure can get advice and support to help sort out housing problems that may make their health worse from the service.

The service aims to support residents keep their homes safe and warm. It can also refer those who need it for further social and financial support to help people stay in their own homes for longer.  

Councillor Mark Lygo, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health, said: “We know good housing is critical for good health. Winter months can be particularly stressful for those in poor-quality housing, which can exacerbate health conditions. Those who live in the poorest quality housing are more likely to suffer from health problems, such as respiratory issues.

“With the ongoing cost of living crisis, we’re all feeling a little nervous about what this winter may bring. We hope that this service, which can provide people who may need it most with vital home improvements, can go one step towards helping residents to stay safe, warm, and healthy.”

The service has supported 1,592 households and made over 200 visits to people's homes since 1 January 2022. 

The help offered can be immediate and short-term such as emergency fuel vouchers for those on prepayment meters, or long-term, such as getting insulation or a new heating system. 

The service can also help residents to understand their energy bills and the support and benefits they may be entitled to.

Jayne Yuruker, Community Link Worker at Age UK Oxfordshire, said: “It's wonderful to have such a great resource in our county. When I make referrals, the service responds to clients quickly and offers support both over the phone and in person. It has a wealth of knowledge, which has directly benefited my clients and I look forward to continuing to work with the team.”

Learn more about the work of Better Housing Better Health, including how to access support, by visiting bhbh.org.uk or ring 0800 107 0044.

Click Sign up to hear from us and receive the latest news and updates thanks to our fortnightly newsletter, Your Oxfordshire.

The flu vaccine and COVID booster are both available for free for those at higher risk of illness or who are pregnant, frontline health and social care workers, and for those aged 50 years and over. The flu vaccine is also available for younger children in the form of a nasal spray.

Ansaf Azhar, Oxfordshire County Council’s Director for Public Health, said: “While flu and COVID are unpleasant for most people, they can be dangerous and even life-threatening for some people, particularly those with certain health conditions, and cases of both the flu and COVID already appear to be on the rise. Now is the perfect time to get a booster to stay protected against both. 

“Not only can the vaccine give you extra protection, it can also reduce the risk of you passing on a virus to somebody else – which is particularly important if you are a carer. Keep yourself and those around you safe against these viruses by getting vaccinated when invited.

“I’d also like to take the opportunity to thank all our amazing volunteers across our Oxfordshire who have helped to ensure the vaccination programme remains a success.”

The vaccine is available through schools for school-aged children, and pregnant women can get it through their GP practice, pharmacy or maternity service.

The COVID-19 and the flu vaccine can be given on the same day, and some people may be able to get both vaccines at the same time. However, this may not always be possible, so people are encouraged to get each vaccination as soon as they can rather than waiting to get them at the same time.

Find out more about the vaccinations and how to book an appointment by visiting www.nhs.uk/flujab and www.nhs.uk/covid-vaccine.

Click Sign up to hear from us and receive the latest news and updates thanks to our fortnightly newsletter, Your Oxfordshire.

The NHS COVID vaccine service is also now offering appointments across Oxfordshire to carers and pregnant women, with bookings able to be made online or over the phone by calling 119.

People aged 75 and over, the severely immunosuppressed, and frontline health and care workers have been able to book their latest booster dose since last Wednesday – with appointments starting from today.

As with previous campaigns, those most at risk will be called forward first, with people able to book in online or through 119 as long as it has been three months since their last dose.

NHS director of vaccinations and screening Steve Russell said: “There is no room for complacency in keeping COVID-19 on the backfoot, and this autumn booster will help protect those most at risk. From today those aged 65 and over, pregnant women and carers are now able to get their jab. If you are one of those eligible, it is as important as ever to get your next dose, so please do come forward as soon as possible.”

Those eligible for an autumn booster over the comings weeks, include over 50s, those with a weakened immune system and housebound people and pregnant women, in line with guidance set out by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).

Those with weakened immune systems are already able to self-declare and attend walk-ins to make getting the extra protection as easy as possible. Health and care workers can also book through national booking services.

From this month, the NHS is also rolling out this year’s flu vaccine, with eligible people able to get their flu and COVID jab at the same time depending on local arrangements.

Click Sign up to hear from us and receive the latest news and updates thanks to our fortnightly newsletter, Your Oxfordshire.

The campaign looks to raise awareness of the four major illnesses that are likely to affect school-age children this winter: the flu, norovirus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and COVID-19.

These viruses can spread very easily, particularly in busy environments such as schools.

Councillor Mark Lygo, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health, said: “I was delighted to be able to join some of the pupils at Heyford Park School to talk about this campaign and raise awareness of how we can all protect ourselves in the winter months.

“There is a much higher risk of catching a winter virus this year as people have more exposure to common viral infections. Last year, we didn’t see the kind of levels we would normally, which has meant this year we’re all a little more at risk when it comes to catching them – particularly school children. It’s likely that all these winter illnesses will be in circulation at the same time too.

“For the majority of children, although unpleasant, these illnesses will not be too serious, and they will soon recover after a bit of rest, but it’s important we do all we can to minimise the chance of them spreading to protect those individuals who may be at a higher risk of complications.

“We hope that this new campaign will help young people of all ages know what they can do to help keep these bugs at bay. Those aged 12 and over will now be able to get vaccinated against COVID-19, which is even more important with the new variant, while all school-aged children can get a flu vaccination.”

The campaign is being run with Oxfordshire County Council-run schools and early years services, with younger children being offered stickers and bookmarks and posters being displayed throughout schools.

There are simple steps that young people can take to protect themselves against the four viruses this winter:

• Stay at home if you’re feeling poorly.
• Cover your nose and mouth when you cough or sneeze.
• Stay away from people are ill.
• Wash AND dry your hands regularly.
• Throw away tissues straight away – don’t leave them lying around.

People can find out more about winter viruses and how to stay well by visiting the NHS website,

Click Sign up to hear from us and receive the latest news and updates thanks to our fortnightly newsletter, Your Oxfordshire.

This group includes:

• those living in residential care homes for older adults
• all adults aged 40 years or over
• frontline health and social care workers
• all those aged 16 to 49 years with underlying health conditions that put them at higher risk of severe COVID-19, and adult carers
• adult household contacts of immunosuppressed individuals

The NHS across the country and locally is working on plans to deliver the booster jab to include younger age groups as announced by the Government this week but these jabs are not yet available.

Dr Ed Capo-Bianco, Urgent Care Lead, at Oxfordshire CCG said: “Our staff are now working at speed to respond to this new challenge - the biggest change in eligibility since the programme was launched.

“It is important to be aware that the NHS will contact people to take up the offer as soon as they are eligible. People should not contact their GP practice, or other parts of the NHS or turn up at vaccination centres until they are contacted by the NHS about booster appointments.”

“While changes to the booking system are put in place and booster jab services are expanded in the coming days, the NHS will continue to vaccinate people already eligible for top-up jabs.

“The booking service will then open to others in their 40s and older people who would previously have had to wait six months, before moving on to younger age groups. The intention is to ensure everyone eligible for a booster is given the chance to book one by the end of January 2022.”

For more information please go to the NHS website https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/book-coronavirus-vaccination/ 

Click Sign up to hear from us and receive the latest news and updates thanks to our fortnightly newsletter, Your Oxfordshire.

As temperatures fall, Oxfordshire County Council said it can boast a full complement of more than 50 drivers – including back-up crews – to keep its gritter lorries moving whenever the freezing weather strikes. An extra 15 drivers were trained last year in case crews were forced to self-isolate because of the pandemic, and at least four more drivers have joined the ranks this winter.

The county’s gritter lorries hit the road for the first time this winter at 7pm on Thursday 4 November in the north of the county as road temperatures fell below freezing.

Paul Wilson, who manages the winter operation, said: “We are committed to keeping our network of major roads free from ice and snow to minimise the risk of accidents and ensure the smooth flow of traffic. Salting – also known as gritting (even though it is actually salt that we use) – helps to achieve this aim.

“We use a number of methods to decide when and where to salt – a mixture of technology and experience. We receive regular weather forecasts for conditions on Oxfordshire's roads, use a computerised ice prediction system to compare forecast conditions against actual road temperatures, monitor conditions through the night, and utilise the skills of experienced staff to judge when to best carry out precautionary gritting.

“However, although we make great efforts to keep roads clear in winter, drivers must never assume that a road will be free from ice and should adjust their driving to suit the conditions. If you do find yourself behind one of our gritter lorries, which are restricted to 30mph when they are carrying out their work, please be patient and considerate – remember that they are there to keep you safe.”

While Oxford City Council looks after the gritting inside the Oxford ring road, Oxfordshire County Council has responsibility for the rest of the county – including all A-roads, B-roads and some C-roads, apart from the M40, A43 and A34, which are covered by National Highways.

The county is spilt into three geographical zones – north, central and south – and although most of the time all three are gritted, sometimes, when temperatures vary between areas, some may require no action. Regular updates on gritting activity can be found on the winter pages of Oxfordshire County Council’s website.

Every time they are called out to salt the whole county, Oxfordshire’s gritter drivers cover more than 1,200 miles, which is the equivalent of travelling from London to Iceland. They cover 25 routes – each taking about three hours – and will typically use a total of 240 tonnes of salt.

Richard Boss, 61, is in his 40th and potentially final year as a gritter driver, and has already been out in his lorry once this year. So, has the nationwide shortage of HGV drivers made him and his colleagues feel more appreciated?

“Yes, it has made people value us more for what we do,” said Richard, from North Aston. “I was due to finish last year but they persuaded me to do one more year because of the situation…although they will probably ask me again next Christmas too!”

And with his wealth of experience, it’s no surprise that the newer recruits come to him for advice.

“They ask me what to do, especially what happens when it snows. I told them we get a call from the client then go back and put snow ploughs on the lorries. They should be alright.”

And he has observed changes in weather patterns in Oxfordshire over the years.

“Four or five years ago we were out every night in early November, but because of climate change it’s more like the middle of November when we get stuck into the freezing weather.”

The gritting ‘season’ starts at the beginning of November and usually lasts until the end of March, although the gritters will still be called into action outside of these dates if required.

The crews are based at the council’s three depots, in Deddington, Drayton and Woodcote. The drivers all have day jobs with the council, including filling in potholes, patching roads, and clearing drains. On days when they are required to go out gritting, or clear snow using snow ploughs, they will be sent home early so that they are rested in time for their evening shift.

One treatment is usually sufficient for the milder winter weather but, if conditions are worse, the drivers can return to the depot to load up again and return to the roads. In extreme cases, particularly involving snow, another team of drivers may even be called in to take over.

Click Sign up to hear from us and receive the latest news and updates thanks to our fortnightly newsletter, Your Oxfordshire.

The programme started on September 22 with the Oxfordshire School-aged Immunisation Team from Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust giving quick and painless nasal spray vaccinations to consented pupils from reception classes to year 11.

Schools are contacting parents, guardians and carers to ensure consent is provided. Any consented children who miss out on the day of immunisation at their school, either through sickness or absence, will be able to get their influenza vaccine at catch up clinics.

Around 50,000 children – 73% of reception to year 7 pupils – were immunised last year. The 2021 influenza campaign now includes secondary school children up to year 11. This includes children educated at home and children who attend special schools.

Preschool children over two years old will be offered the immunisation by their GP surgery.

You can find out more information on our vaccinations in non-school places by emailing: flu.schoolnurses@oxfordhealth.nhs.uk.

Ansaf Azhar, Director of Public Health at Oxfordshire County Council said: “The programme offers children and young people a chance to get their flu vaccines quickly and easily, protecting both them and those around them.

“It is also a good opportunity for them to meet their school nurses and health professionals and speak with them about any health-related concerns they may have.”

Fiona Singleton, Manager of the Oxfordshire School-aged Immunisation Team, said: “The flu vaccine provides the best protection against the virus and we are pleased that it has been extended to include all school aged children.

“Children can catch and spread flu easily. Vaccinating not only protects them but also those around them including those who are vulnerable. This is even more important now with Covid still present.”

Top 5 reasons to get your child vaccinated

Flu is an unpleasant and occasionally serious illness which can lead to children spending days in bed rather than being at school and participating in everyday family life. It can have serious complications such as bronchitis and pneumonia.

Immunising children reduces the spread of flu across the population and helps to protect other household members too.

1. Protect your child: The vaccine will help protect your child against flu and serious complications such as bronchitis and pneumonia.
2. Protect you, your family and friends: Vaccinating your child will help protect more vulnerable friends and family.
3. No injection needed: The nasal spray is painless and easy to have.
4. It’s better than having flu: The nasal spray helps protect against flu, has been given to millions of children worldwide and has an excellent safety record.
5. Avoid costs: If your child gets flu, you may have to take time off work or arrange alternative childcare.

Click Sign up to hear from us and receive the latest news and updates thanks to our fortnightly newsletter, Your Oxfordshire.

There is a range of options available to ensure you get the appropriate care you need.

If you need urgent medical advice but it’s not a life-threatening emergency, you can contact NHS 111 first to get information on the best available care for you. You will be assessed and, if appropriate, booked into the John Radcliffe or Horton Emergency Department for treatment.

Contacting NHS 111 first provides people with an attendance window for treatment and means that social distancing can be maintained in Emergency Departments and other healthcare settings, a really important way of preventing COVID-19 transmissions.

If it is determined that an Emergency Department is not the most appropriate place to get help, you may be advised on:

• Visiting a local Minor Injuries Unit or First Aid Unit
• Visiting your local pharmacy, dentist, optician, or your own GP
• How to self-care if required

Contacting NHS 111 is also now the way to gain access to 24/7 mental health support.

Anyone concerned about their mental health or that of a loved one can call NHS 111 at any time, day or night. Callers will be put through to Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust’s dedicated team of mental health experts to give you the help you need.

You are still able to contact 999 and attend an Emergency Department if you are experiencing a medical emergency, but we would urge people who do not need emergency care to contact NHS 111 first to receive the most appropriate, timely, and convenient treatment.

Sam Foster, Chief Nursing Officer at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “It’s critically important for all our safety at this time of year that people choose the right health services for their needs. Winter is a busy time for the NHS, and especially so with the impact of COVID-19.

“NHS 111 First is designed to improve outcomes and experiences for our patients in healthcare settings, and also help us to maintain social distancing in our Emergency Departments and ensure that people receive the right care in the right place.”

Dr Ed Capo-Bianco, GP and urgent care lead, said: “We would urge people to attend emergency departments in an emergency only – GPs, pharmacists, and minor injuries units can all provide support for several conditions and injuries. NHS 111 can also put people in touch with medical professionals and signpost people to the most appropriate support, as well as book people into A&E if that’s what’s needed.”

Dr Rob Bale, Clinical Director at Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, said: “If you have got any concerns, please call NHS 111 to speak to our mental health professionals. We’re here and ready to listen. The helpline is open round the clock to support adults and children who need advice urgently, and ensure they get the right help at the right time.”

Colleagues across the health and social care system are also working hard to deliver a ‘home first’ approach, which aims for people to be back at home as quickly and safely as possible after being in hospital.

Karen Fuller, Deputy Director for Adult Services at Oxfordshire County Council, said: “Nobody wants to be in hospital longer than they need to be, and very often people’s homes can be the most appropriate and comfortable place for them to return to.

“We are also working within the Oxfordshire system to explore all opportunities to enable people to return home, which includes working closely with family members and our voluntary sector partners to achieve this.

“Ultimately, we want as many people as possible to enjoy their Christmas in familiar surroundings at home, and not in a hospital bed.”

What’s available?

 Self-care is the best choice for minor illnesses and injuries – a range of common winter ailments can be treated at home with a well-stocked medicine cabinet. Having a winter plan – such as keeping stocked up on medicines, keeping your home warm, and looking out for neighbours – can also be beneficial.

Local pharmacies can give advice on several conditions, such as coughs, headaches, upset stomachs, and skin conditions, as well as advise on stopping coughs and colds from getting worse.

Minor injuries units operate at three of the county’s community hospitals – at Abingdon, Witney and Henley. They have X-ray facilities and a range of specialists who can treat people for a range of injuries – from broken bones, severe sprains, deep cuts, eye injuries, minor head injuries, and minor burns and scalds.

First Aid Units are at Bicester, Wallingford, and Chipping Norton hospitals and offer the same multi-skilled teams as MIUs without X-ray facilities.

Icy mornings could make way for snow so the whole Oxfordshire health and social care system is calling on every person in the county to take action for their own wellbeing and encourage friends, family, and loved ones to do the same.

From making sure you have simple cough and cold remedies, having a flu jab to protect yourself from the influenza virus – especially important for pregnant women and those with long term health conditions - to keeping warm and looking after both your mental and physical wellbeing; these are the simple steps to take now.

If you do fall ill, advice from your local pharmacist or NHS 111 can help. NHS 111 can now be accessed online via a mobile phone, tablet or laptop to get advice even quicker at NHS.111.UK.

If you need some help or advice with your mental wellbeing, you can contact Oxfordshire’s free 24-7 helpline on 0800 783 0119.

Dr Kiren Collison, Clinical Chair of the Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group, said: "Having a personal winter plan might include making sure you have cold and flu medicines ready at home just in case you start to feel ill and that you have the prescriptions you need especially over Christmas and New Year.

“It is also important to have your flu jab –to keep both you and those around you safe. This is especially important for people over 65, people with long-term health conditions like diabetes and asthma, pregnant women, people living with someone who is clinically extremely vulnerable to COVID-19 and children. Flu can be unpleasant for most of us, but it can be much more severe in some people.”

Sam Foster Chief Nursing Officer at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “COVID-19 means that this year looks very different – it’s even more important that people have a winter plan, look after themselves and stay healthy, and if they do need help, to use healthcare services in the most appropriate way.

“Emergency Departments are for genuinely life-threatening conditions – if you need medical help but it’s not urgent, then your local pharmacy, minor injuries unit, or GP will be best-placed to help you. If you are unsure where to go for help, contact NHS 111 who can provide advice and direct you to the best place for the care you need, and can book you into our Emergency Departments if that’s what is needed.”

Pete McGrane, Clinical Director at Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, said: "There is a direct link between our physical and mental health. We know that this year has had a significant impact on people’s physical and mental well-being, and people may continue to feel the impact of this as we move into winter.

 “It's important we take a moment to support frail and vulnerable relatives, friends and neighbours and get help for our mental health - just like we would for our physical health.”

Personal winter plans should include:

• Having a free NHS flu vaccination if you are eligible 
• Getting help early before your condition worsens
• Getting repeat prescriptions in plenty of time before bank holidays
• Finding out where your local minor injuries unit is located
• Seeking advice from your local pharmacist
• Having cold and flu remedies at home
• Making sure you have enough food in your house
• Getting your boiler serviced• Keeping your home heated to 18C
• Having a list of emergency phone numbers handy by your phone
• Keeping an eye on elderly or frail friends, neighbours, and relatives 

GP practices will continue to contact those patients eligible for the free flu jab to attend vaccination clinics which are taking place over the next few months in Oxfordshire.

People can read the Public Health England leaflet ‘Keep Warm Keep Well’ which gives advice on staying well in cold weather and covers issues such as financial help, healthy lifestyle, flu jabs and heating:

If people are worried about a medical concern over the winter period, they are advised to contact NHS 111 to speak to fully trained advisors available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They have access to relevant healthcare professionals, including nurses, emergency dentists, or GPs, depending on the situation.

For more information about the flu vaccination, visit the NHS website.

For more information about how to stay warm and council services in Oxfordshire this winter, visit the Oxfordshire County Council website.

For more information on NHS 111 First, visit the OUH website.

While many of us have been adapting to COVID-19 by changing our working habits and swapping the office for our spare rooms, the crews who drive the county’s gritting lorries have no choice but to go back to their depots – socially distanced, of course.

Between the end of October and the beginning of April, Oxfordshire County Council’s increased team of 65 drivers – based at Deddington, Drayton and Woodcote – will be on standby as highways managers monitor the weather forecast multiple times a day to see if road surface temperatures are set to drop.

When this happens – as it did on Tuesday, November 3 – it’s all systems go.

One man who has seen everything the weather has had to throw at Oxfordshire in the last four decades, ranging from mild frosts to 2018’s infamous Beast from the East, is Richard Boss.

Richard, a 60 year old married dad from North Aston, has been driving snow ploughs and gritter lorries for Oxfordshire County Council for 38 years. But this year, as well as spreading the grit, he is making sure he does all he can to stop the spread of coronavirus.

Richard said: “While we’re loading, everyone has to wear a face mask. All drivers have got sanitisers in the lorries to wipe the steering wheel and wipe everything down before they start salting.

“Then, when we’ve finished, we have to wipe everything down again to make sure it’s all spotless for the next driver to come in.”

Contingency plans are in place to make sure the gritters can hit the road, even if a number of drivers are forced to self-isolate at some point during the winter.

“We’ve got drivers being trained up pretty quickly to cover in case of a significant COVID outbreak,” said Richard, who usually grits the Bicester route in his lorry, which was given the name ‘Crazy Daisy’ by local schoolchildren.

In fact, 15 extra drivers have been given training to take over if required – and there will be help for the new recruits in the cab too, if they are called upon.

“We’ve just had new satnavs fitted to the vehicles,” said Richard. “Each vehicle is then set to a specific route so you could stick any driver in it if you need to, push the satnav on and it would tell them where to salt and where not to salt – the route’s already on there. That’s a big help.”

When the temperatures drop, Richard – who is a supervisor looking after issues such as potholes and hedge-cutting when not called on to grit the roads – knows the routine well at his Deddington depot.

“We have 13 people on a shift so all 13 have to go home at lunchtime to get their rest period as they will be driving through the night,” he said. “Weekends are not too bad. We’re told what time we’re on the road from. If we’re on the road at 7pm, we get to the depot for 6pm to check the vehicle over, fill the salt up, and make sure everything’s working as it should be.

“Most runs take about three and a half hours. Generally, one run’s good enough for the milder winter weather but if it’s bad weather we can come in and load up again and then go out. If it needs further gritting, we call the next team in to take over.”

Every time they are called out, Oxfordshire’s gritter drivers cover more than 1,000 miles, salting all A-roads, B-roads and some C-roads. The M40, A43 and A34 are covered by Highways England.

With such distances to cover during his 38 years at the wheel, it’s not surprising to learn that Richard has endured the odd scary moment.

“I’ve had some near scrapes over the years with the lorry skidding on ice but I managed to keep it in a straight line and keep it on the road,” he said. “It can be frightening out there at night, especially on your own.

“The Beast from the East was a fine, dusty snow,” he recalls. “It was blowing across the fields and blocking the roads left, right and centre.

“By the time we’d ploughed it off, it was back again. Most gritter drivers were pretty tired that weekend!”

The technology at the drivers’ disposal has improved almost beyond recognition since Richard started gritting the roads in 1982.

“Everything’s electric now,” said Richard. “You just sit in the cab, there’s no need to get out, it tells you everything that’s happening.

“In the old days, the lorries ran on petrol and paraffin and we had a ‘donkey engine’ [a small auxiliary engine] at the back of the lorry. You had to go out, start the engine, put it in gear and then do the salting. Then when you got to the end of the load you had to jump out, turn it off, and drive to the next location.

“Now we’ve got cameras on the back of the gritters so you can actually see what salt’s left and what’s happening - it’s really up to date.”

But one thing that doesn’t change is the message to other motorists to drive responsibly when the gritters are out doing their job.

“Drivers should just be aware that we are out there to help them out,” said Richard. “As the vehicles are restricted we can only do 30mph when salting so we often get traffic coming up behind us quite quickly.

“If you do get held up behind us gritters, just remember we’re there to protect you and keep you safer on the road, instead of blowing your horn and trying to get past!”

The numbers game

• 15: Number of extra drivers trained up for 2020 - 21
• 25: Gritter lorries on the road at any one time
• 220: Tonnes of salt used per treatment (approximately).

Paul Wilson, the man in charge of coordinating the county council’s winter weather response, said: “For 22 weeks of the year, the winter service becomes one of the key frontline services that the county council provides, keeping almost half of the roads across Oxfordshire free as possible from winter hazards.

“However, it should be remembered that even when we do treat, the salt we spread is not like magic dust, and ice and hoar frost can still form even on treated roads. One way to look at it is, if you have to clear your windscreen of ice or frost in the morning there is a possibility that there will be similar on the road surface, so motorists should drive to the prevailing conditions and stay safe.

“We receive a bespoke weather forecast for the county several times a day and, although similar to the forecast you see on the news, it is more specific to road temperature rather than air temperature. This forecast is checked regularly and it helps us to make the decision whether to treat the roads or not.

“The gritter drivers, as mentioned earlier, all have day jobs as well, whether that be filling potholes, patching roads, clearing drains, etc, so for them to drive large gritting vehicles as well can make it a tiring day, especially in severe winter conditions when they could be clearing snow for 12 hours at a time.”

For more information about our winter service please check out our webpages on Oxfordshire County Council’s website

Children aged two and three can have a free, quick and painless nasal spray vaccine at their GP surgery.

In addition, children in primary school and those in year seven can have the nasal spray vaccine via the school nurse service.

Ansaf Asaf, Director of Public Health at Oxfordshire County Council said: “It’s more important than ever that everybody eligible gets a free flu vaccination this winter. Young children don’t have to get an injection, and instead can get a quick, painless nasal spray.

“By ensuring that young children get their vaccinations, we can also help to protect our older and more vulnerable friends and family members by reducing the risk of transmission.”

Dr Ed Capo-Bianco, Urgent Care lead at Oxfordshire CCG, said; “Flu can be serious for young children, so help protect them from the illness with one simple nasal spray. It is free, fast and painless. Children are also super-spreaders of the flu; by vaccinating them we can reduce the risk of transmission to frail older people and those in ‘at risk’ groups.”

Emma Leaver, Oxford Health Service Director, said: “Protection against flu is one of the best things you can do this winter to help keep your child healthy and I would urge parents of young children to take up the free offer. It’s a painfree nasal spray that is administered easily to young children, so no injections.

“Oxford Health is playing a leading role in protecting older children and, at the moment, we are carrying out 68,000 flu immunisations in schools over a 10 week period. Be sure to fill in the online consent forms so your children can receive the immunisation they need.”

“I also urge parents or carers to give consent for their child to have the nasal spray flu vaccine if they are attending primary school.”

More Information

This year, the NHS is aiming to vaccinate around 4.5 million people in the South East – up from 2.6 million last winter – to help prevent the spread of flu. For the first time, children in school Year 7, and household contacts and carers of those on the NHS Shielded Patient List, are all eligible for the free vaccination. The full list of those who are eligible for a free flu vaccine on the NHS is below:

• People aged 65 years and over
• Patients aged from six months to 65 years in clinical ‘at risk’ groups (see below)
• Pregnant women
• Children aged 2 and 3
• Children in primary school and Year 7
• People in long-stay residential care homes
• Social care and hospice workers who provide direct patient contact
• Health and social care staff working in residential/nursing homes
• Patients on the NHS shielded patient list
• Household contacts of carers and those on the NHS shielded patient list

More information on the flu vaccination.

Oxfordshire County Council’s Director of Adult Social Care, Stephen Chandler, has paid tribute to Oxfordshire residents for their generous efforts in helping to support those who needed it the most throughout the county during lockdown.

More than 15,000 of people stepped up to offer support to those who needed it most across the county during lockdown in many ways, from delivering prescriptions and groceries to those shielding or in financial difficulty, to providing support online or on the phone.

Stephen Chandler said: “We should pay credit to our community resilience across Oxfordshire during these difficult times. As we head into the winter months, which we know will bring about more challenges, let's not lose this momentum. Let’s make ‘taking care of each other’ our new way of being beyond the pandemic.”

“Volunteers come many different backgrounds, from individuals helping neighbours or relatives, to more large-scale organised groups, but we would not have been able to do any of this without everyone pulling together as one. It is thanks to the generosity and resilience of all of us that we have been able to support residents in so many ways, from providing them with care and support, to ensuring that they receive medication and groceries, have dogs walked, or just a friendly chat when needed.”

Thanks to the collaborative efforts of everyone, including voluntary groups, public services, businesses, and charities, so many Oxfordshire residents seen a real difference during a particularly difficult time. Here are some of those stories.

Emily’s story

Emily* is one of those vulnerable people who was helped by the army of volunteers and organisations. Back in May had been shielding due to illness, and subsequently found herself in hardship with Covid-19 symptoms.

Emily contacted South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Council’s Community Support Hub to request help with shopping and medicine, and to receive a friendly call in this difficult time. To assist her, the Hub worked in partnership with two local support groups, Farringdon Viral Kindness and The Place, and with the local food bank.

Council staff began delivering regular food parcels, while local groups arranged collections and deliveries of medicine, and provided Emily with a fridge-freezer and a bed. She has also been receiving weekly calls from volunteers, whom have sent her useful information and contacts to help her manage housing and finances.

Emily could not be more thankful to all the agencies that have been helping her and her family during the Covid-19 emergency, and was keen to relay her appreciation for everyone’s hard work;

Joseph’s Story

Joseph* was referred has been referred to South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Council’s Community Support Hub’s helpline by his son as he speaks very little English.

Joseph’s son was helping his dad with food shopping, but he could not help him any longer, leaving Joseph in urgent need of food. The Community Support Hub’s contact centre tried to get in contact with him to help but had been struggling as he was not confident speaking over the phone.

However, North Hinksey Parish Council were able to send over a volunteer to his home to check on him, and the volunteer could then speak over the phone with Joseph’s son and arrange for support.

As a result, staff working at the Hub delivered an urgent food parcel to Joseph, while North Hinksey Parish Council were able to support him with food deliveries in the long-term.

*Names have been changed

The easy to use service signposts property owners or private tenants to a website where a postcode is entered to find the most appropriate organization. The services and funds available include grants, loans and energy company schemes that provide home repairs, so residents can stay safe, secure, independent and warm.

The funding can be used to fit or fix a new boiler and install loft and cavity wall insulation to keep people affordably warm. There is also general advice available on how to stay safe and well, and home repairs are also available for people with disabilities.

In its first month, the website has received over 50 e-mails which have been sent directly to the services who can provide the help, when and where it is needed.

The service aims to make a positive difference to peoples’ health which can be negatively impacted by the cold weather conditions. The colder weather is often linked to an increase in heart attacks, strokes, respiratory problems as well as increased cases of isolation. Flu, coughs and cold symptoms can also increase during the winter months, especially for those who have a pre-existing health condition.

It is hoped that accessing the services from this user-friendly online website, will make a positive difference to bring comfort to people’s homes, encourage independence and care for those in greatest need.

Mrs Pilar Thompson from Abingdon Road, Oxford has benefitted from using the service. Her boiler had intermittent heat and was making very loud explosive sounds: “I thought my boiler might blow up. In the end I turned it off and didn’t have any heating in my house at all. My health was suffering, I was so scared and couldn’t sleep so I felt very anxious”.

Mrs Thompson was introduced to a Health Improvement Agency (HIA) case worker who arranged to visit her home with a local plumber. The boiler was deemed to be unsafe, so it was shut down. In the meantime, Mrs Pilar was left with an emergency plug in heater, informed about an appointment for her new boiler to be fitted and she was awarded funding for the new heating equipment to be installed.

Mrs Thompson says: “I am very grateful for all the work done, and very relieved. I know there are other people in the same situation. I think it is really important to have one website that can be promoted so it is easier for people to get help.”

In 2018, Oxfordshire’s vulnerable residents benefited from just over £3 million worth of support to keep them safe, healthy and independent in their homes, so this website is greeted with positive enthusiasm to make a difference.

Ansaf Azar, the Director for Public Health says:

We have taken feedback from communities and professionals that tells us it can be confusing and difficult to know where to find the right advice if you need home repairs. Living in a home that has sufficient heating to stay well, is important for people to live a good quality of life. This website is going to provide a lot of help and comfort to support our residents across the county to live well and live independently. It will also make life easier for residents, so they don’t have to contact different organisations and make multiple calls before they get the information they need.

The programme is proudly supported by the Oxfordshire County Council Information and Communications Technology team who have created intricate algorithms for the website, so seamless access can be given to residents, regardless of their address in Oxfordshire.

For more information go to: www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/homerepairs

Following the simple steps below will make a huge difference in the fight against common colds and the more serious flu virus:

• CATCH IT – Always carry tissues and use them to cover your nose and mouth when you cough or sneeze
• BIN IT – Dispose of used tissues as soon as possible
• KILL IT – Clean your hands with soap and water as soon as you can and make sure you wash them frequently

There is still time to have a free NHS flu vaccination if you are eligible to help protect you against flu – the vaccine also reduces the risk of the illness spreading.

The vaccine is available for pregnant women and those aged 65 and over, patients with a long term health condition like asthma or diabetes, and if are a carer – children aged 2 and 3 can have the nasal spray vaccine which is fast and painless.

Ask your GP, pharmacist or midwife for advice on the flu vaccine.If you follow the steps above then it will help you and your family stay safe and well this winter.

For more information on the NHS flu vaccination see here

You might not give a thought to Oxfordshire’s highly skilled emergency practitioners at Oxford Health’s community hospitals.

It’s time to think again. Our staff treat thousands of people every month in minor injuries units (MIU) or first aid units (FAU) across the county. In fact, in the past year our teams have cared for 40,800 patients – tending to their wounds and patching them up.

MIUs are operate at three of the county’s community hospitals – at Abingdon, Witney and Henley. They have x-ray facilities and a range of specialists who can treat people for a range of injuries – from broken bones, severe sprains, deep cuts, eye injuries, minor head injuries and minor burns and scalds.

FAUs are at Bicester, Wallingford and Chipping Norton hospitals and offer the same multi-skilled teams without x-ray facilities.

Pete McGrane, Oxford Health Clinical Director for Community Services, said: “Our minor injuries units can help local people with a wide range of minor injuries, reducing the pressures on A&E and increasing your chances of being seen more quickly. Come in and see us, we’re here to help.

“A&Es are for emergencies; for those serious, potentially life-threatening cases; MIUs are often a much better option for sprained ankles, wounds, bites, eye injuries etc.

“When someone gets hurt they want to get medical help as soon as possible. Our MIU teams have all the training, skills and experience to help in most cases. They have the expertise to deal with complex needs and have x-ray too, so they can see if you’ve broken something or it’s a sprain.”

All Oxford Health’s MIUs operate an appointment system via the NHS 111 service. Callers are questioned about their injury over the phone and given an appointment at their nearest unit.

Appointments give people a much more accurate idea of an anticipated assessment time.

Walk in patients are seen, but those who have an appointment will be seen first unless there is a clinical need to tackle a more urgent case.

Feedback from patients is consistently high. Oxford Health uses the independent I Want Great Care website to monitor how our patients rate they way in which we look after them.

With a maximum potential score of 5, our units universally score near top marks with Abingdon at 4.9, Witney at 4.78 and Henley a near perfect 4.96 – all demonstrating a good service.

MINOR INJURIES UNITS (with x-ray facilities)

Abingdon Community HospitalMarcham Road, Abingdon, OX14 1AG

Tel: 01865 903476

Open seven days a week, 10am to 10.30pm.

Townlands Hospital

York Road, Henley-on-Thames, RG9 2EB

Tel: 01865 903755

Open seven days a week, 9am to 8pm.

X-ray is closed on bank holidays and weekends.

Witney Community Hospital

Welch Way, WitneyOX28 6JJ

Tel: 01865 903841

Open seven days a week, 10am to 10.30pm.

FIRST AID UNITS

Bicester Community Hospital

Piggy Lane (access via Coker Close)BicesterOX26 6HT

Tel: 01865 903976

Monday-Friday 6pm to 11pm and 8.30am to 11pm at weekends and bank holidays.

The First Aid Unit offers a walk-in service, so no referral or appointment required.

Chipping Norton War Memorial Community Hospital

Russell Way, off London RoadChipping Norton OX7 5FA

Tel: 01865 903333 (Main Reception, 8.30am to 5pm)

This service operated by South Central Ambulance Service and is open weekday evenings, 5pm to 9pm and 10am to 9pm at weekends and bank holidays.This is a drop-in service and you do not need to make an appointment.

Wallingford Community HospitalReading Road, Wallingford, OX10 9DU

Tel: 01865 903471 (Please telephone prior to attending.)

Get directions to the hospital here

This service is open Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays) 8.30am to 6.30pm.

TOP TIPS: If you have a minor injury (suspected break, sprain, wound, cut or eye injury), ring 111, give the call handler all the details they ask for and get an appointment at your nearest MIU or FAU. Or you can go online at 111.nhs.uk

EVERYBODY HURTS: If you are in pain due to an injury please take painkillers, like paracetamol, before you come in for assessment. It makes the assessment easier for everyone concerned. “It won’t mask your injury and it can help with your treatment as we will be able to move you more,” says Mr McGrane

FIRST AID FIRST: The NHS website has some useful tips and ideas on how to deal with sprains of strains that can include pain, swelling, bruising and tenderness around a joint or muscle. Recommendations include PRICE: protection, rest, ice, compression and elevation.

Visit www.nhs.uk/conditions/sports-injuries/treatment

Waste officers at Oxfordshire County Council are highlighting the annual spike in food waste in the hope of encouraging residents to reduce the amount of uneaten food that is thrown away.

However, we do understand that however much families love leftovers, some food waste is inevitable and are asking residents to use the food waste recycling system in their district. Throwing away food waste in the general bin increases the costs of disposal by the county council; Recycling food costs around half as much as putting it in the general waste bin. The waste food we recycle in Oxfordshire is collected to generate renewable electricity and produces a fertiliser that is spread on local fields.

Rachel Burns, Waste Strategy Manager at Oxfordshire County Council said:

“For many people Christmas is about spending time with family and friends over a good feast and sometimes there is food waste. Before the festive season gets going, we are asking people to consider if they might be over-ordering. The average household throws away around £70/month of food, and more over Christmas; this equates to 74 million mince pies or five million Christmas puddings across the country. Each household in Oxfordshire throws away the equivalent weight of 1100 mince pies in waste food over the season.

Henry Owen, Lead Coordinator of the Replenish Project, a county council-funded scheme using volunteers to help residents reduce their food waste added: “Turkey, bread sauce and sprouts are amongst the top five wasted foods at Christmas time. There will always be leftovers and there are some great recipes on Love Food Hate Waste website to help you use them up. Many leftovers can be safely frozen and eaten another day.”

“Oxfordshire’s food banks and community fridges will welcome surplus seasonal goods, tins, packets and long dated items in January when the need is great. Reducing food waste is one of the easiest things we can do to help the environment.”

Waste and recycling officers believe that with careful planning, food waste at Christmas and year-round can be significantly reduced. Love Food Hate Waste is a national website with a portion control calculator or you can download the free app.

According to Love Food Hate Waste, 86 million chickens or turkeys are thrown away uneaten in Britain every year. Its website also has a range of top tips on how to make the most of leftovers and also some excellent leftover recipes.

Rachel added:

“Oxfordshire is already one of the best recycling areas in the country and more and more people tell us they are planning to have a ‘greener’ Christmas this year. We hope these tips will be useful and help to reduce the huge amount of extra waste generated during the festive period. Reducing how much we throw away and recycling food that can’t be eaten are some of the easiest things we can all do to help the environment.

And remember - if your recycling bin is struggling to cope with all the extra cardboard, plastic and paper, put any that can’t fit into the bin in a clear plastic sack or cardboard box. Place it next to your bin on collection day.”

The Oxfordshire Household Waste Recycling Centres will close at 3pm on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve and be closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. Otherwise they will be open as normal from 8am-5pm.

For further information about recycling over the festive period, visit the website

www.oxfordshirerecycles.org.uk/christmas

For more information on Oxfordshire’s Replenish Community Action Group:

https://cagoxfordshire.org.uk/replenish/

A joint initiative between Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxfordshire County Council, Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, and Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group, the poster outlines four key questions patients should know the answer to during their time in hospital.

The questions are:

• What is the matter with me?

• What is going to happen today?

• When am I going home?

• What is needed to get me home?

The questions address both day-to-day care while in hospital, and the transition from hospital to a home or community setting. The health and social care system have been working together over the winter months to apply a ‘home first’ approach, including a recent initiative put in place by OUH’s HART service to get patients home safely and quickly from hospital.

Sam Foster, Chief Nursing Officer at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “It’s really important that patients feel well-informed and updated during their stay in hospital. It can be quite a stressful time, and by having answers to the four key questions they can feel much more confident in knowing what’s next for them.

“The messaging isn’t just for patients – it’s for their families and carers too, and it also prompts continued good practice with our staff. By being and feeling informed, patients can have a much better idea of what their care will look like and what they can expect. Sometimes, one of the most difficult parts of being in hospital can be not knowing what’s going on, and we’re looking to address that. The questions mean that information can be given in a clear and structured way, and also manage expectations about when people can go home, and what’s needed to get them there.”

Karen Fuller, Deputy Director of Adult Social Care at Oxfordshire County Council, said: “We’re really pleased with this new joint campaign. One of the health and social care system’s priorities this winter is to have a ‘home first’ approach to discharge, and we’re working hard together as a system to achieve this.

“When people have been in hospital, they are often keen to go home but may feel unsure or a little nervous after being looked after in a hospital environment. By communicating openly and frequently with them about how we can help them leave hospital and return home safely, they can feel more confident about the next stage of their care.”

Pictured: the ‘Why Not Home, Why Not Today’ poster

These patients - including children and adults - are more at risk of the complications of flu which could result in a stay in hospital or even death.

Dr Ed Capo-Bianco, Urgent Care Lead at Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group, said: “It’s very important that patients who have an underlying health condition don’t delay and have a free flu vaccination at their GP practice or a pharmacist.”

Ed said: “Healthy individuals usually recover within two to seven days from flu, but for some, especially those with a long term condition the illness can lead to a stay in hospital, permanent disability or even death.”

You are eligible for the free flu vaccine if you have the following conditions:

• Heart problem

• Chest complaint or breathing difficulties, including bronchitis, emphysema or severe asthma

• Kidney disease

• Lowered immunity due to disease or treatment (such as steroid medication or cancer treatment)

• Liver diseaseo stroke or a transient ischaemic attack (TIA)

• Diabetes

• Neurological condition e.g. multiple sclerosis

• Morbid obesity (BMI over 40)

• Cerebral palsy or a learning disability.

You can watch a short video of an Oxfordshire patient who has diabetes, urging eligible people to have a free NHS flu vaccination:

Who else is eligible for an NHS flu vaccination?

People aged over 65, pregnant women, children in primary school and youngsters aged 2 and 3 years old.

For more information on the NHS flu vaccination visit http://www.oxfordshireccg.nhs.uk/

Kiren added: “Having a flu vaccination if you are eligible, washing your hands after being out and not missing your normal regular medications can help prevent illness. If you do fall ill, a well-stocked medicine cabinet and advice from your local pharmacist or NHS 111 can help. NHS 111 can now be accessed online via a mobile phone, tablet or laptop to get advice even quicker at NHS.111.UK. 

"Obviously there will be times when people become seriously unwell and seeing a healthcare professional is the right thing to do. But by taking a few simple steps and putting together your winter plan you may help yourself to avoid admission to hospital."

Watch a short video on how your local pharmacist can help treat coughs and colds and stop them getting worse:

Personal winter plans should include:

• Having a free NHS flu vaccination if you are eligible

• Getting help early before your condition worsens

• Getting repeat prescriptions in plenty of time before bank holidays

• Finding out where your local minor injuries unit is located

• Seeking advice from your local pharmacist

• Having a well-stocked medicine cabinet

• Stocking up on winter food supplies

• Getting your boiler serviced

• Keeping your home heated to 18C

• Having a list of emergency phone numbers handy by your phone• Keeping an eye on elderly or frail friends, neighbours and relatives

You can read the Public Health England leaflet ‘Keep Warm Keep Well’ which provides advice on staying well in cold weather and covers issues such as financial help, healthy lifestyle, flu jabs and heating: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/keep-warm-keep-well-leaflet-gives-advice-on-staying-healthy-in-cold-weather

Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Oxfordshire County Council, South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS), and Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust have all embarked on their annual flu programmes - vaccinating the thousands of workers who look after you, your family and friends.

By vaccinating front line staff, each organisation can stop people from catching the virus and passing it on to the sick and vulnerable. It also means health and social care organisations can be more resilient during the coming busy winter months.

Healthcare workers in hospitals and out in the community are eligible for free quadrivalent jabs – which contain four strains of flu to provide maximum cover.

Oxford Health provides physical, mental health and social care for people of all ages across Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Wiltshire and Bath and North East Somerset and aims to vaccinate more than 5,000 of its frontline workforce.

For a second year staff and patients at Oxford Health have collaborated to produce a video encouraging every staff member to take part in the immunisation programme.

The Grease-themed ‘It’s the jab that I want’ film stars, among others, Chief Nurse Marie Crofts who is leading the Oxford Health campaign and staff from Witney Community Hospital.

There are also appearances from many other workers from the Trust’s 150 sites and cameo appearances from SCAS staff, who have bases in community hospitals. Watch it here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGgqC3BEMhc

SCAS, the ambulance service for Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Hampshire, and Oxfordshire County Council - with its army of social workers in communities and hospitals - are also working to increase vaccination rates.

Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is also vaccinating their frontline staff to protect patients and their families.

With an array of posters and myth busting messages, all partner organisations are holding staff flu clinics and are working hard to help staff understand the importance of getting vaccinated to protect themselves and their patients.

• Flu is a serious health risk – it’s highly transmissible and is not a bad cold
• The quadrivalent jab does not contain a live virus and will not give you flu.
• You can be a carrier of flu without displaying symptoms.

Last year, flu killed 312 Britons*, while a total of 2,924 people in the UK were admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) or high-dependency unit (HDU) because of flu. Most had not been immunised according to Public Health England.

Marie Crofts, Chief Nurse at Oxford Health, said: "With fresh arrivals of the vaccine we have started our special clinics and drop-in sessions for frontline staff. We work in a caring profession, so let’s all make sure we have a jab - and look after each other as well as our patients, friends and family."

Karen Fuller, Deputy Director of Adult Social Care at Oxfordshire County Council, said: “The health and wellbeing of our staff is a priority. By encouraging frontline staff to have flu vaccinations we can ensure they are immunised as part of our winter preparation. This will support the health and social care system and also reduce the risk of passing the virus onto the people we support, which is essential. The council’s commitment to working with system partners as part of this campaign protects our staff and supports them to stay well throughout the winter months.”

Professor Helen Young, Executive Director of Patient Care and Service Transformation at SCAS, said: "Every year, SCAS focuses significant time and resources making it as easy as possible for staff to get their flu jabs.

"Our emergency 999 and patient transport service staff interact with some very unwell patients and those with serious medical conditions, so the vaccine is crucial to protect such patients from the life-threatening complications flu can bring, and minimise the risk of staff unwittingly passing on the flu bug to them.

"By having their flu jab, our staff are demonstrating their commitment to ensure our 999, NHS 111 and patient transport service can be operated as efficiently and effectively as possible during the peak period of winter demand."

Sam Foster, Chief Nursing Officer at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “By vaccinating frontline staff, each organisation can stop people from catching the virus from patients and passing it onto the other patients or their own family members.

“It also means health and social care organisations can be more resilient in terms of reducing the risk of staff being absent due to being off sick with the flu during the coming busy winter months.”

For more information about the flu vaccine, read here: https://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/residents/winter-oxfordshire/be-healthy-during-winter

Oxfordshire County Council’s new salt barn will be used to store up to 5,500t of road de-icing salt and, come next winter, will be used to provide the gritters with the material they need to spread on the roads in the south of the county.

Until now the salt has been kept outdoors, which works well, but lacks some of the advantages of the new salt barn.

Keeping the salt in the purpose-built structure ensures that the moisture content can be more closely controlled, meaning that it works even more efficiently once in the wagons as it goes through the spreading spinner, reducing the amount needed. This saves money and is better for the environment.

County Councillor Yvonne Constance, Cabinet member for Environment, said: “Our gritting team do an excellent job all through the winter.

“They deal with whatever the weather has to throw at them and make sure that the salt gets out on the roads. And we must not forget that they also have day jobs helping to maintain and fix Oxfordshire’s roads – they are a hard-working and committed bunch.”

“I’d like to thank everyone for the work that they do during the harshest of weathers and often in the middle of the night when most people are still in bed, so that we can get where we need to be safely.

“The new salt barn will be a great advantage next winter as it will increase our capacity to store more salt and potentially order it in at times when prices are lower.”

So far this winter, since November the crews have been out on Oxfordshire’s roads 38 times, covering a total of 46,140 miles – that’s about twice round the Earth – using more than 7,200 tonnes of salt.

This winter has been pretty average, but over the last 10 years there have been a few really cold and snowy ones, including last years’ Beast from the East.

The winter team numbers 28 including support staff with nine gritting routes covered from the depot at Drayton by 18 drivers who have access to ten vehicles. The county council also has depots at Deddington in the north of the county and a smaller satellite depot at Wood Eaton.

Things you might not know about gritting:

• It’s not grit – it’s salt (we don’t know why it started being called ‘gritting’)
• Oxfordshire county council salts all of its A-roads, B-roads and some more heavily used minor roads. This amounts to approximately 1,200 miles per gritting run which is the equivalent of travelling from London to Iceland, this being approximately 43 % of Oxfordshire’s network
• The salt is corrosive and the gritters must be steam cleaned and wax-oiled regularly. Even so, parts have to be replaced due to corrosion.
• The Spinners are controlled within the cab by the driver and can be adjusted to suit the road width When spreading the gritting vehicles are speed restricted to a maximum of 30 mph
• Salt needs traffic to make it work – driving over it crushes it on the road surface and works it into a solution with moisture on the road which helps it to work efficiently and reduces the potential freezing temperature of any moisture on the surface
• Salt works most effectively down to about -6°c and care is always needed if you are driving in freezing temperatures even if you can see a road has been salted
• When it snows we do also plough the roads. BUT the ploughs can’t go right down to make contact with the road surface so that things like cat’s eyes are not damaged.

Well, if you ask Mark Boundy, it could well be tree branches, power cables and something known as ‘the Star Wars effect’.

Mark has been driving gritting wagons for Oxfordshire County Council for six years and last winter was a tough one, as he explains: “We had more trouble with fallen trees and branches weighed down by snow than the snow itself.

“You would be driving along and tree limbs that should have been well out of the way were often at cab level because of the snow. Power cables were also at lower than normal levels as well.

“Another thing you can experience is what we call the Star Wars effect. In the dark, with the snow falling your lights show up the flakes against the pitch-black sky and it looks like you are going into hyperdrive.

“All this means that you really have to have your wits about you at all times and it’s testament to the skill and experience of the drivers that they get round their routes in some pretty awful conditions.”

When asked why he does the job, Mark simply says that it’s a job that has to be done. He is also keen to get across the safety message to fellow road users during the worst weather that winter has to throw at us.

“Salt works as a de-icer, but it is only effective down to something like -6 °C and it also needs traffic to keep it moving it across the road. Salt helps, but it doesn’t guarantee that there won’t be ice anywhere on your route. My advice is to drive carefully at all times as there can be patches of ice or snow about.

“Snow ploughing is another thing I’d like to tell people about. Firstly you can’t plough and spread grit at the same time. You need the weight of the salt in the back to counteract the weight of the snow you are trying to push – there’s some incredible forces involved in moving snow and sometimes you can end up with the snow pushing the vehicle sideways as you can get up to three tonnes of snow in the plough.

“That is one of the reasons we really try to get salt down ahead of the snow.

“The other thing people may not realise is that the ploughs don’t go right down to the tarmac – they can’t as that would risk damaging things like cats eyes. So even if a road is ploughed and passable we need to go back and grit it and, of course, drivers need to be very careful.

Another of the more unexpected perils that face drivers is thirst. They find that the salt has a habit of eventually drying out the air in the cab meaning that having some water and perhaps some sweets to hand is a must.

While our gritter drivers are a dedicated crew, it is not their only talent. Mark also works in the depot’s sign making department and also looks after road closures. It’s not often that the two sides of Mark’s career mix, but he does recall one occasion: “I was manning the closure of Abingdon Road during one of the particularly bad floods and got a call on my mobile telling me I needed to get back to the depot to go out in the gritter!”

So what would Mark recommend for anyone heading out in freezing weather? Beyond the obvious ‘take care’ there’s a few other things he’d definitely suggest: “Clear your cars of any snow on the windscreen and roof. I’ve seen the police stopping people who have set off with a clear screen and then the snow from the roof has slipped down after a few minutes. As well as possibly getting a fine you can also effectively be blind for a few seconds and you can hit anything in that time.

“Also think about what’s in your boot. A snow shovel a warm jacket and some boots can make all the difference if you get stuck.”

Paul Wilson manages the council’s winter operation and explained how the decision is made on whether the gritters should swing in to action or not. He said: “We make that decision on a daily basis based on the detailed weather forecast for Oxfordshire.

“The crucial thing that councils check to judge whether the gritters should go out or not is whether the road surface temperature will be at 0.5 degrees or below. That’s the temperature at which frost will form and surfaces will become slippery. Many other factors are also taken into consideration by the decision officers.

“Right the way through from November to spring we take this daily decision. Often it is a straightforward judgement but occasionally there are complications. For instance, the forecast might be telling us that the night will start very cold and frost will form but it’ll later warm up and that there’ll be rain coming in.

“On other occasions there might be snow in the forecast and we’ll want to time the gritting run just right and perhaps fit the snowploughs to the front of the gritters. On such occasions there’s every chance we’d send the gritters out more than once.

“We know it’s a difficult job for a driver of one of the gritters. Driving down a country road in freezing conditions at 2am in dark depths of winter is no picnic.

“The aim is to have the main roads in as safe a condition as possible. It should however be pointed out that gritting is not a magic elixir that prevents the driving hazards that winter brings. It lessens them – it does not eliminate them. Our advice is always that people should drive to the conditions. Don’t drive in December like you would in June or July. It’s common sense really - but it’s important.”

Things you might not know about gritting:

• It’s not grit – it’s salt (we don’t know why it started being called ‘gritting’)
• The salt is corrosive and the gritters must be steam cleaned and wax-oiled regularly. Even so, parts have to be replaced due to rust.
• Normally the spinners at the back spread the salt across the full width of the road. But snow on the ground means that the salt particles don’t bounce and so more work is needed to get it where it’s needed.
• The wheels drive the spinners that spread the salt – if the gritter isn’t moving it’s not spreading grit, so try not to hold them up!
• Salt needs traffic to help make it work – driving over it mixes it with any ice on the road surface and makes sure it gets spread around properly
• Salt only works down to about -6°c and care is always needed if you are driving in freezing temperatures even if you can see a road has been salted
• When it snows we do also plough the roads. BUT the ploughs can’t go right down to make contact with the road surface so that things like cats eyes are not damaged.
• “Winter” in Oxfordshire starts in November as far as gritting is concerned and runs through to April.

Andy Ford, Road Safety Manager, Oxfordshire County Council's Fire and Rescue Service, said: “Plan ahead, monitor the weather forecasts and weather warning in your area. Take into account potentially longer travel times and be prepared for delays and disruption.

"Ensure your car has enough oil and water, check your windscreen wipers and washer bottle, clear all your windows so you can see and make sure that your battery is in good condition. And it's also very important to check your tyres are in good condition and have more than the minimum tread depth. Remember to drive to the conditions; stopping distances can be more than ten times longer on snow and ice."

A single journey may go through a range of very different weather, road and traffic conditions, so drivers need to be prepared for each one. This means adapting  the way we drive. Drivers need to be prepared for the possibility that they may get stuck in the snow. Do you have a shovel in the boot? Have you got a blanket or extra coat with you in the vehicle? Got a drink with you, preferably a hot one? Don’t forget to make sure your phone is charged up before you leave, in case you get stranded and need to contact loved ones or the emergency services.

Before you go out ask yourself, do you absolutely have to make the journey and is driving the only option?

If you have to travel, keep the following items in your car in case you get stuck.

• ice scraper
• de-icer
• blanket
• jump leads
• shovel
• decent footwear
• first aid kit
• hazard warning triangle
• torch
• high visibility jacket

These are our top tips to stay safe if you face "snowmaggedon"

• Check the weather before setting off. Remember road surfaces are a couple of degrees colder than air temperature and untreated roads could still be icy even if your car isn’t
• Completely clear all your windows and mirrors of ice and make sure all of your windows are demisted and not just a small area
• Leave plenty of space between you and the car in front. It can take twice as long to stop on wet roads and ten times longer to stop in icy ones
• Check your tyres – ACT - Air pressure, Condition and Tread depth at least once a month. In rain, ice and heavy snow, the more grip you have the better
• Ensure your lights are clean and working
• Ensure your front and rear wipers are in good condition and the washer bottle is full with water and screen wash
• Check that your battery is fully charged
• If the weather is really bad you may want to keep an extra blanket, water, shovel and wellington boots in your car
• Don’t forget your kit: ice scraper, de-icer, hazard warning triangle, torch, high visibility jacket and blanket

Have a safe journey

Here's more advice on Winter safety, safe journeys and how to keep safe and warm

Victoria joined the County Council’s Adult Social Care team in March last year, with a determination to continue improving Oxfordshire’s performance in relation to Delayed Transfers of Care (DToC).

Appointed as Area Service Manager for Hospitals, Victoria has worked closely with senior managers across the county’s health and social care system, contributing to a fall in DToC – more commonly known in the media as ‘bed blocking’.

On January 9 that work was recognised by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) as part of a follow-up review. It noted significantly-improved joined-up working across both health and social care services to improve patient flow through the system.

In January 2018 there were an average of 117 acute reported DToCs. Last week this had dropped to 68.

Efforts to maintain the continued downward trajectory of DToC is all part of the council’s commitment to thriving communities – helping people live safe, healthy lives and play an active part in their community.

Stranded patient reviews

Stranded patient reviews were introduced at the John Radcliffe Hospital in March following an initial review by the CQC in November 2017. Then it found there was little collaboration and ‘no shared vision’ between the organisations responsible for providing care in the county.

In response, Oxford University Hospitals Trust invited a leading expert into the hospital to complete a review of stranded patients’ length of stay.

Victoria explained: “A stranded patient is anyone who has been in hospital for seven days or longer. Being stranded doesn’t mean you are delayed. But it means that every day in hospital should be meaningful.

“The reviews have helped us improve our ability to track where a patient is in the system and how long they have been there.

“I do think it has been a brilliant system piece of collaborative work. It has involved a number of staff from organisations including Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust, Oxford Health, Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group, Age UK and Oxfordshire County Council.

“Having come in from March I’ve been so impressed by the senior leadership sign-up to this. It has enabled us to challenge where a patient is in the system and bring about change in a sustainable way.”

Proud of her team

Victoria has about 100 staff under her leadership, including teams at the JR and Horton hospitals, plus a team responsible for social work input into nursing homes and community hospitals, and a reablement outreach team.

She said: “I’m really, really proud of the team. I really feel that we can crack this nut. We’re doing fantastically well but we’ve got more to do and we are committed to doing it. It has become a bit of an obsession.

“It has been an eye-opener to come to Oxfordshire and look at some of the challenges unique to the county. Particularly the diversity in terms of some of it being really rural and some of it being very urban. That’s a challenge for the staff who are working agilely. They need a degree of resilience and I have been very impressed by their ability to manage their own time.”

Reasons to be positive

Reflecting on a busy ten months, Victoria sees positives ahead as the county deals with winter.

The CQC acknowledged in its follow-up review that the appointment of a Winter Director to lead a system-wide Winter Team had already led to improvements.

Victoria said: “Whilst winter has been a busy time, we have maintained the lower level of delays. Working as part of the Winter Team with a Winter Director has enabled us to maintain oversight of all the pressures across the system and address these together.

“Every day we meet as a system at ‘mission control’ in the John Radcliffe and work out the day’s priorities together. It has been so positive for senior managers to be able to sit down in a room and challenge what each other is doing and be open to feedback. It has demanded a level of honesty from all of us. I think our figures demonstrate our commitment to this model of practice.”

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) found key improvements had been made eight months into an 18-month action plan that was agreed by Oxfordshire health and social care organisations after an initial review by the CQC in November 2017.

Following the first review, a key priority for system leaders has been to work more closely together to plan and deliver health and social care services, particularly for older people.

Senior managers have used their learning from Winter 2017/18, creating a system approach that has significantly improved joined-up working across NHS and Local Authority partners.

Health and care organisations have also been working together to improve patient flow through the system to reduce ‘delayed transfers of care’, so that patients who are physically well enough to leave hospital do so at the appropriate time.

The CQC report stated: “We saw some practical examples where the improved cross-system relationships had improved outcomes for people. For example, work had been undertaken to successfully reduce the numbers of people who remained in hospital unnecessarily.”

The Health and Wellbeing Board, which is responsible for overall health and care strategy in Oxfordshire, had also been expanded to include district councils and chief executives from the NHS Foundation Trusts and the Clinical Commissioning Group.

The follow-up review noted a sense of shared purpose between these organisations, and a willingness to take a system-based approach to resolving challenges and planning for the future. It also noted good involvement with older people in the Older People’s Strategy.

The health and social care partners in Oxfordshire acknowledge that improvements still required included a review of services commissioned to support pathways of care for older people, and better use of voluntary and community groups sector to support patients so they can go home from hospital.

Support and advice for people who pay for their own care – known as ‘self-funders’ –needs to be developed further, according to the CQC inspectors.

Enhanced relationships

Kate Terroni, Director of Adult Social Care for Oxfordshire County Council, said: “We really welcome this follow-up review and we’re delighted the Care Quality Commission has recognised the work we’ve done locally to improve outcomes for residents.

“The report notes that we are only eight months into an 18-month action plan. The report reflects the improvements in relationships between system leaders, the lessons learnt from last winter and how we’re working better together to support people to leave hospital when they are fit to do so.

“We recognise there is still more work to be done on our offer to self-funders, supporting carers and fully utilising our excellent voluntary sector. I look forward to continuing to work with our partners as we take this work forward.”

Hard work recognised

Dr Bruno Holthof, Chief Executive of Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “I would like to thank all health and social care staff whose hard work has been recognised by the CQC in the report published today.

“We have made significant progress in helping more patients get home from hospital more quickly and in working together across organisational boundaries to prepare for the challenges which this winter will undoubtedly bring so that the people who rely on our services receive the high quality and timely care which they deserve.

“We know there is much more to be done but it is heartening that the progress made to date has been acknowledged by the CQC.”

Improved outcomes

Louise Patten, Chief Executive of Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group, said: "We are really pleased to see that the CQC have recognised the significant improvements in our work as system leaders to reset the culture of our organisations that is now demonstrating improved outcomes for people in Oxfordshire.

“This has been a real learning journey for us; the CQC’s system assessment helped us understand the need for a more integrated approach across health and social care that focussed on working together to improve patient outcomes.

“I am hugely grateful to our staff, stakeholders and public for helping us to achieve so much in such a short time.

“This is, however, work in progress; we continue to develop the different parts of the health and social care system in Oxfordshire to work better together to improve patient care.”

Tangible impact

Stuart Bell CBE, Chief Executive of Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We welcome the findings of this follow-up review which demonstrates the real progress we have made as a health and social care system in such a short period of time.

“While there is still work to be done, we have developed stronger relationships with partner organisations and this joined-up approach is having a tangible impact on people’s lives.

“Most importantly, all the planning and preparatory work which the CQC recognised in its report has helped our teams across health and social care as they now face their toughest challenge in the heart of winter.”

Fully engaged

Penny Thewlis, Chief Executive of Age UK Oxfordshire, said: “We have welcomed CQC’s evaluation of progress and have seen very tangible evidence of this as the system has prepared for winter.

“The voluntary and community sector has a pivotal role to play in enabling people to return home safely and confidently from hospital, with the support they need in place, but also in enabling people to stay well.

“We can only fulfil our potential if we are fully engaged in planning and properly funded and real progress has been made on this since the last review. There’s still a way to go, but there is evidence that we are well and truly on the way.”

Working in partnership

Will Hancock, Chief Executive of South Central Ambulance Service, said: “We welcome the report from our regulator and are pleased the work that has been carried out has been recognised.

“In order to make further improvements in patient care for those in the area we will continue to work in partnership with all colleagues in the health and social care system.”

Areas of improvement

• A Winter Director was appointed on October 1, 2018, leading a system Winter Team to reduce seasonal pressures across health and care services. The team has also worked to improve quality and performance of emergency and urgent care in the county.

• A ‘Home for Christmas’ initiative involved the new Winter Team and all health and care organisations in Oxfordshire working together to ensure more than 80 patients a day were discharged from inpatient wards at the John Radcliffe Hospital during the last week before Christmas.

• The table below illustrates improvements achieved in the reduction in the number of ‘delayed transfers of care’ in hospitals across Oxfordshire since April 2017. The actual number of patients delayed changes daily and the table provides the average number of patients delayed each month.

From Monday, Oxfordshire County Council and partners including Age UK Oxfordshire will be staging a ‘Winter Week’ of support in the County Library at the Westgate Centre.

Advice on everything from being a good neighbour, to staying warm and avoiding shopping scams will be available as the county prepares for a dip in temperatures.

It’s all part of the county council’s commitment to thriving communities – helping people to live safe, healthy lives and play an active part in their community.

Kate Gleeson, a Strategic Commissioning Manager in the council’s Adult Social Care team, said: “It’s good to think ahead and plan so that you’re ready for winter. There’s a lot of good information out there.

“Winter Week is about giving us a presence and trying to engage with people and get them interested in preparing for the worst of the weather. Our Live Well Oxfordshire website has developed into a really good resource of activities going on across the community.”

The website is a one-stop shop to help you stay healthy and active, offering information and contact numbers on a host of subjects including staying independent, money matters, finding a care home, learning a new skill, and getting out and about.

Winter Week coincides with the launch of Part Two of Age UK Oxfordshire’s Staying Well This Winter campaign.

More than 20,000 service users have already read Part One, an A5-sized booklet released in the summer packed full of information and advice and containing a handy checklist of things to do from September to December.

These ranged from booking a boiler service to having your electric blanket tested, booking a flu jab and ordering repeat prescriptions to cover the Christmas and New Year period.

Now Age UK Oxfordshire’s Head of Community Development, Ruth Swift, and fellow members of the team are looking forward to talking people through Part Two.

“It’s in the same eight-page format but this time we’ve repeated the December checklist and now look forward to January, February and March,” explained Ruth.

“It’s about people looking after themselves and helping others. If we all take responsibility and recognise there’s something we can do to help a vulnerable neighbour we’ll be making a big difference.”

Part Two of Staying Well This Winter includes advice from the South Central Ambulance Service about safe driving, a section on reasons to eat more healthily, visiting your pharmacist, taking up a hobby in the new year, and ten good reasons to exercise.

Ruth is looking forward to meeting people in the County Library and spreading the message of the importance of a strong community network.

“Everybody in the community knows somebody, works with somebody or lives next door to somebody who needs that extra bit of support,” she said. “We’ll be talking people through how they can help.”

Also joining in Winter Week will be members of the county council’s Public Health team, which exists to improve the health of local people, protect Oxfordshire people from preventable health issues and support the county’s local healthcare service.

It will be promoting its ‘Be the warmth in your community’ campaign, which empowers residents to look out for their vulnerable neighbours in lots of ways but especially to make sure their homes are affordably warm.

Representatives from the fuel poverty action line Better Housing Better Health will also be present on Friday with advice on how to help residents stay warm.

They’ll be providing information on obtaining cheaper prices for gas and electricity, discounts for insulating homes, managing debts from fuel bills, repairing or replacing heating, energy saving tips that save money and other options for help and support.

If you’re worried about someone’s home being too cold, contact Better Housing Better Health on 0800 107 0044 or bhbh@nef.org.uk.

Members of the Trading Standards team will also be present, warning on the perils of buying fake goods in the run-up to Christmas and other scams prevalent at this time of year.

All this information and more is available from the county council at oxfordshire.gov.uk/winter and our ‘Winter in Oxfordshire’ micro-site news.oxfordshire.gov.uk/oxonwinter/

Cllr Lawrie Stratford, Cabinet member for Adult Social Care and Public Health, said: “We know that winter can be an extremely difficult time for those vulnerable people in our communities who are feeling lonely, struggling to leave their front doors and finding it hard to keep their homes warm.

“Winter Week is not only about providing them with more information, but also empowering local communities to look out for their vulnerable neighbour. Knowing there is a good neighbour on their street can give people real comfort and peace of mind.

“Our team in the County Library will have all the information at their fingertips and by passing this advice on we hope everyone can look forward to a good Christmas and a healthy and happy 2019.”

Winter Week will be promoted in the main foyer at the County Library from Monday until Saturday, 10am to 4pm (6.30pm Wednesday).

“It was certainly a Winter with a far different character than most of those we’ve had this decade” said Paul Wilson, the man who oversees the council’s gritting operation.

“In total the council sent the gritters out on 76 occasions from November onwards. That compares to 45 in 2016/17. The council also had to put the snowploughs on to the gritters four times – something that had not been needed in Oxfordshire since 2012/13. A total of over 16,000 tonnes of salt were used and over 90,000 miles covered by Oxfordshire’s gritters from November to March - which equates to 3.7 times around the world.

“November had been a cold month with the gritters having to go out on numerous occasions and then we had the second weekend of December when everybody woke up one Sunday morning to an ever thickening blanket of snow,” said Paul.

“We’d set up ready the day before and sent the gritters out with the snowploughs attached and managed to get all the main roads clear – but that was quite some snow event for Oxfordshire and there were some particularly low temperatures in the nights following that meant the snow hung around for a while.

“We had another very active period between Christmas and New Year before further busy times during January and February - although it wasn’t until the first day or two of March that we had to get the snowploughs out again.

Beast from the East

“The March snow will still be fresh in everybody’s mind. Everybody will remember the phrase “Beast from the East”. In fact the snow we got was due to a westerly weather system, Storm Emma, crashing in to the Easterlies that had brought a lot of snow to counties to the East of us. Oxfordshire hadn’t been getting as much snow as many other parts of the country but leading in to that first weekend in March west Oxfordshire got some very deep snow.

“A real notable feature in the West was snow drifting off fields on to the roads due to the winds – a lot of hard work went in to clearing the roads over that weekend and we had some absolutely fantastic support from the local farming community who really rolled their sleeves up and pitched in.

“Then we had another less intrusive brush with snow in mid-March.”

“All in all it was a Winter for cold and snow and winds from the north and east rather than rain and flooding and incessant weather systems from the Atlantic. That means it was quite an unusual Winter.

“I’d like to thank all the team involved in the winter operation but particularly the gritter drivers who as ever were out on the roads at some very unsociable hours and in inhospitable conditions. They did the job in terms of keeping main roads passable.

"There are always people who imagine that gritting means winter conditions are completely eliminated – the vast majority of people know that gritting and ploughing helps, but it doesn’t turn December in to July. So I’d also like to thank the thousands of Oxfordshire motorists who drove with care and to the conditions. Let’s hope we can now all now look forward to Spring and Summer”

The county council’s gritters cover 1,200 miles of road on one gritting run – covering all A-roads, B-roads and some C-roads. Highways England cover the A34, A43 and M40.

Andy Ford, Road Safety Manager, Oxfordshire County Council's Fire and Rescue Service, said: “Plan ahead, take into account potential longer travel times and be prepared and drive to the conditions as stopping distances are much longer on snow and ice. Ensure your car has enough oil, water, check your windscreen wipers and washer bottle, clear all your windows so you can see and make sure that your battery is in good condition. And  it's also very important to check your tyres are in good condition and have more than the minimum tread depth".

A single journey may take us into very different weather, road and traffic conditions, so we need to be prepared for each one. This means that we need to adapt the way we drive. And go out prepared for the possibility you may get stuck in the snow. Do you have a shovel in the boot? Have you got a blanket or extra coat with you in the vehicle? Got a drink with you, preferably a hot one? Don’t forget to make sure your phone is charged up before you leave, in case you get stranded and need to contact loved ones or the emergency services.

Before you go out ask yourself, do you absolutely have to make the journey and is driving the only option?

If you have to travel, keep the following items in your car in case you get stuck.

• ice scraper
• de-icer
• blanket
• jump leads
• shovel
• decent footwear
• first aid kit
• hazard warning triangle
• torch
• high visibility jacket

These are our top tips to stay safe if you face "snowmaggedon"

• Check the weather before setting off. Remember road surfaces are a couple of degrees colder than air temperature and untreated roads could still be icy even if your car isn’t
• Completely clear all your windows and mirrors of ice and make sure all of your windows are demisted and not just a small area
• Leave plenty of space between you and the car in front. It can take twice as long to stop on wet roads and ten times longer to stop in icy ones.
• Check your tyres – ACT - Air pressure, Condition and Tread depth at least once a month. In rain, ice and heavy snow the more grip you have the better.
• Ensure your lights are clean and working
• Ensure your front and rear wipers are in good condition and the washer bottle is full with water and screen wash
• Check that your battery is fully charged
• If the weather is really bad you may want to keep an extra blanket, water, shovel and wellington boots in your car
• Don’t forget your kit: ice scraper, de-icer, hazard warning triangle, torch, high visibility jacket and blanket

Have a safe journey

Here's more advice on Winter safety, safe journeys and how to keep safe and warm

The Environment Agency has issued Flood Alerts for the following areas, though waters are subsiding and are not expected to threaten properties:

• River Ock from Watchfield to Abingdon and also the Letcombe Brook at Wantage, Grove and East Hanney
• River Windrush from Bourton to Newbridge
• River Cherwell from Lower Heyford down to and including Oxford
• River Thame and Chalgrove Brook
• Langford and Wendlebury Brooks from Stratton Audley to Merton
• River Cherwell from Charwelton to Upper Heyford
• River Cole and Dorcan Brook
• River Evenlode from Moreton in Marsh to Cassington and the River Glyme at Wootton and Woodstock
• River Ray and tributaries from Shipton Lee to Islip
• Upper River Great Ouse in Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire
• River Thames and tributaries from Calcott to Lechlade

Update: 28 Dec 7:15

Ice warning still in place from Met Office so road users and pedestrians should are warned about black ice, following several accidents last night.

Update: 27 Dec 21:50

Black ice alert: Gritters went out at 7pm and have nearly completed their run. Even so, emergency services have been called to several accidents involving black ice. Their advice is not to drive unless essential and take great care if you do go out. Gritters are going out again immediately they finish.

Update: 27 Dec 16:33

There are currently two implemented road closures at Marsh Gibbon and at Long Hanborough, plus road impassable at Woodeaton. Please do not enter flood water.

There is a Yellow Warning of Ice for tonight and tomorrow morning.

There is a Cold Weather Alert Level 3 from tonight to Saturday, meaning 90% likelihood of temperatures consistently near to or below freezing.

Gritters will be back out around 7pm this evening to combat tonight’s sub-zero temperatures.

Oxfordshire's Libraries will shut at 5pm tonight to allow staff to get home safely

Update: 27 Dec 10:50

Road closure - Lower Rd Hanborough is closed under the railway bridge due to flooding

 

With rain turning to snow overnight, Oxfordshire's gritters have been out twice overnight. 

The first treatment run headed out at 23:00 to get salt down ahead of the snow. Snow started falling to the west of the county at approximately 2 – 2.30 am with some areas seeing in excess of 50 mm, while the east saw slushier conditions. 

Crews were back at the depots by 6am after a second run around the county and will be back out again to target the worst affected areas, including the higher ground to the west, including Banbury and Chipping Norton to Burford in the North and Faringdon and the higher ground (Uffington Hills) in the south.

We'll have more updates throughout the day.

Gritting runs

• We aim to keep a network of major roads as free as possible from ice to minimise the risk of accidents. Precautionary salting (or ‘gritting’) helps to achieve this aim.
• More information on routes and when the gritters are going out is here. We always advise people to take extra care even when roads have been treated.

Grit bins

• Grit bins were refilled at the start of winter and are being refilled at the moment. There is more information on salt bins here.
• We do encourage self-help. There are around 1300 salt bins across the county for the public to use on the public highway, including footways. Some Town and Parish Councils have snow warden schemes.

Pavements and cycle paths

• Footways only get limited attention by the county council because clearing them is very labour intensive. Only major shopping areas are likely to be treated with salt/grit in the early stages following snowfall.

Snow guidance and government advice

• You can view our Oxfordshire Snow Guide (pdf format, 428KB) The Government also has a ‘snow code’, which covers liability issues.

Information and social media

• Follow us on Twitter and Facebook to receive updates by social media.

Vulnerable children and adults

• The emergency duty team of social workers (EDT) is on call 24/7, including over the Christmas period. Safeguarding concerns should be reported to 0345 050 7666 (office hours) or 0800 833408 (out of hours).

Community planning

• The county council provides advice and support for communities that want to develop a local resilience plan, so they are prepared for extreme weather and emergency situations. More information here.

Power failure

You can call 105 to report or get information about power cuts in your local area.

You can also call 105 if you spot damage to electricity power lines and substations that could put you, or someone else, in danger. If there’s a serious immediate risk, you should call the emergency services too.

105 is a free service, available to people in England, Scotland and Wales.

You can call the number from most landlines and mobile phones.

Our Road Safety Education team says that when working at events in the community, they are often asked: “how many drinks can I have and still be under drink-drive limit?”. The truth is that it’s impossible to work that out. It all depends on how the units, the size of the person, their blood volume, their metabolic rate, whether the person has eaten, if they are taking medication or are tired. Women have smaller livers, so process the alcohol more slowly.

One drink could put you over the drink-drive limit and even small amounts of alcohol (or drugs) can affect our vision, co-ordination and decision making skills. The best bet is not to drink at all.

The vast majority of drivers are doing the right thing but a significant minority continue to put themselves and others at risk. Alcohol plays a part in almost 1 out of 5 deaths on Oxfordshire roads in 2016. That’s why we are saying that it’s not worth the risk.

The morning after the night before…

Many drivers are sensible and make a plan so they don’t drink-drive on an evening out. However, many people aren’t aware of just how important it is to know what you’ve been drinking during that night out, to work out when you’ll be OK to drive the next day.

Andy Ford, Oxfordshire County Council, Fire & Rescue Service’s Road Safety Education Team Manager said, “Our ‘Morning After’ campaign and resources remind people that it takes around 1 hour per unit of alcohol to be processed by our liver. There’s no way to speed that up the process, drinking water or coffee might make you feel better/more lively but it won’t increase the speed at which your body processes the alcohol - Only time work”.

Top Tips for a Safe and Merry Christmas:

• Look at our recipes for ‘Mocktails’ (non-alcoholic) cocktails with a few ideas to make the designated driver feel special too. Atomic Cat or a Virgin Mojito? http://www.365alive.co.uk/cms/content/mocktails

• Make a plan for your night out: book a taxi, get on public transport or walk

• Think of the morning after: Time is the onlyhttp://morning-after.org.uk/?page_id=82 and check this info: http://www.365alive.co.uk/cms/content/should-you-drive-morning-after

• Don’t accept a lift from a driver you know has drunk alcohol or offer an alcoholic drink to someone else who is intending to drive.

• Remember it’s not worth the risk

Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service’s station Manager, Chris Barber said:

“Christmas is a special time of year and we want you to stay safe. We are saying: When decorating with Christmas lights, please ensure that you check them first by inspecting the cables and bulbs, do not use lights which are damaged, but if bulbs are blown, replace them. Do not place your Christmas tree too close to a heat source such as a portable heater, radiator or a fireplace. A live tree will dry out quickly and become easier to ignite by heat, flame or sparks. To help prevent this, keep the tree stand filled with water at all times.”

After 12 months packed away in a box, Christmas lights can easily become electrically unsafe. These are Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service and Trading Standards advice to deck the halls in safety:

• Only buy lights that carry the British Safety Kitemark or CE Safety Standard mark. Buy from a reputable shop, read and follow the manufacturers' instructions
• Check your Christmas tree lights are in good condition and turn them off before you go to bed.
• Use only replacement bulbs of the same type and rating as those originally supplied with the lights
• Ensure all outdoor lights are connected via a 30mA RCD protected socket
• replace failed lamps immediately to prevent overheating
• keep lights away from flammable decorations and materials that can burn easily
• Don’t overload sockets and try to avoid the use of extension leads or adaptors

More advice on how to be safe at home here: http://www.365alive.co.uk/cms/content/home

“We all become avid weather watchers” says Banbury born and raised Dave, who has been a gritter driver since 2012, based at the council’s Deddington depot.

The 50 year old had previously worked in the construction industry. The main portion of his job with the council is as one of the supervisors who organises the highway maintenance crews who fix potholes and mend wider sections of road.

But when Winter comes around they take on an extra duty – one that provides Oxfordshire’s main roads with an extra level of protection from the Winter cold and changes the daily routine of the staff involved and often their families too.

Dave said: “Quite often when the call is made to send the gritters out, the run will be during the evening at around the 7pm or 8pm mark. That’s when the forecast is straightforward and its going to be a normal cold winter’s night.

“A run for one gritter and its driver is about three hours so on those occasions we are usually back home and tucked up in bed by midnight or just after.

“Sometimes though the gritting run has to be at 2am because the forecast is more complex and involves snow or rain. The timing has to be just right. On those occasions I’d try to get some sleep before getting up to go out on the gritting run. That’s obviously more tough and you don’t really sleep properly. There’s a fair amount of clock watching involved!

“There have been occasions when the forecast from the Met Office has changed at short notice and so the call has had to be changed. When that means the gritters go out at short notice it can certainly have an impact on your family or social life, but it’s all part of the job.

“My children are grown up now but in my earlier days on the gritters they were still at school and there were occasions they were reminded that their Dad was trying to rest and they should be quiet.

“Driving on a freezing cold night in January with the snowplough on at 3am is certainly an experience! On the runs that happen at more sociable hours you’ll often get other drivers who get impatient and try to overtake you or race out in front of you.

“During the runs that happen in the small hours you can see see owls, deer, foxes and all kinds of other animals that you wouldn’t encounter during the day.

“There was one memorable evening when I was driving down in to Adderbury in the gritter and suddenly there was stag deer right in front of me in the headlights. I slammed on the breaks missed him by a whisker.

“The other thing you can quite often get is people waving at you and asking for a toot on the horn. Friday and Saturday nights can be interesting because you can observe people who have very clearly been out for a drink!

“It’s an important job and we know we play a role in helping keep people safe – although of course they play a huge role themselves by driving to the conditions.”

Paul Wilson manages the council’s winter operation and explained how the decision is made on whether the gritters should swing in to action or not. He said: “We make that decision on a daily basis based on the detailed weather forecast for Oxfordshire.

“The crucial determinant that councils check to judge whether the gritters should go out or not is whether the road surface temperature will be at 0.5 degrees or below. That’s the temperature at which frost will form and surfaces will become slippery. Many other factors are also taken into consideration by the decision officers.

“Right the way through from November to the Spring we take this daily decision. Often it is a straightforward judgement but occasionally there are complications. For instance, the forecast might be telling us that the night will start very cold and frost will form but it’ll later warm up and that there’ll be rain coming in.

“On other occasions there might be snow in the forecast and we’ll want to time the gritting run just right and perhaps fit the snowploughs to the front of the gritters. On such occasions there’s every chance we’d send the gritters out more than once.

“We know it’s a difficult job for a driver of one of the gritters. Driving down a country road in freezing conditions at 2am in dark depths of winter is no picnic.

“The aim is to have the main roads in as safe a condition as possible. It should however be pointed out that gritting is not a magic elixir that prevents the driving hazards that winter brings. It lessens them – it does not eliminate them. Our advice is always that people should drive to the conditions. Don’t drive in December like you would in June or July. It’s common sense really - but it’s important.”

Oxfordshire County Council’s gritters - Key facts

• The annual budget for the gritting operation and associated work is just over £1m which is the same as previous winters.

• The county council will as usual be employing around 25 gritters to grit all A-roads and B-roads and some C-roads when required. Highways England are responsible for treating the A34, M40 and A43.

• There’s approximately 8500 tonnes of salt in stock which is the same as previous winters and can be stocked up as required as the Winter progresses. A gritting run covering all of the county’s main roads covers 1,200 miles which is the equivalent of London to Iceland.

• Gritters are based at the county’s highways depots in Deddington, Drayton and Woodcote

• The gritters each have names – such as Ice Warrior, Gritterminator and Salty

Andy Ford, Road Safety Manager, Oxfordshire County Council's Fire & Rescue Service, said: “Reduced visibility and slippery road surfaces make winter driving more difficult. We would like to encourage drivers to adjust to road conditions, whether it’s frost, ice, fog, heavy rain or a low winter sun, please slow down and allow yourself time to react. It’s not just about preparing yourself but your vehicle: Checking your tyres and lights, keeping a kit with ice scraper, de-icer, hazard warning triangle, torch and high visibility jacket in your vehicle”.

Top tips for winter journeys

• Check the weather before setting off. Remember road surfaces are a couple of degrees colder than air temperature and untreated roads could still be icy even if your car isn’t
• Completely clear all your windows and mirrors of ice and make sure all of your windows are demisted and not just a small area
• Leave plenty of space between you and the car in front. It can take twice as long to stop on wet roads and ten times longer to stop in icy ones.
• Check your tyres – ACT - Air pressure, Condition and Tread depth at least once a month. In rain, ice and heavy snow the more grip you have the better.
• Ensure your lights are clean and working
• Ensure your front and rear wipers are in good condition and the washer bottle is full with water and screen wash
• Check that your battery is fully charged
• If the weather is really bad you may want to keep an extra blanket, water, shovel and wellington boots in your car
• Don’t forget your kit: ice scraper, de-icer, hazard warning triangle, torch, high visibility jacket and blanket

Have a safe journey

For further fire and road safety advice, visit the Safe Journey pages on the www.365alive.co.uk website

Each year 57,600 gullies are cleaned to avoid delays and keep motorists safe, while the Dragon patcher works year-round on the county’s roads fixing potholes. So far this year it has fixed around 11,000 defects.

County Councillor, Yvonne Constance, Cabinet Member for Environment, said: “Everyone knows about the work we do with our contractor to keep the roads salted during the winter, but the team do other things which often go unseen.

“The work they do all year to clean out gullies, which if blocked, could cause flooding on the road network and a lot of disruption to motorists, is invaluable.

“Doing this requires careful planning and commitment.”

Working with their contractors, Skanska, the county council maintains 2,800 miles of carriageway, 2,500 miles of footway and 1,000 structures.

Paul Durham, Business Director at Skanska, explained: “We work closely with the county council all year round to ensure we plan the maintenance activities to keep the roads running and motorists safe, especially when the temperatures drop in the winter months.”

While the team has a programme of planned maintenance, members of the public can report problems that they encounter via Fix My Street. Doing this means that problems such as potholes, blocked drains or broken kerbs are sent straight to the council for investigation.

You can find out more about the work of the winter gritting team here: http://news.oxfordshire.gov.uk/when-winter-comes--dave-and-his-fellow-gritter-drivers-are-ready-to-swing-in-to-action

The council’s gritters are set out to cover the northern half of Oxfordshire at 2:30pm today and from 3pm to cover the southern half of Oxfordshire ahead of the sleet and snow.

A further gritting run was scheduled to follow across the county from 7:30pm with a third run at 3am on Friday, January 13.

A single gritting run covers all A-roads, B-roads and some C-roads – a total of 1200 miles of Oxfordshire road, which is the equivalent of London to Iceland. The council deploys 28 gritters on such a gritting run.

Highways England covers three major routes that run through Oxfordshire – these being the M40, A34 and A43.

The council has the ability to attach snowploughs to the front of gritters should snow reach sufficient depth for these to be required.

Highways managers monitor weather forecasts on a 24 hour basis using a computerised ice prediction system which compares forecast conditions against actual road temperatures measured at five weather stations around the county. Council staff are available through-the-night to keep a watch on conditions.

Advice to drivers is that even on gritted road surfaces, winter driving conditions can be very difficult and require due care and attention. With a temperature drop following rain, sleet and snow icy conditions are very likely.

Oxfordshire County Council’s Fire and Rescue Service would like to encourage residents to make sure they are ready for the winter weather and to have a safe journey whatever the weather.

Top tips for winter journeys

Completely clear all your windows and mirrors of ice and make sure all of your windows are demisted and not just a small area.

Adjust to the driving conditions: whether it’s frosty and icy, foggy or there’s heavy rain; please slow down and give yourself time to react.

Leave plenty of space between you and the car in front. It can take twice as long to stop on wet roads and ten times longer to stop in icy ones.

Also throughout the winter it’s a good idea to get into the habit to find out what the temperature is before setting off on your journey, roads surfaces are couple of degrees lower than air temperature, untreated roads could still be icy even if your car isn’t.

If you are walking or cycling when it’s dark, remember ‘Be Safe - Be Seen’. Have you got something white, bright or reflective that will help make sure you’re seen by other road users? If you cycle, check your lights and reflectors work.

Be prepared

Mick Clarke, Oxfordshire County Council’s Fire and Rescue Service Road Safety Manager said:

“It is important to be prepared. This includes preparation of your vehicle, yourself and your journey, as reduced visibility and slippery road surfaces make winter driving particularly hazardous.

“I would like to encourage all drivers to adjust to the driving conditions, whether it’s frosty, icy, foggy or if there’s heavy rain or a low winter sun, please slow down and allow yourself time to react.”

You may be ready for winter but is your vehicle?

Check your tyres – ACT - Air pressure, Condition and Tread depth at least once a month. In rain, ice and heavy snow the more grip you have the better.

Are your lights clean and working? Have you checked that your battery is fully charged and the condition of your front and rear windscreen wipers? Is your washer bottle full with water and screen wash? Don’t forget to keep it topped up during the winter months.

Have you got the kit? Keep an ice scraper, de-icer, hazard warning triangle, torch and high visibility jacket in your vehicle. In really bad weather you may want to include a blanket, shovel and wellington boots.

For further fire and road safety advice, visit the Safe Journey pages on the www.365alive.co.uk website.

Frosty mornings are stunning but do take care on the roads and paths. If you're driving do take the conditions into account. We've more tips on staying safe and warm on our Winter pages.

Chris Barber, Station Manager for Oxfordshire County Council Fire and Rescue Service said: “The end of the summer is the perfect time to have your chimney swept ready so it’s ready for your first fire of the winter season.

“To keep you and your family safe from fire during the winter months make sure you have your chimney swept regularly, depending on what fuel you burn, before the colder months set in and you begin to use your fire again.”

Get it swept

Real fires create a warm and homely atmosphere but bring with them extra risks. A poorly maintained chimney, hearth or fireplace can increase the risk of fire breaking out in your home.

By taking a few extra precautions you can enjoy the glow of a real fire and make sure you and your family stay safe.

If you have a chimney - get it swept - is the message from Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service. A chimney can become dangerous and a potential source of a far more serious fire.

Top tips for open fires

• Have your chimney swept at least once a year – more frequently if you burn wood

• Always use a fire guard to protect against flying sparks from hot embers

• Make sure embers are properly put out before you go to bed

• Only burn suitable fuels and don’t overload your fire place

• Never place hot ashes in a wheelie bin

• Fit a smoke alarm and test it weekly

• Make a fire escape plan

• Fit and carbon monoxide alarm and test it weekly.

Visit 365alive.co.uk for advice on smoke alarms, escape plans and chimney fire safety.

How often should you have your chimney swept?

Keep it clean

To find a registered chimney sweep in your area visit www.hetas.co.uk to find a certified Chimney Sweep.

Notes to editors

• This advice is part of Oxfordshire County Council’s Fire and Rescue Service’s 365alive initiative. For more information about the initiative, please visit www.365alive.co.uk

• There have been 73 chimney fires in Oxfordshire so far in 2016. Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service has attended 1,278 chimney fires since 2008.