Dear Community Resilience Group/Community Council/Colleagues

I hope you have all had a good week.

Numbers of confirmed cases of COVID have risen across the NHS Highland area in the last week as pupils returned to schools after the summer break. As you will see in the attached joint press release from The Highland Council and NHS Highland issued on Wednesday, this increase is expected to continue and while COVID-19 is circulating at such high levels, NHS Highland advise us all to try to minimise our contact with others as much as possible to limit further spread within our communities.

This week’s briefing is attached and contains information on:

• The current numbers of covid cases across Highland.
• NHS Highland Stakeholder briefing and joint press release attached.
• Updated COVID-19 advice from the Scottish Government for people at highest risk.
• Next week’s community testing programme for people without symptoms which will be in Grantown on Spey.
• The launch of a Long COVID e-Learning Self-Management Resource by LGOWIT.

Thank you for everything that you are doing in your communities

Covid Update

Over the last 7 days there have been 388 new positive cases in Highland (to 22 July), a decrease from last week when 477 were reported.  This means the latest rate per 100,000 has decreased from 202.3 per 100,000 last week to 164.8 per 100,000 as of 20 July.  Whilst there has been a decrease, the numbers of cases still remain high and it is important to be careful and stick to the Scottish Government guidelines.

Asymptomatic Testing

As cases rise, it is important to test yourself even if you don’t have symptoms. Taking a rapid LFD test twice a week can help stop new variants earlier, limiting the spread of the virus.

Test kits are available at pharmacies, or to order online from www.nhsinform.scot/testing, or by calling 119.

Test kits are also available at Community testing sites.  The details for where these are next week is outlined below.

Symptomatic Testing

If you do believe you have symptoms, please self-isolate and book a PCR test.

Postal PCR kits are available through NHS Inform either online here or by calling 0800 028 2816.

In addition to the local support that is available, people can get support to self isolate by calling the Council’s helpline number: 0300 303 1362.  This can include access to food and supplies to self isolate and individuals may be entitled to a £500 self isolation support grant.

Community Testing 26 July – 30 July

The community testing programme offers rapid COVID-19 tests for people without symptoms. 

Next week the mobile testing unit Testalot will be at:

Middle Street Car Park, Middle Street, Fort William PH33 6EU

Monday 26 July 12noon-4:30pm

Tuesday 27 July 9:30am-4:30pm

Wednesday 28 July 9:30am-4:30pm

Thursday 29 July 9:30am-4:30pm

Friday 30 July 9:30am-2pm

The mobile testing unit Moves Like Jagger will be available at:

Fairways Car Park, Slackbuie, Inverness IV2 6AA

Monday 26 July 9:30am-4:30pm

Tuesday 27 July 9:30am-4:30pm

Wednesday 28 July 9:30am-4:30pm

Thursday 29 July 9:30am-4:30pm

Friday 30 July 9:30am-4:30pm

Just to emphasise that there is no specific outbreak in this communities this is to support normalising testing across the area. 

No appointment is necessary, and it will be open both for asymptomatic testing and to collect LFD test kits.

Please note that these drop-in sessions for community testing are only for people without symptoms.  Anyone that becomes unwell should isolate immediately and seek a PCR test. PCR tests can be booked through NHS Inform online or by calling 0800 028 2816. 

Posting this in case it is helpful to anyone in our community or for anyone you know

Temporary Business Closure Grant – 

A new grant scheme has been launched to support businesses who have had to close due to the covid-19 protective measured introduced.  The Closure Grant operates as a two-tiered scheme, with a grant of £2,000 for premises which have a rateable value of up to and including £51,000 and a grant of £3,000 for those businesses with a rateable value of £51,001 and above. The grant is payable every four weeks, in arrears, for the duration protective measures are in place.

For more information please visit www.highland.gov.uk/strategicframeworkfund

Over the coming weeks the Scottish Government will be making available a range of other grants to businesses, including Taxi and Private Hire; Newly Self Employed, Mobile Close Contact Services and a Highland Discretionary Business Grant scheme. The Council has been asked to deliver these grant schemes and as detailed eligibility and grant scheme information becomes available from the Scottish Government, the Council will provide guidance and detail on its website as to who is eligible and how to apply for grant.  

Highland Council service arrangements for Christmas and New Year  

The Highland Council has notified its service users and customers of its opening hours and service arrangements over the festive period.

The Service Centre will close at 4pm on 24 December. It will be open on 29, 30 and 31 December (opening times 10am to 4pm). Closed 1, 2, 3 and 4 January 2021 and open 8am to 5pm from 5 January 2021

All council Service Points will remain closed to the public until further notice.

Inverness Registration Office will close at 4pm on 24 December.  Staff will be available by appointment only on 29, 30 and 31 December (10am to 4pm).  It will be closed 1, 2, 3 and 4 January and will reopen for appointments from 9am on Tuesday 5 January 2021.

Urgent death registration appointments will also be available on 29, 30 and 31 December at various offices across Highland, please contact your local Funeral Director who will advise.

Coronavirus Helpline

Call 0300 303 1362 for support including emergency food for those in crisis including those who have to self-isolate and have no other way of getting food supplies.

Online services

Contact the Council anytime online to report a problem, ask for something or make a payment:

• Report  (external link)
• Request 
• Pay 

Recycling Centres

Recycling centres will be closed 25 and 26 December and 1 and 2 January.

Christmas and New Year Collections:
If your usual collection for recycling or refuse falls on Friday 25 December or Friday 1 January 2021 you will have a different collection day. Please check the sticker on your bin for your alternative collection day. You can also find details on the Highland Council website www.highland.gov.uk/bincalendars

Boxing Day refuse and recycling collections remain the same this year.

For further information about recycling in the Highlands visit: www.highland.gov.uk/recycle

Council out of hours telephone numbers

Health and Social Care – 0845 769 7284

Roads, flooding, street lighting – 01349 886690

Housing – 01349 886691

Registration – 07818 588 203

Emergency out of hours telephone numbers

All trunk roads – BEAR Scotland – 0800 587 1107

Gas Freephone – 0800 111 999

NHS 24 – call free on 111 if you are ill and can’t wait until your regular NHS service reopens

Police Scotland – 101 for all services

Scottish Fire and Rescue Service – 01463 240999 (24 hours)

Scottish and Southern Electric Freephone – 0800 300 999

Scottish Water – 08000 778 778 (24 hours)

SEPA Floodline – 0345 988 1188

SEPA Pollution hotline – 0800 807060 (24 hours)

The Highland Council and NHS Highland are reminding Highland residents of the importance of reaching out for help if this is needed over the festive period.

If someone is concerned about their own or someone else’s mental health, then it is important to contact their GP or to call NHS 24 on 111. 

If there is a concern someone is in immediate danger then emergency services should be called on 999.

There is also a range of other helpline support in place for people needing to speak with someone:

• Samaritans – 116 123 (calls are free and do not show on a phone bill)
• Breathing Space – 0800 83 85 87
• Mikey’s Line – 07786 207755
• Ewen’s Room – 0800 689 3317
• National Scottish Domestic Abuse Helpline – 0800 027 1234
• LGBT Helpline Scotland 0300 123 2523
• Childline – 0800 1111
• CRUSE Bereavement Care Scotland – 0845 600 2227

Should you be concerned about a vulnerable adult, whether for care, welfare or mental health reasons, you can contact the following numbers:

• ​Adult Protection Concern helpline – 0800 902 0042 in office hours and out of office hours or during holiday periods – 0845 769 7284.