Young Scot chief receives honorary degree

The Chief Executive of award-winning youth charity Young Scot has received an honorary degree from Edinburgh Napier University. Louise Macdonald is ‘thrilled’ to receive the honour and pledged to continue to play her part in breaking down barriers to participation in education. Continue reading Young Scot chief receives honorary degree

Hungry for Change: PCHP to launch new report

Pilton Community Health Project is to launch a new report, Hungry for Change, tomorrow at the Old Kirk and Muirhouse Church on Pennywell Gardens.  The report explores how community groups in north Edinburgh have responded to food insecurity in the area. Continue reading Hungry for Change: PCHP to launch new report

Man sought after Leith assault and robbery

Police are investigating following a serious sexual assault in Links Place in the early hours of Wednesday morning. The incident happened around 00.40am yesterday, when a 33-year-old woman was approached by an unknown man. They entered a car park where the male subjected her to a sexual assault in a doorway before threatening and then stealing money from the victim. Continue reading Man sought after Leith assault and robbery

Boogie in the Morning: breaking records!

Forth 1 breakfast show ‘Boogie In The Morning’ is celebrating after the latest RAJAR figures reveal that the popular show has achieved a record breaking reach. The show – from 6am to 10am on weekdays – has a commanding lead at breakfast with over 275,000 listeners and an audience share of 20.7%. Continue reading Boogie in the Morning: breaking records!

UK Government Ministers host Poppyscotland launch

UK Government ministers hosted the launch of this year’s appeal, encouraging everyone to use their old ‘round pounds’ to purchase their poppy. Although the deadline for the old ‘round pound’ coin passed on 15 October, they can still be banked or donated to charity, with Poppyscotland happily accepting donations. Continue reading UK Government Ministers host Poppyscotland launch

Community Choices Fund success for local Community Council

The Scottish Government has announced the successful applicants for the latest Community Choices Fund. Sixteen community organisations and 17 local councils will share the £1.5 million fund, with more than 90 applications submitted for 2017/18. Among the successful applicants are Leith Links Community Council, who receive £82,800 for their Local Democracy at Work initiative, while the City of Edinburgh Council receives £44,000 to support it’s participatory budgeting programme. Continue reading Community Choices Fund success for local Community Council

St John’s Hospital children’s services: “no quick fix”

A report by clinical experts has recognised NHS Lothian’s commitment to restoring paediatric inpatient services at an NHS Lothian hospital as soon as possible, but warned there was no “quick fix”.

The review, carried out by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH), highlighted the dedication of paediatric teams at St John’s Hospital in Livingston and commended the progress being made. It supported the health board’s decision to temporarily suspend inpatient services in order to maintain safe facilities for children and it said the service should only resume once the extra staff are recruited or trained.

Jacquie Campbell, Chief Officer of Acute Services, NHS Lothian, said: “We are working extremely hard to recruit additional senior staff so that we can reinstate 24/7 services at the site and we remain committed to the service. But so far we have been unable to provide sufficient staffing cover to ensure patients receive a safe service overnight.

“We know this is frustrating for patients and families, but the RCPCH has been explicit in their clinical and expert opinion that this decision was the right thing to do.

“Our overarching strategy remains a commitment to St John’s Hospital and the children’s ward and this has been demonstrated by the significant and on-going investment we have made into recruitment.”

The report was carried out after NHS Lothian invited the RCPCH to review progress following their first evaluation of children’s services overall in 2015.

At that time, the RCPCH said that inpatient children’s services should be retained on two sites – St John’s Hospital, Livingston, and the Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Edinburgh – and it was recommended that an additional eight consultants were recruited.

The 32 recommendations from the report were taken on board and wide-ranging rounds of recruitment began to help fill the gaps in the rota. However despite extensive campaigns, the required number of posts have not been filled.

The Paediatric Programme Board, which was appointed two years ago to oversee and decide how best to implement the findings of the original report, is now considering the recommendations from the follow-up report.

The RCPCH said that their initial assessment remains the same, but they understand the increasing difficulties in recruitment has caused the current situation.

The report said: “The report reaffirms that for the population of West Lothian the continued provision of inpatient paediatrics is the right model if it can be achieved with sustainable medical staffing.

“This is not a ‘quick fix’ as demonstrated by attempts to recruit paediatricians and advanced children’s nurses. Until sufficient trained medical and nursing staff are available to provide sustainable overnight care, the current daytime only paediatric assessment and decision-making service should be maintained and strengthened.

“Its opening times should be mapped more closely to activity and it should be supported with strengthened community and transport services.”

NHS Lothian is now developing a longer-term strategy to continue to deliver safe and sustainable services, and maintain and strengthen the current provision of the short stay paediatric assessment unit and review the possibility of extending the opening hours.

Ms Campbell added: “We will be looking at these recommendations very carefully in the context of how we can provide patient services safely.

“I would emphasise that parents are not being asked do to anything differently. Most of the children who currently attend the unit will continue to be cared for as normal. They will either be referred by their GP for an urgent medical opinion or attend with a pre-arranged appointment for treatment, assessment, tests or minor day surgery.”

Children will still be assessed and treated in the Emergency Department at St John’s Hospital at night and weekends.  A paediatric consultant will be available on-call 24/7. If a child needs to be admitted to hospital a transfer to the Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Edinburgh, will be arranged. Maternity and neonatal services at the hospital are unaffected.

The full report is can be read here Continue reading St John’s Hospital children’s services: “no quick fix”

Diwali set to light up Edinburgh

Thousands of people are expected to take part in Edinburgh’s biggest ever celebration for Diwali this weekend (Sunday 29 October, 1.30-7pm). The colourful and vibrant Festival of Lights – which symbolises victory of light over darkness and good over evil – is celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists and Jains all over the world. Continue reading Diwali set to light up Edinburgh

Life, Death and Lilies

Memorial garden puts research project in the public eye

Members of the public are being invited to place an illuminated lily in memory of a loved one as part of an exploration of death and bereavement. The project will see 1500 individual notes of remembrance displayed at an art installation in the form of a temporary memorial garden in Edinburgh’s Grassmarket. Continue reading Life, Death and Lilies