Tom talks Working at home is a challenge ... but we’ll do all we can to help
BY RENFREWSHIRE
SOUTH MSP TOM ARTHUR
As the MSP for Renfrewshire South, my office in Johnstone is known as a bustling hub, with staff assisting constituents with a variety of issues, from navigating the benefits system to arranging special bin uplifts.
My office has had its doors closed for a month now, but my team and I are continuing to work from our homes, responding to queries by phone and email.
My inbox has been overflowing with concerns about employment and health issues, but I know the queries that were there before coronavirus will still exist too.
People will still have problems they need help with, and I am still here to help with them.
While resources are understandably focused on tackling Covid-19, government and council staff continue to work tirelessly to ensure our services continue to operate – that bins are collected, vaccinations continue to be administered and all the other tasks that take place in the background to look after our health and well-being are ongoing.
They are also working to ensure that, once this is over, we can continue to our new normal.
My thanks go to these workers, and to everyone who is doing their bit to keep Renfrewshire South going.
Many will be balancing working with childcare, answering phones with CBeebies in the background, while others will be replying to emails amidst the concern for loved ones they are parted from during this lockdown.
This new way of working is challenging, and things will sometimes take longer than normal, but we will do all we can to help those who need it.
In this challenging situation, I am keeping myself as accessible as I possibly can and I am continuing to hold surgeries, albeit slightly differently than before.
For anyone who would like to meet virtually via Zoom, please email my office at tom.arthur.msp@ parliament.scot to arrange a time.
With the Easter weekend over, it was heartening to see so many heeding the advice from the Scottish Government to stay home to save lives.
Everyone has a role to play in getting us through this. Remember also the advice that if anyone in your household shows symptoms that may be coronavirus then you must all stay at home.
That means no one goes to the supermarket or for walks outside. Everyone stays in and follows the rules on the NHS Inform site.