Sheffield charities demand the government supports people who are forced to self isolate

Voluntary Action Sheffield, who represent the city’s charity sector, have written to the government to urge them to provide adequate financial support to voluntary organisations in the community so they can help people who are forced to self isolate and limit the spread of the virus.

The letter, which was signed by 26 of Sheffield’s charities also demands Matt Hancock use the findings from the first-of-its-kind ‘Find, Test, Trace, Isolate, Support’ community pilot that was trialled in Heeley and Meersbrook in May.

Voluntary Action Sheffield say they are ‘deeply concerned’ that the results from the Covid-19 community Test and Trace pilot in Sheffield are not being used to adapt the national roll out of the Test and Trace programme and their role is being overlooked.

During the Sheffield Community Contact Tracers pilot, trained volunteers took referrals from GPs, traced contacts and urged them to self-isolate, but some of the 58 contacts who were advised to self-isolate refused to do so and certain employers prevented volunteers from contacting staff.

The charity which represents Sheffield’s charity sector are now calling on the government to provide a publicly-available plan that shows how contacts will be compelled to self-isolate and given practical, financial and emotional support while they are unable to work.

In the letter, charities said: “It’s vital that a ‘Find, Test, Trace, Isolate, Support’ programme is properly resourced at community level - including the essential support and aftercare to help people self-isolate - otherwise many voluntary and community organisations could soon be in dire straits.”

Chief Executive of Voluntary Action Sheffield Maddy Desforges added: "Communities need practical and emotional support to help keep themselves and their neighbours safe, particularly if they are in the vulnerable or shielding groups or if they need to isolate because they have Covid symptoms.

“This grassroots work must not be overlooked and it needs a considerable investment of time and money.

“It won't 'just happen'."

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