The future of rehabilitation services

If you are interested in the future of rehabilitation services in South Gloucestershire, you may be interested in attending an event on Monday 11th February 2013 from 3:30pm to 5:30pm in Yate Parish Hall, Station Road, Yate BS37 4PQ.

Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Primary Care Trusts are working together in partnership to deliver the Healthy Futures Programme. Following consultations in November and December 2012 they have created draft proposals. This meeting is an opportunity for patients, carers and members of the public to find out more and give feedback.

Sandwiches, cakes, tea & coffee will be provided. For more information and to book a place at this event, please email healthy.futures@bristol.nhs.uk or telephone 0117 9841597.

Patient drop-off changes at BRI

There are currently changes to the patient drop off area between the Bristol Royal Infirmary and the Bristol Royal Hospital for Children. These temporary changes are to enable building work that is part of the redevelopment of the BRI to take place and they are expected to last until 8 March.

A staffed barrier is in place at the entrance to the hospitals and drivers will only be able to get through in an emergency or if dropping off a child with mobility difficulties. Drivers dropping off adults with mobility difficulties can use the council-controlled drop-off area in front of the BRI but, as this is a drop off area only, should avoid leaving cars unattended.

For those who need further assistance when dropping off a patient in this area, a phone number has been set up for them to call and a member of staff will give advice and call porters if necessary. The number is 07771 334 388. Wherever possible all patients and visitors for the BRI and the children's hospital should avoid driving into the hospital precinct and use nearby car parks, the free hospital bus or other bus services instead.

Nibley Lane to close for cleaning this Friday

Nibley Lane is expected to close for cleaning from its junction with Badminton Road to its junction with Westerleigh Road on Friday 8th February 2013 from 9.30am until 2.30pm.

Part-night street lighting consultation - Old Sodbury

As explained in our previous post, South Glos Council is consulting about which street lights will be switched off after midnight.

The consultation and plan for the Old Sodbury area - including The Bell to the Cross Hands - is available here: Old Sodbury consultation

Lights in this area will be switched off in April unless certain criteria apply.

South Glos consultation on switching street lights off after midnight

During 2013 the council will be extending its ‘part-night’ lighting scheme throughout South Gloucestershire. A fifth of South Glos street lights successfully converted to part-night operation so that they are switched off between midnight and 5:00 am GMT in order to reduce carbon emissions and conserve energy.

There is a rolling programme to convert the lights - Chipping Sodbury and Westerleigh will be converted during March, and other areas will follow. All street lights will be switched to part-night operation except:

• Places where South Glos consider they help mitigate crime and anti-social behaviour, or improve road safety and reduce accidents
• Lights that are important for the operation of council or police CCTV surveillance cameras
• Lights that are close to 24-hour emergency services such as hospitals
• Lights next to pedestrian crossings and controlled junctions
• Lights next to sheltered housing premises

Lights that meet these criteria will stay on throughout the night.

To see maps of the areas where lights will remain on or be switched off, and to comment on the proposals, please visit these South Glos web pages:
Chipping Sodbury
Westerleigh

South Glos are asking for comments on specific lights that should not be switched off because they fall into the categories above. They are NOT inviting comments on the council's part-night lighting policy overall - the decision to move has already been taken to move to part-night street lighting.

We'll let you know about the Yate and Dodington parish consultations when they come out.

Free electric blanket testing on Friday at Yate Library

There will be FREE electric blanket testing this Friday (25th January) at Yate Library. Do you know some elderly people who might benefit? Or maybe you work with elderly people and could pass the word around?

Free testing and free blanket if their blanket fails - ring Fiona O'Driscoll on 01454 863632 to book. There are plenty of spaces available at the moment.

SORT IT! Centres open again today

South Glos Council say that as we didn’t get any more snow yesterday all four SORT IT!* Centres are OPEN today. 

Latest SORT IT! updates are posted here.