Coronavirus letters sent to all tenants
Below are copies of updates that we have sent to all tenants which explain GCH’s position on delivering services during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
12th July – Letter to all tenants
GCH on-going response to the Coronavirus pandemic.
Everyone at GCH hopes you have continued to stay safe and well during the Pandemic, which has been a mighty challenge for us all. We thank you again for your support and patience over the last 18 months as we have worked through this together.
Following the Government’s recent announcement that mandatory Government COVID restrictions are easing from 19th July, we wanted to let you know that because of continued rising infection rates in Gloucester, we have chosen to maintain our COVID safe measures to minimise the risk to our tenants and staff.
As a result, we are asking you to continue to co-operate with us and uphold our existing COVID safe measures, so that we can keep you, your family and our staff as safe as possible and maintain your services by reducing the transmission of COVID.
For clarity, from the 19th July we will;
- Continue with our ‘working safely commitment’ – this can be found on the back of this letter.
- Continue providing all repairs services with COVID safe measures in place.
- Our customer reception will remain open on an appointment only basis. Please note that we cannot accept walk in requests and this will continue as our normal arrangements in the long term, as our usual service going forward.
- Most of our staff will continue to work from home but will remain contactable as you have become used to.
- Continue home visits where they are essential and with COVID safe measures still in place.
- Start to hold small outdoor events where possible.
- From the 2nd August communal lounges on schemes will open with extra hygiene measures in place and clear guidance for residents to use the areas as safely as possible.
If you have any questions or concerns please contact us on 01452 424344 or email tenancy.services@gch.co.uk. Before any repair appointments are booked we will continue to explain the safety measures in place and we will remind you that we have instructed our staff to leave any properties where they feel unsafe or where tenants are not following our guidelines.
Thank you for your continued support.
Yours Sincerely
Anita Pope – Director of Housing and Communities
GCH Covid-19 Working Safely Commitment
When we provide a service or carry out work in your home we will: –
- Contact you in advance to explain what safety measures will be put in place.
- Restrict work to emergency only in households where customers are symptomatic, self-isolating or shielding.
- Carry out all work in line with Government Guidance.
- Observe social distancing and avoid any contact wherever possible.
- Wear the appropriate Personal Protective Equipment.
- Maintain high levels of personal hygiene (washing hands or using sanitiser before we enter and after we leave your home).
- Limit the number of staff working in your property.
- Do everything we can to keep customers and colleagues safe.
What we need you to do when we visit you or carry out work in your home: –
- Tell us if you are symptomatic, self-isolating or shielding.
- Maintain social distancing wherever possible and throughout the duration of the visit.
- Isolate in a separate room when the staff member attends and for the duration of the visit/works being undertaken.
- Ensure rooms where GCH staff are working are well ventilated wherever possible.
- Understand that if these safety requirements are not followed that our staff will be required to leave your property.
17th June 2021 – Letter to Independent Living Tenants Only
Communal Lounges/kitchens and Guest Accommodation.
Dear Tenant,
Everyone at GCH hopes you are safe and well during this challenging time. We recognise that although we have continued to come through the other side of this pandemic there have been some stumbling blocks along the way.
On the 11th of June 2021, the Government announced a four-week delay in reducing restrictions further therefore we are writing to inform you that in line with this the communal areas and guest accommodation will remain closed and will not be reopening on the 21st of June 2021 as anticipated.
We are hoping that we will be able to open them again on the 19th of July 2021 as per government guidelines.
In the meantime, we would encourage you to take advantage of the warmer weather when it is here and look to hold small gathering outside. If you would like any assistance with this, please speak to the Independent Living Officer on site.
Yours sincerely
Becky Evans – Lifelink and Independent Living Manager (interim)
16th April – Letter to All Tenants
GCH on-going response to the Coronavirus pandemic.
Everyone at GCH hopes you have continued to stay safe and well during this challenging time for us all. We thank you for your support and patience over the last 12 months.
As we look ahead, we want to make you aware of our future service plans as Government COVID restrictions ease. We will continue to follow Government advice, which means that the plans set out below may change and we will write to you again if that happens.
From the 12th April we have resumed more GCH services to our residents in our step-by-step plan below;
Step 1 – Services since June 2020
We are currently providing;
- All repairs’ services including essential health and safety checks such as gas servicing and electrical testing.
- A range of front-line tenancy services, rent collection and support services including Independent Living, Lifelink and Responder services.
Step 2 – Services from 12th April 2021
All the above plus:
- Where services cannot be provided remotely, our reception service has reopened for appointments only.
- Essential home visits (including Income and Tenancy Services) have resumed – undertaking doorstep visits at customer’s request.
Step 3 – 17th May 2021
All the above plus:
- We will start planning small scale community events in line with Government guidelines.
- Neighbourhood inspections will recommence (with the next inspections scheduled between 14th – 25th June.)
Step 4 – 21st June 2021
All the above plus:
- Communal lounges at our Independent Living Schemes will re-open.
All remaining non-essential home visits will recommence (including Tenancy Audits and Post Let visits, subject to COVID-19 safe measures). - We are planning two outdoor regeneration consultation events for 10th and 14th July in Podsmead.
Step 5 – 31st July 2021
All the above plus:
We will start to plan a series of small outdoor only Community Impact events in the community subject to Covid-19 safe measures.
Step 6 – Dates to be confirmed
- We will look to re-introduce further services such as larger community events and face to face meetings such as Tenant Panel when we know more and based on the situation at the time.
We will continue to work in line with our ‘Working Safely Commitment’, set out below, to ensure the safety of our customers and staff.
If you have any questions, concerns or need to report that you are self-isolating, please contact us on 01452 424344 or email tenancy.services@gch.co.uk
Since March 2020 we have worked closely with a wide range of community groups and partners to provide community-based support and we will continue to do so. Details of the support that is in place can be found on:
Our website: Community Support Services Directory
Gloucester City Council’s website: Gloucestershire’s Community Help Hub
If you do not have internet access, please call us on 01452 424344 and we can make a referral or provide you with contacts.
Thank you for your continued support.
Yours Sincerely
Anita Pope – Director of Housing and Communities
6th January – Letter to all Tenants
GCH on-going response to the Coronavirus pandemic.
Everyone at GCH hopes you are safe and well during this challenging time. We also hope the new year brings us back to where we were before the Pandemic, but we recognise there is some way to go. We are now managing the Government’s lockdown requirements announced on the 4th January.
Your Services: As a result of the announcement, we are writing to all our customers to clarify our current service delivery arrangements to you.
- We will continue to provide a range of front-line tenancy, rent collection and support services. Wherever possible, our staff will be working from home and will respond to customer calls, emails, letters, social media enquiries and texts. They will continue to talk to you about any issues related to your tenancy and provide any necessary support over the phone or online.
- We will continue to provide a full repairs service if you are happy with our staff working in your home, however if we experience staff resource issues, we will move to essential and emergency repairs.
- We will continue to provide essential health and safety checks such as gas servicing and electrical testing. We ask you to work with us to ensure these can be booked in and completed as required.
- We will agree appropriate arrangements with you when we carry out home improvements such as replacing a kitchen or bathroom and will ask you to sign a form to confirm that you are aware of the COVID-safe requirements that both you and our contractors must follow.
- Independent Living staff will be working from home but will be on site on a weekly basis to carry out essential health and safety related checks and will carry out regular health and wellbeing calls to our most vulnerable customers.
- We will continue to provide our Lifelink and Responder services.
- Regrettably, we have had to close our customer reception at Railway House. We kindly ask that customers do not attempt to visit our reception as we will be unable to respond to enquiries face to face but contact us either online at www.gch.co.uk or call 01452 424344.
Your Safety / Our Staff’s Safety: The safety of our customers and staff is our top priority. Before we complete home improvements or repair appointments in your home, we will contact you to ask if you or a member of your household is shielding or has a confirmed case of Coronavirus (COVID-19) and advise on how we intend to deliver the service in a safe manner to the following guidelines;
- Our staff or contractors wearing the appropriate PPE.
- Following social distancing rules
- Requiring customers and their family to isolate in a separate room from where the staff member is working for the duration of the visit/works being undertaken.
- Requesting that rooms are well ventilated by opening windows.
These guidelines have been put in place to ensure the safety of both our staff and residents. If they are not followed our staff / contractors have been instructed to leave the property for their safety. We have put details of our Covid-19 Working Safely Commitment at the end of this letter.
Our Support in the Community: Since March we have worked closely with a wide range of community groups and partners to provide community-based support and we will continue to do so during this period. Details of the support that is in place can be found on:
Our website: Community Support Services Directory
Gloucester City Council’s website: Gloucestershire’s Community Help Hub
If you do not have internet access, please call us on 01452 424344 and we can make a referral or provide you with contacts.
Paying your Rent: Please continue to make every effort to pay your rent by whatever means you can and if you are experiencing difficulties please be assured that we have staff available by phone on 01452 424344 to take payments and give advice.
You may wish to sign up for an online MyGCH account where you can make rent payments and view your balances 24/7.
NHS Guidance: We continue to encourage customers to follow the NHS guidance on how to avoid catching or spreading coronavirus
NHS Website www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19 and are providing regular updates via our website and social media platforms.
Further Help and Advice: If you have any questions, concerns or need to report that you are self-isolating, please contact us on 01452 424344 or email tenancy.services@gch.co.uk
We will continue to update customers with our service updates.
Yours Sincerely
Anita Pope – Director of Housing and Communities
3rd November 2020 – GCH’s on-going response to Coronavirus
We would like to thank you for your support and patience during this extremely difficult time whilst we have continued to deliver services in line with Government advice.
The Prime Minister’s announcement on Saturday 31st October set out further measures to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus following increasing concerns over the rise in the number of cases across the UK. As part of a national lockdown, from Thursday 5th November until Wednesday 2 December, the Government is taking the following action:
- Requiring people to stay at home, except for specific purposes.
- Preventing gathering with people you do not live with, except for specific purposes.
- Closing certain businesses and venues.
What does this mean to you?
Since the outbreak of the virus, we have put in place a number of additional safety measures to protect you and our staff, ensuring that our approaches are COVID-secure and in line with the latest Government guidance and restrictions, whilst also ensuring we are still able to provide essential services.
Over the weekend, the Government has provided the following guidance which is relevant for the services GCH provides;
- Everyone who can work effectively from home must do so.
- Where you cannot work from home, including if your job involves working in other people’s homes, you can continue to provide services ensuring that Covid-safe restrictions are in place.
- Extra consideration should be given to those people at higher risk.
What our services will look like from the 5th November?
Repairs, Maintenance and Health & Safety Checks: We will continue to provide a full repairs service and ensure that your homes comply with required health and safety checks such as Gas servicing and electrical testing. We ask you to work with us to ensure these can be booked in and completed as required.
When we come into your home, we will ensure that yours and our staffs health and safety is the key priority, and our teams will wear full personal protective equipment.
Home improvements: Home improvement works to properties will continue and we will contact you directly to agree how the works will be completed whist maintaining safe working practices.
External work in our communities: Our Estate Services team will continue with their normal duties, working safely to improve our outdoor communal areas. Outdoor planned works such as new fencing will also continue.
Housing & Letting Services: Our staff will work from home and will only attend pre-arranged home visits or undertake welfare checks where these are essential and must be carried out in person. This will include lettings.
GCH Railway House Reception: Our reception at Railway House will be closed during this period except for the return of keys or the re-issue/re-programming of key fobs, which will be done by appointment only. We will re-open for appointments on 2nd December subject to any further Government restrictions.
Independent Living: Our Independent Living Team will return to working from home wherever possible, although they will continue to attend schemes to carry out Health and Safety tests and undertake welfare checks as required. We will continue to respond to customer enquiries and undertake welfare calls providing any necessary support over the phone or online.
The Government guidance is that we must not meet socially indoors with family or friends unless they are part of our household – meaning the people we live with or who are in our support bubble. This means that we must ask you not to allow visitors into the Independent Living schemes during this period, unless they are in your support bubble or providing care.
Communal areas within Independent Living Schemes will remain closed.
Rent Payments: Tenants should continue to pay rent and abide by all other terms of their tenancy agreement to the best of their ability. The government has a package of financial support available to tenants, and where they can pay the rent as normal, they should do. If you are experiencing financial difficulty you should continue to prioritise your rent payments and contact our Tenancy Sustainment team for support and advice. We will continue to respond to our customer enquiries and talk to you about your tenancy and rental payments, providing you with the necessary support and advice over the phone or online.
Our website: Community Support Services Directory
Gloucester City Council’s website: Gloucestershire’s Community Help Hub
If you do not have internet access, please call us on 01452 424344 and we can make a referral or provide you with contacts.
What you must tell us before we visit your home
To enable us to work safely in your home, you must:
- Tell us if you or a member of your household is clinically extremely vulnerable, clinically vulnerable or has a confirmed case of Coronavirus (COVID-19) so that we can agree arrangements to deliver essential services.
- Comply with Government advice in relation to ‘Stay at Home – Protect the NHS – Save Lives’ particularly in relation to social distancing.
What you can expect when we visit your home.
On your doorstep, we will again ask you to let us know if you or a member of your household is clinically extremely vulnerable, clinically vulnerable or has a confirmed case of Coronavirus (COVID-19) so that we can agree arrangements to deliver essential services.
Before attending an appointment at your home, we will contact you and advise on how we intend to deliver the service in a safe manner to the following guidelines and those shown at the end of this letter:
- Our staff wearing the appropriate PPE.
- Following social distancing rules wherever possible.
- Requiring residents to isolate in a separate room from where the staff member is working for the duration of the visit/works being undertaken.
- These guidelines have been put in place to ensure the safety of both our staff and residents. If they are not followed our staff have been instructed to leave the property.
We may receive a high number of calls and questions from our customers following the Prime Minister’s announcement and receipt of this letter, we would therefore ask you to be patient whilst we respond to these. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions regarding the content of this letter or have concerns about how we are going to deliver services safely during this period. Contact us on 01452 424344 or email tenancy.services@gch.co.uk
We recognise that this continues to be a very concerning time for all our customers
Yours Sincerely
Anita Pope – Director of Housing and Communities
14th October 2020 – An update on our services during the Coronavirus Pandemic
Dear Customer,
Everyone at GCH hopes that you and your loved ones continue to remain safe and well during this challenging and uncertain period for us all.
As we have now passed 6 months since the first lockdown in March, I wanted to provide you with an update on your GCH services and the work we are doing to ensure that we can continue to provide safe delivery options to support you and your community.
During the first period of strict lockdown in March, we continued to provide essential and emergency service appointments. Since June, we have gradually reintroduced our services, albeit in slightly different ways. For example, our customer reception at Railway House is now open on an appointment only basis having been made COVID secure with the introduction of a fully glazed floor-to-ceiling pane to protect customers and staff. Sadly, we have not been able open communal lounges in our sheltered schemes at this moment but will keep this under constant review.
We pride ourselves in being open and clear with our customers and despite the difficulties the current situation has presented, I wanted to thank you personally on how you have responded and pulled together during this time. We value our role as a community-based organisation and have been proud to support the set-up of local food banks, distributing vital food supplies and essential medicines through our teams. We have also provided financial support to several local organisations, helping them to provide vital help to our communities – like the Holiday Kitchen during the summer holidays.
Our staff have worked very hard to stay in regular contact with you – making welfare calls, checking on the wellbeing of sheltered residents, responding to your enquiries over the phone and online, visiting your homes through carefully planned repairs appointments and providing direct support when required to our more vulnerable residents.
When writing to you or updating our website and social media channels, we have told you how we are closely following Government and Public Health guidance in the decisions we make about how we deliver on-going services, although we recognise that there have been several updates to the guidance and that this can feel overwhelming and confusing. We will continue to provide updates to make sure you have the latest advice and we will write to you if Government guidance results in specific changes to future services. For now, services will continue as they are, mindful that safety is our top priority. It is important that you follow the requirements we have provided when a member of our team visits you or comes into your home, including maintaining social distancing and letting us know if you are self-isolating.
Finally, if you are struggling to pay your rent, we would really encourage you to speak to us at the earliest opportunity.COVID-19 has brought money worries to most of the Country and we remind all of our tenants and residents that we have specialist teams who can help, providing you with the latest information and advice about Government help schemes, maximising your benefits, Universal Credit and budgeting support. The teams work with a range of agencies to ensure that there is always help available visit Tenancy Sustainment or call the team on 01452 833217.
In the meantime, please stay safe and look after your families and loved ones, and we thank you for your support during this time.
Yours Sincerely
Ashley Green – Chief Executive
28th May 2020 – GCHs on-going response to Coronavirus – to all tenants
We would like to thank you for your support and patience during this extremely difficult time whilst we have been delivering essential services in line with Government advice.
Following the Prime Minister’s announcement on the 10th May and the recent update to Government Covid-19 working safely guidance, we have been preparing for a staged re-introduction of our services that will meet the guidance and maintain on-going social distancing requirements both at GCH work premises and in our tenants and residents homes.
What does this mean to you?
From the week commencing 1st June 2020, we will begin to re-start the services we have not been able to provide during this period, having put in place a number of additional safety measures to protect you and our staff. This means that the way we deliver services will be different and where we can, we will continue to provide services remotely.
What you must tell us before we visit your home
To enable us to work safely in your home, you must:
- Tell us if you or a member of your household is shielding or has a confirmed case of Coronavirus (COVID-19) so that we can agree arrangements to deliver essential services.
- Comply with Government advice in relation to ‘Stay Alert – Control the Virus – Save Lives’, particularly in relation to social distancing.
What you can expect when we visit your home
On your doorstep, we will again ask you to let us know if you or a member of your household is shielding or has a confirmed case of Coronavirus (COVID-19) so that we can agree arrangements to deliver essential services.
Before attending an appointment at your home, we will contact you and advise on how we intend to deliver the service in a safe manner to the following guidelines:
- Our staff wearing the appropriate PPE.
- Following social distancing rules wherever possible.
- Requiring residents to isolate in a separate room from where the staff member is working for the duration of the visit/works being undertaken.
These guidelines have been put in place to ensure the safety of both our staff and residents. If they are not followed our staff have been instructed to leave the property.
What our services will look like from the 1st June?
Here is a brief guide to what our services will look like in the short term;
Repairs and Maintenance: We will resume routine repairs but will continue to prioritise emergency and essential repairs. We ask you to be patient, as we work through a backlog of repairs. Usually we complete 260 repairs a week and it will take a while to catch up with jobs reported during the lockdown.
Home improvements: Investment works to properties will be reviewed on a priority need basis and we will notify you directly to agree how the works will be completed whist maintaining safe working practices.
Housing Services: Most of our staff will continue to work from home and will only attend pre-arranged home visits or undertake welfare checks as required. We will continue to respond to our customer enquiries and talk to you about your tenancy and rental payments, providing you with the necessary support and advice over the phone or online.
GCH Railway House Reception and communal areas within Independent Living Schemes: In line with current Government advice, our reception at Railway House and Independent Living Schemes will remain closed until further notice. We are currently making changes to these areas to enable safe access/use in the future.
Independent Living: Independent Living Officers will continue to work from home and attend schemes to carry out Health and Safety checks and undertake welfare checks as required. We will continue to respond to customer enquiries and undertake welfare calls providing any necessary support over the phone or online.
External work in our communities: Our Estate Services team have now resumed normal duties, working safely to improve our outdoor communal areas. Outdoor planned works such as new fencing will now also resume.
We are expecting a high number of calls and requests and would therefore ask customers to be patient whilst we respond to these. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions regarding the content of this letter or have concerns about how we are going to deliver services safely during this period. Contact us on 01452 424344 or email tenancy.services@gch.co.uk
Yours Sincerely,
Anita Pope – Director of Housing, Communities and Governance
24th March 2020 – GCHs on-going response to Coronavirus – to all tenants (Independent Living tenants letter is below)
Following our recent letter to you regarding our response to the impact of the Coronavirus and the latest Government advice we have made some temporary changes to our services. From Tuesday 24th March;
- Our reception and offices will be closed to customers.
- We will continue to undertake emergency and essential repairs.
- We will continue to carry out health and safety related works including gas servicing.
- Any improvement works that we have already started in your home will be completed.
- We will continue to respond to customer calls, emails, letters, social media enquiries and texts and talk to you about your tenancy and provide any necessary support over the phone or online.
We will write to all tenants again when our normal services resume.
We are continuing to ask our customers to let us know if they are self-isolating or have a confirmed case of Coronavirus (COVID-19) so that we can agree arrangements to deliver essential services.
We continue to encourage customers to follow the NHS guidance on avoiding catching or spreading coronavirus including regularly washing hands and are providing regular updates via our website and social media platforms. Sign up to receive updates via our enewsletter at www.gch.co.uk/signup. We also encourage you to stay safe and avoid social contact wherever possible.
Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you are worried about paying your rent or other services. We are here and available to assist you in whichever way we can. Contact us on 01452 424344 or email tenancy.services@gch.co.uk
Yours Sincerely,
Anita Pope – Director of Housing, Communities and Governance
24th March 2020 – GCHs on-going response to Coronavirus – sent to Independent Living Residents
Following our recent letter to you regarding our response to the impact of the Coronavirus and the latest Government advice we have made some temporary changes to our services. From Tuesday 24th March;
- Communal areas will be closed.
- Our reception and offices will be closed to customers.
- We will continue to undertake emergency and essential repairs.
- We will continue to carry out health and safety related works including gas servicing.
- Any improvement works that we have already started in your home will be completed.
- We will continue to respond to customer calls, emails, letters, social media enquiries and texts and talk to you about your tenancy and provide any necessary support over the phone or online.
- Independent Living Officers continue to work from home and are making regular contact with all residents.
We will write to all tenants again when our normal services resume.
Please note: Whilst staff and contractors continue to attend schemes to carry out mandatory health and safety checks it is important that you follow the safe practices recommended by the Government and refrain from approaching individuals as this puts both you and the person at risk. A list of all scheme phone numbers is provided at the end of this letter. Please call your Independent Living Officer if you wish to speak to us.
We are continuing to ask our customers to let us know if they are self-isolating or have a confirmed case of Coronavirus (COVID-19) so that we can agree arrangements to deliver essential services.
We continue to encourage customers to follow the NHS guidance on how to avoid catching or spreading coronavirus including regularly washing hands (https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/) and are providing regular updates via our website and social media platforms.
We recognise that it is a concerning time regarding the spread and impact of the Coronavirus with the advice and information constantly changing and being updated. Please contact us if you have any questions, concerns or need to report that you are self-isolating, please contact your Independent Living Officer via the relevant number below
- Badger Vale Court – 01452 833218
- Broom House – 01452 833159
- Charter Court – 01452 833179
- Clapham Court – 01452 833095
- Dickens Close – 01452 833184
- Halford House – 01452 833158
- Nightingale House – 01452 833216
- Oliver Close – 01452 833185
- or email independentliving.service@gch.co.uk
Yours Sincerely,
Anita Pope – Director of Housing, Communities and Governance
19th March 2020 – GCHs on-going response to Coronavirus – to all tenants (Independent Living tenants letter is below)
Following our recent letter to you regarding our response to the impact of the Coronavirus we have all now received further advice from the Government. To stop the spread of the virus, we have asked many of our staff to work from home and as a result, we have made some temporary changes to our service delivery to customers as follows:
- We are closing our customer reception at Railway House from Monday 23rd March until further notice and ask that rather than visiting our reception, you call or communicate online such as via email to book an emergency appointment. This will help us to protect customers and staff allowing us to maintain our essential services.
- We will continue to respond to customer calls, emails, letters, social media enquiries and texts.
- We will continue to talk to you about any issues related to your tenancy and provide any necessary support over the phone or online.
- We will undertake regular health and wellbeing calls to our most vulnerable customers.
- We are reviewing our approach to delivering repairs and may need to shortly move to delivering emergency repairs only.
- We are working with the City Council, County Council and community partners to provide support to the most vulnerable residents across Gloucester.
- If you require a Foodbank voucher please contact us so we can make suitable arrangements.
We are continuing to ask our customers to let us know if they are self-isolating or have a confirmed case of Coronavirus (COVID-19) so that we can agree arrangements to deliver essential services.
Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you are worried about paying your rent and we will provide support.
We continue to encourage customers to follow the NHS guidance on how to avoid catching or spreading coronavirus including regularly washing hands (https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/) and are providing regular updates via our website and social media platforms.
If you have any questions, concerns or need to report that you are self-isolating, please contact us on 01452 424344 or email tenancy.services@gch.co.uk
Yours Sincerely,
Anita Pope – Director of Housing, Communities and Governance
19th March 2020 – GCHs on-going response to Coronavirus – letter to tenants who live in an Independent Living Property
Following our recent letter and in response to changing Government advice to stop the spread of COVID-19, we are writing to all residents of our Independent Living Schemes to advise of some temporary changes to the way we deliver services to our customers:
- Independent Living Officers will work from home, providing health and wellbeing calls to all Independent Living residents (whether you have a tenant contact plan in place or not) and will undertake regular health and safety checks of our schemes.
- We have reluctantly cancelled all groups and activities within communal facilities at sheltered schemes and are advising you not to hold your regular activities in the communal facilities in line with Government guidance.
- We will be closing our customer reception at Railway House from Monday 23rd March and ask that rather than visiting our reception, you call us or communicate online such as via email. This will help us to protect customers and staff allowing us to maintain our essential services.
- We will continue to respond to customer calls, emails, letters, social media enquiries and texts.
- We are reviewing our approach to delivering repairs and may need to shortly move to delivering emergency repairs only.
- We are working with the City Council, County Council and community partners to provide support to the most vulnerable residents across Gloucester and will provide information regarding what support is available as soon as possible.
- If you require a Foodbank voucher please contact us so we can make suitable arrangements.
We are continuing to ask our customers to let us know if they are self-isolating or have a confirmed case of Coronavirus (COVID-19) so that we can agree arrangements to deliver essential services.
We continue to encourage customers to follow the NHS guidance on how to avoid catching or spreading coronavirus including regularly washing hands (https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/) and are providing regular updates via our website and social media platforms.
We recognise that it is a concerning time regarding the spread and impact of the Coronavirus with the advice and information constantly changing and being updated. Please contact us if you have any questions, concerns or need to report that you are self-isolating, please contact your Independent Living Officer via the relevant number below
- Badger Vale Court – 01452 833218
- Broom House – 01452 833159
- Charter Court – 01452 833179
- Clapham Court – 01452 833095
- Dickens Close – 01452 833184
- Halford House – 01452 833158
- Nightingale House – 01452 833216
- Oliver Close – 01452 833185
- or email independentliving.service@gch.co.uk
Yours Sincerely,
Anita Pope – Director of Housing, Communities and Governance
16th March 2020 – GCH response to Coronavirus
Dear Tenant,
We recognise that it is a concerning time for you and your family regarding the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID19) and its impacts on our lives with information changing daily.
Following the increasing number of coronavirus cases being confirmed in the UK and in response to the latest NHS guidance, we are asking our customers to let us know if they are self- isolating as the result of a confirmed or suspected case of coronavirus or following recent travel or close contact with someone who has a confirmed case. This will enable us to agree with you how best to provide essential services.
We are also advising our staff and customers to follow the NHS guidance on how to avoid catching or spreading coronavirus including regularly washing hands (https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/) and are providing regular updates via our website and social media platforms.
Our focus is to continue providing high quality services to our customers, but we may need to change the way we deliver those services and focus on essential or emergency activities for a period of time as the situation develops. We are currently putting plans in place to prepare for a number of circumstances; including customers self-isolating, large numbers of staff unable to be at work or having to work from home and the continually changing guidance and requirements from the Government.
Although we are not at this point yet, we are preparing to possibly close our customer reception and office at Railway House and communicate with our customers over the phone and on-line only for all non- emergency services. We wanted to give you advance warning of these possible changes and will only take this approach if we need to in order to protect essential services and reduce the spread of the virus.
We will write to you again and keep you updated if this decision is taken and will ensure that our online and telephone customer communications are maintained. We encourage all customers to look at our website for updates and register to MyGCH (www.gch.co.uk/mygch) which allows all tenants to check their rent balance, make payments and update their contact details.
If you have any questions, concerns or need to report that you are self-isolating, please contact us on 01452 424344 or email tenancy.services@gch.co.uk
Yours Sincerely,
Anita Pope – Director of Housing, Communities and Governance