April 2 coronavirus update for businesses

UCLAN sends students and staff to NHS front line

Around 20 final year medical students and more than 300 final year nursing students could soon be working on the frontline during these unprecedented times of a global pandemic after the government and their regulatory bodies appealed for help.

Details and special permissions are still being finalised, but it is expected the additional resources of student nurses would undertake a variety of tasks including taking blood, dressing wounds, inserting cannulas and catheters, giving injections, escorting patients to scans and swabbing patients for vital Covid-19 tests.

The medical students will carry out a wide range of foundation doctor level clinical duties including assessing and referring patients and prescribing medication. They have completed all these duties while undertaking thousands of hours of clinical training. They will not make the final decision on health matters and will be supervised and supported throughout.

Aaron Hoban is in the final six months of his three-year BSc (Hons) Pre-registration Adult Nursing degree. He has undertaken 2,300 hours of clinical placements and will be working for Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust at either Royal Preston Hospital or Chorley Hospital.

The 29-year-old said: “I’m feeling very excited and I feel up to the challenge of helping out at such an unprecedented time. I’ve trained for this, this is my job and now it’s my time to step up and do what I can to help treat people in a time of crisis.”

In addition, specialist members of UCLan staff have volunteered their services to clinical, laboratory or pharmacy settings within the NHS. These include microbiologists, pharmacists, molecular biologists, doctors in emergency medicine and physician associates. The University has also approved that staff who are unable to work from home, due to the nature of their work, can volunteer their services.

Blackpool businesses urged to send supplies

Blackpool’s Business Improvement District has teamed up with Blackpool Victoria Hospital, Blue Skies Hospital Fund and the Winter Gardens to provide a coordinated drop off and distribution point for donations to our hard working front line NHS staff.

Products in demand include new and unused long socks; face masks as used by dentists and nail bars; new and unused Crock style shoes without holes; and hand pump soaps.

Mike Simmons said: "Our initial appeal for water and snacks last week proved to be a great success so thank you to all who supported us. However, now we are appealing to our business community to get on board and support our NHS staff who are working tirelessly to save lives."

To be able to drop off you will need to call 01253 629748 at least 30 minutes before your intended drop off time and advise what you will be donating.

Bespoke publishes marketing white paper

Digital agency Bespoke has published a white paper aimed at helping marketing managers and businesses who are coping with the effects of the coronavirus.

Entitled “Digital Marketing Through Disruption” the paper is based on the agency’s conversations with over 100 clients and contacts since the coronavirus lockdown, and brings together best-practice identified as recurring themes.

Bespoke CEO Steve Brennan is the author of 2018 Amazon Bestseller book Build Your Digital Marketing Strategy: The Mindsets and Methods of Businesses That Dominate Their Sectors Online.

He said: "As we adapted over the first couple of weeks of the coronavirus crisis, our team went into ‘listening mode’, speaking to over 100 clients and contacts during the first 14-days of remote-working.

“From those conversations we identified the five principles that form the basis of the White Paper and developed some free tools and resources, which we hope will help readers grow their focus around managing disruption successfully to thrive in the long-term.”

Digital marketing through disruption

Natwest warns against coronavirus scams

Natwest has published guidance relating to new scams which have emerged during the coronavirus pandemic. These include invoice redirection, tax relief emails and spoof demands for payment.

Michael Burrow, of NatWest, said: "We know scammers are using this current period of uncertainty as an opportunity to try and take advantage of the general public and their worries. We’ve seen an increase in criminals exploiting the coronavirus and using this as part of their scam tactics.