Plans for 600 homes and GP surgery near Spilsby

There have been 3,141 cases of coronavirus confirmed so far this week in Greater Lincolnshire, as the government announces major overhauls to travel abroad, including the scrapping of the traffic light system.

Government figures on Friday showed 288 new cases in Lincolnshire, 78 in North East Lincolnshire and 87 in North Lincolnshire. The total weekly figure so far is 16% higher than last week’s 2,714.

Three further deaths of Greater Lincolnshire residents were confirmed in the government figures, leaving the weekly total at 19, almost double compared to the 10 for last week.

NHS data, meanwhile, confirmed four further deaths across both Lincolnshire and North Lincolnshire hospitals. The weekly total of 12 is five more than last week’s seven.

Nationally, the rolling cases total increased by 32,651 to 7,371,301 while deaths rose by 178 to 134,983.

NHS bosses in Lincolnshire are preparing for the roll out of the covid booster vaccinations for people aged 50 and over.

In line with the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation’s advice, those eligible to receive a booster include:

• those living in residential care homes for older adults
• all adults aged 50 years or over
• frontline health and social care workers
• all those aged 16 to 49 years with underlying health conditions that put them at higher risk of severe COVID-19complications, and their adult carers
• adult household contacts of immunosuppressed individuals

Lincolnshire’s coronavirus cases up to September 17. | Image: GOV.uk

Rebecca Neno, director of covid and influenza vaccination programmes for NHS Lincolnshire, said: “We are now waiting for final operational guidance and legal frameworks to come through, which should allow us to begin offering booster vaccinations from the middle of next week, as well as third doses to those people who are immunosuppressed.”

Those able to receive the booster will be given a Pfizer vaccination, irrespective of which one they have previously had and will need to be at least six months past their second dose.

Residents are being told not to contact the NHS or GP practices, who will be in touch when the patient’s turn comes round.

Elsewhere walk-in opportunities are available to people aged 16 and over on a ‘first come, first served’ basis for first and second vaccinations, as follows:

• PRSA MVC, Boston – offering Pfizer and AZ walk-ins, first and second doses, 8.30am-7pm seven days a week. AZ only available Tuesdays.
• Lincolnshire Showground MVC – offering Pfizer and AZ walk-ins, first and second doses, 8.30am-7pm seven days a week, AZ only available Wednesdays.
• Boston Market Place – offering Pfizer first and second doses, 8.30am-3.30pm, Saturday, September 18
• The Table Tennis Club, Meres Leisure Centre, Grantham – offering Pfizer and AZ walk-ins, first and second doses, 9.30am-12pm Saturday, September 18 (and every Saturday morning until the end of October).
• Storehouse, Skegness – offering AZ and Pfizer walk-ins, first and second doses, 9am-4.30pm, Saturday and Sunday, September 18 and 19
• Marisco Medical Practice, Mablethorpe – offering AZ and Pfizer walk-ins, first and second doses, 9am-4.30pm Sunday, September 19.

Nationally, the government has announced measures to simplify and relax a number of restrictions on foreign travel on Friday.

The Department for Transport announcement saw the scrapping of the requirement for double-jabbed people returning to the UK to get PCR tests, from the end of October.

Coronavirus data for Greater Lincolnshire on Friday, September 17

106,868 cases (up 453)

• 70,194 in Lincolnshire (up 288)
• 16,705 in North Lincolnshire (up 87)
• 19,969 in North East Lincolnshire (up 78)

2,314 deaths (up three)

• 1,693 from Lincolnshire (no change)
• 316 from North Lincolnshire (no change)
• 305 from North East Lincolnshire (no change)

of which 1,390 hospital deaths (up four)

• 851 at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust (up two)
• 44 at Lincolnshire Community Health Service hospitals (no change)
• 1 at Lincolnshire Partnership Foundation Trust (no change)
• 494 in Northern Lincolnshire (NLAG) (up two)

DATA SOURCE — FIGURES CORRECT AT THE TIME OF THE LATEST UPDATE. POSTCODE DATA INCLUDES DEATHS NOT IN HEALTHCARE FACILITIES OR IN HOSPITALS OUTSIDE AUTHORITY BOUNDARIES.

A man who broke a statue on the Lincoln Imp Trail during drunken high jinks has picked up a court bill of £4,680 – after causing an estimated £20,000 of damage.

Stewart Tomlinson, 45, will also carry out ten rehabilitation activity requirement days with the Probation Service and undergo 90 days of alcohol abstinence monitoring.

Tomlinson, of Hainton Avenue in Grimsby, pleaded guilty on Thursday to criminal damage. Sentencing was then adjourned for preparation of a pre-sentence report.

Prosecutor Emma Lant said on Friday (September 17) that the damage happened at about half past midnight on August 29.

She described how the defendant, another male and a female were seen on CCTV walking up High Street.

When they reached the Lincoln City Football Club imp statue outside The Treaty of Commerce pub, the group posed with it before Tomlinson jumped on it.

“He was holding on to its head, which amused the group. The defendant therefore jumped on to it a second time, holding on to it with his arms and legs which caused the fibreglass to break, with the head falling off,” said Miss Lant.

“The male with the group threw the head towards the defendant and the defendant kicked it into the street.”

The Lincoln Footie Imp before the damage.

The court heard that they then left the scene but soon returned to take a photograph of the broken statue. The group then went to the Anchor pub, where Tomlinson was arrested.

Miss Lant said: “The defendant said several times that it was an accident. He jumped on it and its head fell off.

“In custody he made further comments that they were just messing around. He [said he] was ‘skull f***ing it and it just came off – it was an accident’.”

The court was shown CCTV footage of the incident. The imps trail of 30 statues was a £400,000 project by Lincoln Business Improvement Group, which helps provide business and tourism support in the city centre.

A statement by Lincoln BIG corporate manager Sharon Stone said the damage was ‘irreparable’.

She added: “This is made all the more pertinent when the reality of the work that goes into each one of these artistic structures is delved into. Each imp has its own identity and is an expression of an idea, location or piece of history.”

Mrs Stone put the overall costs of the damage at £20,000 – including a possible £5,000 to St Barnabas Hospice when the imp would have been auctioned off when the trail closed.

“This is particularly upsetting when you think the perpetrator of this mindless act has potentially just deprived St Barnabas of £5,000 for no justifiable reason,” she added.

Tomlinson, who had previous convictions for bring drunk and disorderly, damage and assault, apologised to the court for the damage to the imp and said it had not been intentional.

“I didn’t mean for it to break, it just literally happened,” he added.

He was ordered to pay £4,500 compensation, £95 victim surcharge and £85 costs.

All nineteen residents at a nursing home near Market Rasen are being moved to alternative accommodation after an urgent inspection uncovered several ‘areas of concern’.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) carried out an inspection at The Laurels Nursing Home on Lincoln Road in Holton-cum-Beckering on September 14 after reports of concerns. Following this, the CQC said it was taking action, while Lincolnshire County Council said the “support isn’t up to standard” at the home.

The Laurels Nursing Home, run by Vaghjiani Limited, is currently rated as ‘requires improvement’ by the CQC. The home provides personal and nursing care and can support up to 30 people in one adapted and extended building over two floors.

The report detailing the inspection findings will be published by the CQC in due course. The previous inspection report from February 2021 is available here.

A CQC spokesperson said: “CQC carried out an urgent inspection of The Laurels Nursing Home, in Holton-cum-Beckering, Lincolnshire, on September 14 following several concerns raised with the commission. As a result of the inspection and the serious concerns found, we are taking action to protect the welfare and safety of people living at the home.

“While our legal processes do not allow us to go in to further detail at this time, we will publish a report in due course. In the meantime we continue to work closely with the local authority. All CQC’s action is open to appeal.”

Alina Hackney, head of commercial services at Lincolnshire County Council, said: “Working closely with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and health colleagues, we have identified areas of concern where the support isn’t up to standard at the Laurels Care Home, which is a nursing home.

“The health and safety of the 19 residents is our main priority and we are working with their families to find suitable alternative homes where we can be assured they will receive the best possible care and support.”

Prior to this inspection, the home was last inspected on February 2 this year. At the time of the inspection in February it was providing care to 13 people.

The report in February stated the infection prevention and control practices at the service had shown a marked improved since CQC’s last visit.

This came after a focused inspection was carried out on August 4 this year, when it was rated as ‘requires improvement’. After this, the CQC undertook a targeted infection prevention and control (IPC) inspection on December 22 last year after an outbreak of coronavirus at the service.

At the time, CQC found the home was in breach of regulation 12 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. After this inspection, a warning notice was issued to the provider by CQC.

Shortfalls were found in the way infection prevention and control was managed at the time to ensure people’s safety. This included staff practice, cleanliness and maintenance of the environment and equipment, and the management of the layout of the building during the COVID-19 outbreak.

It was also noted that there was also a lack of information in people’s care records on how to support people during the coronavirus pandemic.

However, after the visit in February, it was revealed that evidence had proved the provider was no longer in breach of Regulation 12, including staff wearing the appropriate PPE, and regular checks being carried out to ensure staff practices were in line with the government recommended guidance.

The Lincolnite tried to contact the care home for a response via telephone on numerous occasions on Friday, but the phone line was continuously engaged before later just ringing, going to voicemail, and cutting off.