Shielding experts to hold webinar as over 100,000 extremely vulnerable people in West Yorkshire and Harrogate shield through lockdown

West Yorkshire and Harrogate Health and Care Partnership, along with West Yorkshire Prepared, the local resilience forum, will host the webinar on Wednesday February 3.

Named 'The Shielding Experts', the webinar aims to provide an opportunity for people to listen to others about their personal experiences of shielding, including shielding experiences from staff, and attendees will also hear insight from research and surveys.

The session is suitable for those who work across the health and care sector or anyone involved in the shielding response such as those in the voluntary, community and social enterprise sectors and local NHS and council staff.

The webinar hopes to inform the health and care practice for this winter and beyond in order to support people who live and work across West Yorkshire and Harrogate by putting the right conditions in place to enable those with the highest clinical risks to stay happy, healthy and safe.

Speakers include shielding experts by experience as well as Rob Webster, CEO Lead for West Yorkshire and Harrogate Health and Care Partnership; Hannah Davies, CEO for Healthwatch, Leeds; John Walsh, Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust; Ann-Louise Caress, University of Huddersfield; Dave Thompson, Kirklees Council, and Rachael Loftus, Head of Regional Health Partnerships.

Connie Cluderay, from Leeds said: "As a shielder, I welcome the opportunity to share my story.

"It’s great that people want to take part in the conversation and listen to us."

CEO Rob Webster said: "Over 100,000 people have been shielding in West Yorkshire and Harrogate.

"Our councils and VCSE partners have been magnificent throughout the pandemic, supporting people through local partnerships, including hundreds of volunteers.

"This opportunity to share their experiences, which have often been hidden behind closed doors in every community, is invaluable in improving services further in the future."

Councillor Rebecca Charlwood, Chair of Leeds Health and Wellbeing Board said: "This event will give people who have been shielding at home the opportunity to share their personal experience.

"The pandemic has been hard for all, and especially for people who have been isolating at home and very often alone without family and friends close by.

"Our communities have been fantastic, offering kindness, practical support, and compassion throughout.

"It’s really important to bring people together to share the overall experience and learning."

Rachael Loftus, Head of Regional Health Partnerships said: "Councils are working hard to ensure that clinically extremely vulnerable people have the right support to enable them to follow the shielding advice.

"We know how hard shielding is for people and we hope that our webinar will contribute to improving the quality of their care and increase understanding of the people who are making extraordinary efforts and significant sacrifices to stay safe at this time."

Robin Tuddenham, Co-chair of the Local Resilience Forum and CEO for Calderdale Council said: "The way that partners have come together with our communities to support those shielding has been one of the really positive experiences from the pandemic.

"It’s a story of kindness and quiet determination, with our voluntary and community sector playing such a pivotal role.

"This event will provide an opportunity to listen and learn, and in particular understand the lived experience of those who have shielded, and what this tells us about how to build back a stronger health and care system in West Yorkshire."

The advice to shield at home has been re-issued until at least February 21 and will be reviewed during this period if it needs to be extended.

Further details about the webinar and how to book can be found here.