Our weekly drop-in community gardening sessions, on Thursdays from 1 – 3pm, are open to everyone.
The community garden is inside the allotment, go through the gate from the back of Toby Carvery car park, past the containers, and its the gate on your right.
Last week we prepped beds, planted strawberries, beans and peas. More bed prep and making paths and areas for fruit bushes for this week.
Dress for the weather, wellies for the mud are best”
Police are appealing to the public for help to trace two teenagers reported missing from Musselburgh who are believed to have travelled within the East Lothian area together.
Ivana Scott, aged 15, and Noah Holmes, aged 14, were last seen around 4pm on Friday, 11 March, when they left Loretto School in Musselburgh.
They were seen walking along Goose Green Road in the town heading in the direction of Levenhall Links area.
Ivana is described as around 5ft 7in, of slim build with short brown hair and when last seen was wearing black jeans, a grey hoodie and a red beanie hat.
Noah is described as around 5ft 7ins, of slim build with brown hair. He was wearing black trousers and a maroon/purple hoodie when he was last seen.
Inspector Alan King said: “Concerns are growing for Ivana and Noah and we are urging anyone who may have seen them or know where they are to get in touch. In addition, if they see this appeal, please get in touch with us to let us know you are safe and well.
“It is believed they may have travelled to the Port Seton area or elsewhere in East Lothian. Noah is from Edinburgh so they may also have gone there.”
Anyone who can help is asked to contact Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident number 2558 or 2513 of Friday, 11 March, 2022.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has outlined the Scottish Government’s commitment to maximise its contribution to the UK Government’s community sponsorship scheme, whilst emphasising it must provide more clarity on how the scheme will work.
It is expected that Ukrainians will be able to apply to come to the UK if they have been matched with a ‘sponsor’ who will provide accommodation.
In a joint letter to Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove, the First Minister and First Minister of Wales Mark Drakeford have proposed that the Scottish and Welsh Governments act as ‘super sponsors’.
This would enable Ukrainians to get clearance to come to Scotland or Wales quickly and be accommodated temporarily, while the Scottish and Welsh governments then work with local partners to provide longer term accommodation (including where appropriate with private individuals who have volunteered rooms), safeguarding and access to services.
The letter makes clear that no cap will be set by Scotland and Wales on the numbers of refugees they will welcome.
As an immediate commitment Scotland has offered to support 3,000 refugees in the initial wave, in line with the numbers that were resettled under the Syrian scheme. Overall, the Scottish Government is committed to welcoming at least a proportionate share of the total number who come to the UK. The letter says it is essential all arrivals have access to public funds including welfare benefits, and are exempted from the Habitual Residence Test for accessing these.
In addition, the First Ministers’ letter calls for urgent clarity on funding arrangements to support local government and suggests a per head funding arrangement similar to the Syrian and Afghanistan schemes to support resettlement and integration costs.
While committed to doing everything possible to make the UK government’s proposed scheme a success, the First Ministers also renewed their call on the UK Government to waive all visa requirements for Ukrainian nationals.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “I want Scotland to play our full part in welcoming Ukrainians seeking sanctuary from war. The UK response so far has been beset with bureaucracy and red tape, when what is needed is humanity and urgent refuge for as many as possible.
“We are still awaiting full details of the proposed community sponsorship scheme. If the UK government is still unwilling to waive visa requirements, it is essential that this scheme works efficiently and effectively and allows people to come to the UK as quickly as possible.
“However, I am very worried that if people have to be matched with an individual sponsor before even being allowed entry to the UK, it will prove slow and cumbersome.
“That is why the First Minister of Wales and I have made the ‘super sponsor’ proposal. We are proposing that our governments act as initial ‘super sponsors’ to allow large numbers to come to our respective nations quickly.
“Once they are here, and accommodated temporarily, we will then work with local partners to match people with longer term accommodation, including from members of the public who are volunteering rooms, and put in place safeguarding and support services – but while we do all of this, people will be safely here.
“I have committed to supporting 3,000 Ukrainians coming to Scotland in the immediate wave – and at least a proportionate share of those who come to the UK overall.
“I hope the UK government agrees to this proposal so that we can get on with welcoming Ukrainians to Scotland as soon as possible.”
The full text of the letter is below:
Dear Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities,
Further to our conversation this morning where you and Richard Harrington set out the UK Government’s plans for a humanitarian sponsorship scheme, the Scottish and Welsh Governments committed to set out an offer on how we would like to support this initiative in Scotland and Wales. This offer is based on a desire to see our respective countries given maximum flexibility and therefore able to take maximum responsibility to work with partners in the public, private and third sectors to support refugees arriving from Ukraine.
However, we want to repeat again that it is neither reasonable nor morally acceptable to expect people fleeing war to go through complex bureaucratic processes in order to reach safety within the UK. The UK Government should be following the example of European countries including the Republic of Ireland by waiving all visa requirements for any Ukrainian nationals seeking refuge in the UK, as well as implementing the temporary protection regulations. This proposal should therefore be taken in this context – the Scottish and Welsh Governments do not think the humanitarian sponsorship scheme goes far enough and raises some serious questions which have not yet been answered.
We propose that the Scottish and Welsh Governments act as the overall sponsor for the scheme in Scotland and Wales. The phrase used on our call was “super sponsor”. In this context a fair and proportionate number of refugees would be allocated to Scotland and Wales and the Scottish and Welsh Governments, working with their partners, would take forward the provision of accommodation, safeguarding and access to services as they have done successfully to support refugees in the past. On this point, we welcomed Richard Harrington’s positive reflections this morning about the very good and collaborative work done by the UK and Devolved Administrations on previous refugee resettlement schemes.
For this to work, it is imperative that our Governments have full access to data on Scottish and Welsh offers of accommodation in your proposed digital portal and we will then assume responsibility for matching refugees to accommodation, including public sector, private sector and voluntary sector accommodation.
We would like to understand more about the intended process for due diligence and checks and can see, for example, the value in collaborative approaches to the Disclosure and Barring Service in England and Wales to ensure an expedited route for enhanced DBS checks is possible.
It is equally essential that all arrivals have access to Public Funds, arrivals are exempted from the Habitual Residence Test for accessing Universal Credit, and a per head tariff (similar to the Afghan / Syrian schemes) is provided to the Welsh and Scottish Governments for the provision of integration support.
You asked us to provide an initial estimate of capacity. You will appreciate that it is very hard to give that without any of the aforementioned work being done on sourcing accommodation and matching individuals. Nevertheless it would seem reasonable that as a first wave Scotland should plan to support an equivalent number of Ukraine refugees as were resettled under the Syrian scheme, so 3000; and in Wales 1000 refugees would be welcomed in this initial tranche. We would build capacity from there for each country to take its fair and proportionate share of the total number of refugees entering the UK.
There are significant risks around the suitability and scalability of the sponsorship model as you have described it and our shared view is that there is considerable work still to be done on safeguarding and matching. We are confident we can deliver a comprehensive offer in Scotland and in Wales which incorporates contributions from private citizens and the third sector but draws in the capacity of the wider public service and their experience of large scale resettlement in the past.
Local Authorities can and must play a vital role in supporting refugees seeking sanctuary in our communities both in the provision of accommodation and in access to services and this needs to be properly funded by the UK Government. We need urgent clarity on the funding position as soon as possible as we are currently supporting capacity building for this work at risk.
We are absolutely committed to playing our full part in responding to this crisis and are seeking the maximum flexibility to develop clear plans, based on evolving what has worked in the past. The Scottish and Welsh Governments, working with local authorities and other partners, are best placed to deliver and to ensure the arrangements put in place are safe, sustainable and offer true sanctuary to those fleeing war. As we indicated this morning, our support for this scheme is predicated on reaching agreement on this point.
Yours sincerely
Nicola Sturgeon
Mark Drakeford
Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Michael Gove will announce the UK Government’s plans at Westminster tomorrow.
Now that the weather is improving Police are expecting more people to be out and about on their motorbikes. Here are some tips on how to secure your motorbike:
– Ensure your bike is fitted with a combined alarm and immobiliser which will deter thieves when the alarm sounds.
– Attach both a disc lock and U-lock. Do not rely on one device, The more security placed on your bike, the less attractive it is to a thief.
– Try to park under street lights.
– When applying your locks, ensure they are secured to a solid anchor point or a permanent piece of street furniture. Keep the lock off the ground where possible as this makes it difficult for the thief to remove.
– Cover your motorcycle and ensure the cover is attached to the security device.
– Where possible use ‘Thatcham’ or ‘Secure by Design’ approved devices www.securedbydesign.com. These have been tested by the industry and are generally agreed to be some of the most robust security devices available.
– Ensure you always activate the steering lock.
– Avoid leaving your helmet or other possessions on the motorcycle, in luggage space or panniers.
– Be vigilant, ensure that you are not being followed home and check for suspicious items attached to your motorcycle.
Social Media
Think about what you share on any app and regularly review your security settings
– Make sure your posts do not identify your home and make it a target.
Tracking Devices
Tracking devices are an effective covert security measure. Although they may not prevent your motorcycle from being stolen, it will assist police in tracing and recovering the vehicle quickly.
Marking and Identification Systems
Datatag ID – Datatag is a piece of technology which can be attached to various parts of your motorcycle. It comes in different forms, dependent on what is most appropriate and is unique to each individual. For more information on this product, please visit www.datatag.co.uk.
Kaukab Stewart, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, marked the end of Scottish Apprenticeship Week by meeting apprentices at the Student Loans Company (SLC) in the city centre.
Based on Bothwell Street, SLC has a growing Emerging Talent Programme with over 100 colleagues currently on its apprenticeship, graduate and internship programmes.
Kaukab Stewart said: “I welcome the innovative work of the SLC Emerging Talent Programme, supporting young and older people to train and developing skills for the wider digital economy.
“I’m particularly pleased to learn about the Career Ready Mentoring Programme and the recognition that people with particular barriers in the labour market are being supported the most in building more equal and diverse opportunities.”
During the visit, Kaukab was also given a tour of SLC’s new collaboration spaces and Stephen Campbell, SLC’s Chief Information Officer, talked about the importance of developing the skills of the workforce and investing in their futures.
He said: “Our apprentices play such an important role in our business. We offer young people the chance to unlock their potential and gain a recognised qualification, as well as valuable experience in the work environment.
“But we also believe it’s vital to develop the skills of our workforce, encouraging their career growth by providing them with the opportunity to upskill. It was fantastic to welcome Kaukab Stewart into our office today during such an important week for apprenticeships in Scotland.”
The Scottish Government is committed to increasing the number of apprenticeships in Scotland and Scottish Apprenticeship Week, co-ordinated by Skills Develop Scotland, highlights how apprenticeships are providing the skills employers need now and for the future.
New equipment is helping NHS Lothian to provide “first class treatment” to cervical cancer patients in the South East of Scotland.
Cervical cancer is the most common cancer in women under 35 and around eight women are diagnosed with cervical cancer each day in the UK.
The new brachytherapy kit, from Elekta, allows the delivery of a high dose of radiation directly into the tumour and minimises damage to the surrounding healthy tissue.
Brachytherapy is a form of internal radiation therapy which targets the cancer directly.
Dr Mark Zahra, Consultant Clinical Oncologist & Clinical Lead for Radiotherapy at Edinburgh’s Cancer Centre, said: “This kit will help us to continue to provide first class treatment to patients with cervical cancer.
“It gives us more options than our previous brachytherapy equipment as it can treat larger tumours and expand the dose of radiation to the tumour, whilst protecting the normal organs.
“The Elekta kit is used alongside image-guided technology to really tailor treatment to the patient’s anatomy and needs and minimise the long-term health effects of radiotherapy.
“Together we expect these technologies to have a real impact on patients’ cure rates and comfort.”
Edinburgh Cancer Centre has used image-guided brachytherapy for gynaecological cancers for over 10 years and is the first in Scotland to use Elekta technology. The technology will now be routinely used for all eligible patients in the South East of Scotland with gynaecological cancers.
Dr Zahra continued: “Edinburgh Cancer Centre is a leader in innovative treatments and progress such as this could not have been possible without a huge team effort.
“We strive to provide the best possible care we can and share our research and learning to help improve outcomes for patients everywhere.”
Over 99% of cervical cancers are caused by HPV. HPV is very common and four out of five people in Scotland will have it at some point in their lives.
HPV vaccines are offered to all S1 pupils and can prevent around 75% of cervical cancer cases. Alongside the vaccine, it’s vital to attend cervical screenings (smear tests) when invited.
Gordon MacdonaldMSP has backed national No Smoking Day by urging Edinburgh residents to consider giving up smoking to improve both mental and physical health.
The MSP is supporting a campaign led by health charity, ASH Scotland, which is encouraging people to ‘Quit Your Way’ in ways which work best for individual circumstances by seeking advice and support from stop smoking services, community pharmacies or the national Quit Your Way Scotland service run by NHS 24.
Although smoking rates in NHS Lothian health board area dropped to 18 per cent in 2018, more progress is required if the Scottish Government’s ambitious target of reducing the rate to five per cent or less by 2034 is to be met.
Gordon MacdonaldMSP said: “I am pleased to be supporting ASH Scotland’s No Smoking Day campaign and urge my constituents in Edinburgh Pentlands who smoke to reach out to stop smoking services and community pharmacies who provide free support and can help develop a personalised quit plan.
“I encourage people to try quitting again, if a previous attempt did not work. ASH Scotland advises me that some people find giving up cigarettes or tobacco easier than they had thought but, for others, it can take a number of attempts. It is worth giving quitting smoking another go for the benefits to both mental and physical health.”
Sheila Duffy, Chief Executive of ASH Scotland, said: “We are delighted to have Gordon Macdonald MSP’s support for our No Smoking Day campaign encouraging herconstituents in Edinburgh Pentlands.
“Nicotine is highly addictive but, with the right support to meet individual needs, quitting smoking your way can quickly improve mental health and, within a year of stopping, the risk of coronary heart disease reduces by half compared to someone who smokes.”
Anyone in Lothian who has the goal of giving up smoking can get in touch with Lothian’s Quit Your Way team on Facebook or phone the Quit Your Way Scotland’s national helpline on 0800 848484. More information is also available at www.quityourway.scot.
It was always on the cards that if restrictions were to be introduced on short-term letting in Scotland, Edinburgh would be first out of the blocks. And, sure enough, the council last month introduced a city-wide “control zone”.
The capital, which for obvious reasons is the country’s tourist Mecca, has become a magnet for Airbnb-style short-term lets over the last decade, leading to concerns about housing shortages and perceptions about anti-social behaviour.
Under draft proposals which will now go to Scottish Government Ministers for final approval, property owners will soon need planning permission to be able to operate short-term lettings and will have to apply for a change of use certificate from the planning department.
What is less well known is that the council has always had the power to require planning permission in the event of a material change in environment, such as short-term rentals. The difference is that, from now on, this will be mandatory.
It should be noted that the proposals only apply to secondary lettings, i.e., properties which are not an owner’s primary residence. People will still be able to let out their homes while on holiday, or rooms in their home while they remain in residence.
However, while the new restrictions appear to be forging ahead, it still remains unclear what policies the local authority will eventually apply. The current Development Plan – the overarching guide to future council thinking – makes no mention whatsoever of short-term lets.
Nor, surprisingly, does the document designed to replace it, the City Plan 2030, which again does not concern itself with the issue – making it increasingly difficult for property owners to plan ahead.
One can only speculate at the moment about whether permissions will be granted for continued short-term use, and on what grounds. Nor is there any clarity about whether numerical limits will be imposed.
Were there to be limits, it would be reasonable to assume that applications would be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, so landlords hoping to remain in the market might be advised to act sooner, rather than later.
There is, of course, an existing provision in law whereby if a short-term let has been operating for more than 10 years, with no action against it by the council and no action to conceal its operation, then it is entitled to a Certificate of Lawfulness to continue operation, though necessary evidence will be required.
As of the start of this month, there have been nine applications so far this year for planning permissions for short-term lets, only two of which have been granted – and they both involved Certificates of Lawfulness.
What to do if applications fail is clearly now a matter of immediate concern for property owners and DM Hall’s specialist rural arm Baird Lumsden is currently embarked on an information campaign around the sales, letting and management options which remain open.
It has gone into the issue in depth, in anticipation that Highland Council will be the next authority to impose short-term let restrictions around the Badenoch and Strathspey area, and is reaching out to concerned parties.
Informed and impartial advice of this nature is something of a port in a storm for property owners who are caught between a rock and a hard place as the restriction net tightens.
There has been anecdotal evidence of landlords exiting the short-term market and moving to longer lets in the private rental sector. But regulation in this sphere of activity is getting stricter all the time, and the imminent New Deal for Tenants will do nothing to ease landlord pain.
On a superficial level, it is easy to understand the council’s hope that properties taken out of short-term lets will find their way back into the housing stock, thus easing ongoing shortages.
But a counter-argument, articulated by bodies such as the Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers, is that lack of house-building is as much of a contributory factor to shortages, and that short-term lets bring in huge volumes of valuable tourism revenue to the city.
As things are, some smaller operators may indeed be forced to sell up and quit the market, although larger letting concerns will almost certainly continue to jump through the necessary hoops.
In this volatile environment, expert professional advice is the only real safeguard, and prudent property owners and landlords will seek it out as timeously as possible.
Calum Allmond is Head of Architectural Services at DM Hall Chartered Surveyors.
For further information, contact DM Hall Chartered Surveyors, 27 Canmore Street, Dunfermline KY12 7NU. T: 01383 621262. E: dunfermline@dmhall.co.uk.
W: www.dmhall.co.uk http://twitter.com/dmhallLLP.
For further information about DM Hall’s nationwide network, please contact:
Caroline Wayte, Marketing Manager
M: 077863 62517
DM Hall, 12 Bothwell Street Glasgow G2 6LU
E: caroline.wayte@dmhall.co.uk
W: www.dmhall.co.uk.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/dmhallllp
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dm-hall?trk=biz-companies-cym
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DM-Hall-Chartered-Surveyors-LLP-168316039915372/
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We the Leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) remain resolved to stand with the Ukrainian people and government who heroically resist Russian President Vladimir Putin’s military aggression and war of choice against their sovereign nation. This unprovoked and unjustified attack is causing enormous suffering and a tragic loss of life, including through the increasingly indiscriminate bombing and shelling of civilians in schools, homes, and hospitals.
We are united in our determination to hold President Putin and his regime accountable for this unjustified and unprovoked war that has already isolated Russia in the world. The world should join together in calling on President Putin and his regime to immediately stop its ongoing assault against Ukraine and withdraw its military forces. We stand in solidarity with those who are bravely opposing the invasion of Ukraine.
We urge Russia to ensure safe and unhindered humanitarian access to victims of its assault in Ukraine, and to allow safe passage for civilians wishing to leave. We call for, and commit to provide, humanitarian, medical and financial support to refugees from Ukraine.
Since President Putin launched the Russian Federation’s invasion on February 24, our countries have imposed expansive restrictive measures that have severely compromised Russia’s economy and financial system, as evidenced by the massive market reactions. We have collectively isolated key Russian banks from the global financial system; blunted the Central Bank of Russia´s ability to utilise its foreign reserves; imposed sweeping export bans and controls that cut Russia off from our advanced technologies; and targeted the architects of this war, that is Russian President Vladimir Putin and his accomplices, as well as the Lukashenko regime in Belarus.
In addition to announced plans, we will make further efforts to reduce our reliance on Russian energy, while ensuring that we do so in an orderly fashion and in ways that provide time for the world to secure alternative and sustainable supplies. In addition, private sector companies are leaving Russia with unprecedented speed and solidarity. We stand with our companies that are seeking an orderly withdrawal from the Russian market.
We remain resolved to isolate Russia further from our economies and the international financial system. Consequently, we commit to taking further measures as soon as possible in the context of our ongoing response and consistent with our respective legal authorities and processes:
First, we will endeavor, consistent with our national processes, to take action that will deny Russia Most-Favoured-Nation status relating to key products. This will revoke important benefits of Russia’s membership of the World Trade Organization and ensure that the products of Russian companies no longer receive Most-Favoured-Nation treatment in our economies. We welcome the ongoing preparation of a statement by a broad coalition of WTO members, including the G7, announcing their revocation of Russia’s Most-Favoured-Nation status.
Second, we are working collectively to prevent Russia from obtaining financing from the leading multilateral financial institutions, including the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Russia cannot grossly violate international law and expect to benefit from being part of the international economic order. We welcome the IMF and World Bank Group’s rapid and ongoing efforts to get financial assistance to Ukraine. We also welcome the steps the OECD has taken to restrict Russia’s participation in relevant bodies.
Third, we commit to continuing our campaign of pressure against Russian elites, proxies and oligarchs close to President Putin and other architects of the war as well as their families and their enablers. We commend the work done by many of our governments to identify and freeze mobile and immobile assets belonging to sanctioned individuals and entities, and resolve to continue this campaign of pressure as a matter of priority. To that end, we have operationalised the task force announced on February 26, which will target the assets of Russian elites close to President Putin and the architects of his war. Our sanctions packages are carefully targeted so as not to impede the delivery of humanitarian assistance.
Fourth, we commit to maintaining the effectiveness of our restrictive measures, to cracking down on evasion and to closing loop-holes. Specifically, in addition to other measures planned to prevent evasion, we will ensure that the Russian state and elites, proxies and oligarchs cannot leverage digital assets as a means of evading or offsetting the impact of international sanctions, which will further limit their access to the global financial system. It is commonly understood that our current sanctions already cover crypto-assets. We commit to taking measures to better detect and interdict any illicit activity, and we will impose costs on illicit Russian actors using digital assets to enhance and transfer their wealth, consistent with our national processes.
Fifth, we are resolved to fighting off the Russian regime’s attempts to spread disinformation. We affirm and support the right of the Russian people to free and unbiased information.
Sixth, we stand ready to impose further restrictions on exports and imports of key goods and technologies on the Russian Federation, which aim at denying Russia revenues and at ensuring that our citizens are not underwriting President Putin’s war, consistent with national processes. We note that international companies are already withdrawing from the Russian market. We will make sure that the elites, proxies and oligarchs that support President Putin’s war are deprived of their access to luxury goods and assets. The elites who sustain Putin’s war machine should no longer be able to reap the gains of this system, squandering the resources of the Russian people.
Seventh, Russian entities directly or indirectly supporting the war should not have access to new debt and equity investments and other forms of international capital. Our citizens are united in the view that their savings and investments should not fund the companies that underpin Russia’s economy and war machine. We will continue working together to develop and implement measures that will further limit Russia’s ability to raise money internationally.
We stand united and in solidarity with our partners, including developing and emerging economies, which unjustly bear the cost and impact of this war, for which we hold President Putin, his regime and supporters, and the Lukashenko regime, fully responsible. Together, we will work to preserve stability of energy markets as well as food security globally as Russia’s invasion threatens Ukraine’s capacity to grow crops this year.
We continue to stand with the Ukrainian people and the Government of Ukraine. We will continue to evaluate the impacts of our measures, including on third countries, and are prepared to take further measures to hold President Putin and his regime accountable for his attack on Ukraine.
A new framework to shape Scotland’s health and social care workforce over the next decade places training, wellbeing, job satisfaction and the principles of Fair Work at its heart.
The National Workforce Strategy for Health and Social Care in Scotland, co-produced with COSLA, identifies the five key areas which will support the creation of a sustainable, skilled workforce as the sector rebuilds from the pandemic.
The publication, the first of its kind, stresses the need to plan, attract, train, employ and nurture staff.
Over the next five years, the Strategy commits to increasing the NHS workforce by 1,800 full time posts – these posts are in addition to projected required workforce growth. Later this year the Scottish Government will publish, for the first time, projections of required workforce growth across health and social care, which will be reviewed annually.
Other key actions include:
Health boards, local authorities and health and social care partnerships will play a central role in delivering the Strategy through their three year workforce plans, the first of which will be developed this year.
Health and Social Care Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “Our hardworking and compassionate health and social care staff have been on the frontline of patient care through the unprecedented challenges of the pandemic, and I am incredibly grateful to them all.
“While we have seen continued growth in our NHS and social care workforce over the past decade, we need more than sheer numbers alone as we continue to care for patients and plan for the future.
“This strategy is designed to embed a new long term approach. It commits to understanding the change in demand for services as we recover, rebuild and transform our health service, and how we can achieve a more sustainable, skilled workforce which makes careers in health and social care – at all levels – more attractive.
“The health and social care system continues to undergo rapid change, with exciting opportunities created by new technology, data and analytical services. Working with key partners, this strategy will help ensure that services are delivered by a sustainable, well trained and supported workforce.”
Councillor Stuart Currie, COSLA’s Health and Social Care spokesperson, said: “Scotland’s health and social care workforce has been at the forefront of the pandemic response. Working in extremely challenging environments, they have faced unprecedented pressures and made many individual sacrifices.
“Partners working across health and social care must now adopt a strategic approach to the recovery, growth and transformation of the workforce that supports the wellbeing of workers, a continued shift to prevention and the provision of high quality support and care for citizens.
“The values, outcomes and actions outlined in this Strategy provide a foundation for excellence in planning, attracting, developing and nurturing the Health and Social Care workforce, at national and local levels.”
