17/10/2022 - Permalink

Views from organisations and residents sought on registration and celebratory services during pandemic

Related topics: Community / Coronavirus / Health

Shropshire Council’s registration and celebratory services are seeking feedback from organisations and the public on how the service has responded during the pandemic.

Two surveys have been issued which asks for feedback on the service between 24 March 2020 to 31 March 2022. The residents survey asks how residents felt registration and celebratory services dealt with ceremonies, customers, and any decisions it took which may have impacted on them.

The other survey asks organisations and partners whether the service responded adequately, whether the best channels were used, and whether things should have been done differently.

Throughout the pandemic the council’s registration and celebratory services adapted quickly to the ongoing national guidance and changes in response to coronavirus.

Over that time the team continued to work with residents to support them; whether that was rearranging a marriage ceremony, or supporting a person on the phone to register a death of a loved one.

During the pandemic, registration and celebratory services:-

  • Registered 7,368 deaths, and dealt with 2,242 birth appointments (between 1 April 2020 and 31 March 2022)
  • Conducted 2,730 marriages in the same period: 1,434 of these were conducted between 19 July 2021 and 31 December 2021
  • Dealt with approximately 4,500 requests to rearrange, cancel or postpone ceremonies.

Simon Jones, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for public health and adult social care, said:-

“We know our registration and celebratory services worked above and beyond, during what was an unprecedented time, in the pandemic. Many changes had to be devised and introduced both nationally and locally throughout the pandemic. Many decisions had to be taken quickly and without solid guidance.

“However, as with all services we provide, we want to review and learn from how we responded. Therefore, gathering feedback from those we worked with us is important.

“We hope that the thousands of people who had contact with the service, whether it be to register a birth, a death, give notice for a marriage or civil partnership or have a ceremony with us, will help us to learn our lessons for the future.

“If you have used registration and celebratory services during this time, or are an organisation who worked with us, please do take part in our surveys. Only from learning and reflecting on what happened will we be prepared should the worst happen, and we experience another emergency.”

To take part in the survey visit: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/Registrars-Covid-Survey

If you would like a survey in an alternative format, please use the email below to request a copy, or phone Shropshire Council’s customer services on 0345 678 9000 and explain any support you need to allow you to respond.

You can also respond with any comments in writing:

Email: TellUs@shropshire.gov.uk

Post: Feedback and Insight Team, Shropshire Council, Shirehall, Abbey Foregate, Shropshire, SY2 6ND.

The survey will be used to inform business continuity and pandemic planning, both now and into the future.