Coronavirus Kent: Kent County Council launch 24-hour helpline
14:50, 01 April 2020
updated: 15:10, 01 April 2020
A 24-hour helpline has been set up to support vulnerable people in Kent who may need extra help during the coronavirus outbreak.
The new service, called Kent Together, will act as a single point of contact for anyone in the county who is in urgent need of supplies or medication while having to self-isolate.
Kent Together is being coordinated by Kent County Council (KCC).
Its staff will assess the needs of individuals and liaise with community hubs in districts to prioritise urgent cases.
The information will be fed through a network of volunteers, district and borough councils and local support groups, to ensure people get the support they need.
Council leader Roger Gough said: “In every district and borough throughout Kent and Medway there has been an incredible and heartening response to this pandemic, and we have a huge army of remarkable, public-spirited volunteers who are ready and willing to help each other through these challenging times.
“We now need to make sure that these vital resources are directed to where they are most needed. The new central helpline will link to community hubs across the county and ensure that we are effectively working hand in hand with the amazing teams out in the heart of communities in every part of Kent.”
Cllr Gough added: “At this unprecedented time, we all need to support each other to cope with the changes to our lifestyles we’ve had to make in order to delay the spread of Covid-19.
“I hope with the launch of this service we can help bring some sense of familiarity and comfort back to those who desperately need it.”
The helpline is a collaboration between KCC, central government, district, borough and local councils, the voluntary and community sector, the NHS and other partners to ensure help is available for vulnerable people.
It can also be used to report concerns about the welfare of someone else.
If you are vulnerable and have an urgent need that cannot be met through existing networks, you can contact the Kent Together helpline at www.kent.gov.uk/KentTogether or by calling on 03000 41 92 92.
