As you will already be aware, West Sussex PCT has responsibility for finding flu friends for people with swine flu, if they do not have friends/family etc... who can help.
We have now set up a local rate helpline 0300 1001822 covering East, West Sussex and Brighton and Hove. By contacting this number, people with swine flu, who are without assistance, can be allocated a Flu Friend. We are pleased to be working with the British Red Cross, who will be managing volunteer Flu Friends on our behalf.
The Red Cross are confident that they have enough volunteers across Sussex to meet any future demand for Flu Friends. Therefore we are not actively recruiting for new volunteer Flu Friends at the present time, but may do in the future should the need arise.
At the moment, we are concentrating on getting the message about the Sussex Flu Friend Helpline out to the general public and in particular to voluntary organisations who are in contact with vulnerable people and vulnerable people themselves.
It would therefore be most helpful, if you could include the short article of about 200 words (attached) in your newsletter or disseminate the information it contains to your organisations.
Further information on Flu Friends or swine flu in general can be accessed on the West Sussex PCT website
http://www.westsussexpct.nhs.uk/healthy-living/swineflu/flu-friends-how-they-can-help/
If you have any queries please get back to me.
With many thanks
Liz
Liz Costigan
Programme Manager - Flu Friends
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