A new multi-disciplinary team led by the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) and including paediatric, pharmacy and scientific expertise, will be convened to examine clinical recommendations of the Cass Review, and consider how they may apply to NHS Scotland, Minister for Public Health Jenni Minto has told the Scottish Parliament.
Giving an update on the Scottish Government’s response to the review, which was chaired by Dr Hilary Cass, the Minister also restated the Scottish Government’s commitment to invest £9 million to support the improvement of NHS gender identity healthcare in Scotland. As part of this overall commitment, £2 million will be allocated this year and in each of the next two years.
In her statement, Ms Minto reiterated the Scottish Government’s commitment to make sure services are delivered to the highest standards, including continuing work to develop new National Standards for Gender Identity Healthcare.
These standards will be published in the summer.
Ms Minto said: “I want to start by speaking directly to our young people, and in particular our trans and non-binary people across Scotland. I know these last few weeks and months have been incredibly difficult, with increased media attention and toxic online commentary.
“I want to reassure you that the Scottish Government remains absolutely committed, not just to ensuring ongoing support is available for you, but to reforming and improving gender identity healthcare.
“We are absolutely committed to investing £9 million to support the improvement of NHS gender identity healthcare in Scotland. As part of this commitment, since December 2022, we have invested over £2.8 million to support work to improve access to gender identity healthcare in Scotland, with over £2.2 million of that allocated directly to Health Boards with gender identity clinics.
“Now we will invest a further £2 million, as a part of our £9 million commitment, this year and a further £2 million in each of the next two years and we are committed to long term sustainable funding for these services beyond that point.”
Ms Minto added: “We already have a Strategic Action Framework for the improvement of NHS gender identity services. As part of this work, the CMO has agreed that the Deputy Chief Medical Officer and other Senior Medical Officers will support careful consideration of the Cass Review’s clinical recommendations and engage on the recommendations with the Scottish Association of Medical Directors and other clinical leaders.
“A multi-disciplinary clinical team within the CMO Office in the Scottish Government, including paediatric, pharmacy and scientific expertise, will assess the clinical recommendations and engage with the relevant clinical community and leadership in Health Boards in relation to those recommendations.
“The CMO will provide a written update to Parliament on the outcome of that clinical consideration process before the Summer Recess.”
SCOTLAND’S most luxurious care home is set to host an open day where members of the public are invited to come and experience an exclusive tour around its premises.
Dementia care experts, Cramond Residence is urging members of the public looking at care facilities to come and view its world-class facilities between 4 – 8pm on 2 May.
Guests will be led by professionals around its facilities to learn more about the benefits of the home, its unique care packages, as well as learning more about how Cramond Residence Tailors care provision for each individual resident.
Client Liaison Manager Christian Daraio said: “It’s always great to welcome new people into our home and our open day offers an opportunity for those exploring care for a loved one to come and view our brilliant facilities and get a feel for what makes Cramond Residence unique.
“A stay at Cramond Residence is truly unique, we have a wonderful team who help to ensure that the residence delivers the best care while having a comfortable homely feeling.
“This is the perfect chance to soak in the residence’s warm and friendly atmosphere, and enjoy a cup of tea with some homemade treats, all while having access to our staff to ask as many important questions as they need.”
Cramond Residence is divided into nine individual homes, each named after an area of Edinburgh, fostering a sense of community among residents. Each home has private dining and living rooms, encouraging socialising and lasting connections.
Visitors can explore the main communal areas, including a dining room, library, private dining room, cinema, physiotherapy area, and hairdressing salon.
Cramond Residence also offers advanced facilities, such as high-tech therapy baths, to cater to the diverse needs of its residents.
The residence features beautiful gardens and a summer house, welcoming guests to wander leisurely and appreciate the scenic environment.
The home offers a unique set of activities for residents to enjoy, thanks to its Lifestyle Team, who offer day trips to landmarks such as The Royal Yacht Britania as well as Therapet sessions, relaxing joy rides down to Cramond Beach and much more.
For further information about Cramond Residence, call 0131 336 1064 or visit the care home’s website at cramondresidence.co.uk.
Two units which provide vital care and treatment to some of the most unwell patients in Scotland have been transformed by NHS Lothian as part of a multi-million pound investment.
A new Cancer Assessment Unit (CAU) and an oncology ward for systemic anti-cancer treatment (SACT) are now open and delivering care to patients at the Edinburgh Cancer Centre (ECC).
The ECC, based in the Western General Hospital, supports an average of 7,000 inpatient admissions, 25,000 day-cases and 100,000 outpatient attendances each year from across the Lothians, Scottish Borders, Fife and Dumfries and Galloway.
The demand for treatment and services has significantly outgrown facilities and available space in recent times, but the new refurbishments have enabled significant modernisation to improve the care and overall experience for patients.
Chris Stirling, Site Director for the Western General Hospital, NHS Lothian, said: “This is a great step forward to upgrade our existing infrastructure.
“We know how important and reassuring a welcoming environment is at a worrying time, and we’re delighted that our current patients have access to better facilities.
“This is an important step in our ambition toward a new centre for the future of the southeast of Scotland to enable us to meet the rising demand of a growing population.”
The upgrades are part of a £24 million package of enabling works within oncology services, funded by the Scottish Government, which are due to be completed in 2024.
This is in advance of a longer-term plan for the full reprovision of the Edinburgh Cancer Centre which has been proposed by NHS Lothian in response to the population growth in the region and constraints of the existing ECC.
The refurbished SACT ward, which is where treatments like chemotherapy and immunotherapy are administered to patients, has seen an extensive programme of work – including new flooring, ceilings, paintwork, lighting, bed head services, fire safety upgrades and a new reception area.
There is now a dedicated space for patients to be assessed and prepped for their therapy, and comfortable chairs for patients to begin their treatment while awaiting a bed.
Four-bedded bays have been reconfigured into two-bedded bays, giving patients greater privacy. Where eight patients previously shared a bathroom, there is now an ensuite facility for every two beds.
The new CAU provides a fresh, purpose-built environment for patients to attend for assessment or diagnostic tests prior to potential admission to an inpatient hospital bed.
The CAU also has a dedicated family room with a double sofa bed and its own ensuite facility for relatives who may need to stay close to their loved one overnight.
Mrs McLean, 61 from Edinburgh, said: “Following a sudden and unexpected reaction to my treatment, I was taken to the new Cancer Assessment Unit. I was so grateful to be welcomed immediately by the medical team there.
“At such a worrying time for me, the nurses and doctor were not only reassuring, friendly and kind, but their professional clinical care was exceptional. Their thoughtfulness extended to my family sitting in the waiting area close to my treatment bay who were soon invited to join me.
“I really appreciated being in such a modern, comfortable facility and my experience of the CAU could not have been better or more positive. I can’t thank the medical staff enough for their excellent care of me in the new unit.”
Gardening and horticulture cross-party group advocates for health and wellbeing benefits of therapeutic horticulture
Members of the Scottish Gardening and Horticulture Cross-Party Group (CPG) have written a joint letter to three Ministers advocating for the health benefits of horticulture and gardening in healthcare settings.
The letter emphasises the role of environmental horticulture in enhancing health outcomes and urges policymakers to provide sustained funding for therapeutic horticulture initiatives.
The letter was sent following a set of visits and a meeting facilitated by the charity Trellis and the Horticultural Trades Association (HTA), where MSPs and their staff saw firsthand how therapeutic horticulture fosters health and well-being among communities.
The Ministers contacted were Minister Neil Gray MSP, Cabinet Secretary for NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care, Minister Maree Todd MSP, Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport and Minister Jim Fairlie MSP, Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity.
The Gardening and Horticulture CPG highlights the potential of horticulture and gardening as a policy solution to bolster patient recovery and mental health while enhancing healthcare professionals’ welfare. The group also emphasises the economic benefits of Social and Therapeutic Horticulture (STH) projects, including reduced healthcare service utilisation and medication dependency.
To address the critical need for standardised training and professionalisation within the field, Trellis Scotland is collaborating with educational institutions to develop the first accredited course in Social and Therapeutic Horticulture in Scotland.
Additionally, Trellis is spearheading the establishment of the UK Association for Social and Therapeutic Horticulture to uphold quality standards and provide essential support for practitioners in the field.
The letter’s signatories also invite policymakers to participate in World Therapeutic Horticulture Day on 18 May 2024, which will precede a week of activities dedicated to highlighting STH’s benefits.
The letter expresses gratitude for the Scottish Government’s past support but emphasises the need for sustained funding to safeguard the continuity and expansion of essential initiatives in therapeutic horticulture.
Stan Green, who represents the HTA in Scotland, commented: “We are delighted by the reaction and engagement The HTA continues to have at Holyrood.
“This reflects the substantial progress regarding the profile of Environmental Horticulture, and a recognition of the role it has benefiting all in the health sector, whether general wellbeing or treating people with severe illness or in need of social support.”
THE Prime Minister has unveiled a package of welfare reform measures to tackle the unprecedented rise in economic inactivity and ensure the benefits system is ‘better targeted at those who need it most’.
PM to announce plans to overhaul benefits system to ensure people who are fit to work aren’t left behind on benefits
Fit note system to be reviewed after 11 million fit notes issued last year with 94% written off as unfit to work
Comes amid unprecedented rise in inactivity due to long term sickness with latest figures showing almost a third of working age adults are inactive
The Prime Minister’s new plan for welfare will end Britain’s “sick note culture”, which has resulted in a significant rise in people being unnecessarily written off work and parked on welfare.
It comes amid concerns that the fit note system has opened the floodgates for millions of people to be written off work and into welfare without getting the right support and treatment they might need to help them stay in work.
Data recently published by the NHS shows almost 11 million fit notes were issued last year, with an overwhelming 94% of those signed “not fit for work”. A large proportion of these are repeat fit notes which are issued without any advice, resulting in a missed opportunity to help people get the appropriate support they may need to remain in work.
To address this, the Prime Minister yesterday announced a review of the fit note system to stop people being written off as “not fit for work” by default and instead design a new system where each fit note conversation focuses on what people can do with the right support in place, rather than what they can’t do.
As part of this, the government will consider shifting the responsibility for issuing the fit note away from already stretched GPs, towards specialist work and health professionals who have the dedicated time and expertise to provide an objective assessment of someone’s ability to work and the tailored support they may need.
A call for evidence will be published later today to seek responses from a diverse range of perspectives, including those with lived experiences, healthcare professionals and employers, both on how the current process works and how it can better support people with health conditions to start, stay, and succeed in work.
The Prime Minister said: “We don’t just need to change the sick note, we need to change the sick note culture so the default becomes what work you can do – not what you can’t.
“Building on the pilots we’ve already started we’re going to design a new system where people have easy and rapid access to specialised work and health support to help them back to work from the very first Fit Note conversation.
“We’re also going to test shifting the responsibility for assessment from GPs and giving it to specialist work and health professionals who have the dedicated time to provide an objective assessment of someone’s ability to work and the tailored support they need to do so.”
Setting out his vision for a “new welfare settlement for Britain”, the Prime Minister outlined the new challenges that have emerged since the pandemic particularly the unprecedented rise in inactivity and how the government plans to tackle them.
Before the pandemic, we had the second lowest inactivity rate in the G7, lower than France, Germany, Italy, USA and Canada. But since the pandemic, a significant number of working aged people have become inactive due to long term sickness which has in large part been driven by mental health conditions.
Latest figures from the Office for National Statistics suggest there are currently 2.8 million people who are ‘economically inactive’ due to long-term sickness, a near-record high. Of those inactive due to long term sickness at the start of last year, 53% reported that they had depression, bad nerves or anxiety.
This is also driving an unsustainable increase in welfare spending as more people claiming disability benefits are now assessed as having anxiety or depression as their main condition.
Since the pandemic, total spending on working age disability and ill-health benefits increased by almost two-thirds from £42.3 billion to £69 billion and we now spend more on these benefits than our core schools’ budget or on policing.
The fit note process is often the first step to someone falling out of work and acts as a gateway towards some ill health and disability benefit assessments. There is also clear evidence that the longer someone is out of work, the lower the likelihood that they return to work – further exacerbating the rise in inactivity.
The Prime Minister made the case that we need to be more ambitious about how we help people, particularly with mental health conditions, back into work and ensure they are not left behind on the benefits system.
The Prime Minister added: “We should see it as a sign of progress that people can talk openly about mental health conditions in a way that only a few years ago would’ve been unthinkable, and I will never dismiss or downplay the illnesses people have.
“But just as it would be wrong to dismiss this growing trend, so it would be wrong merely to sit back and accept it because it’s too hard; or too controversial; or for fear of causing offence. Doing so, would let down many of the people our welfare system was designed to help.
“Because if you believe as I do, that work gives you the chance not just to earn but to contribute, to belong, to overcome feelings of loneliness and social isolation and if you believe, as I do, the growing body of evidence that good work can actually improve mental and physical health…
“…then it becomes clear: we need to be more ambitious about helping people back to work and more honest about the risk of over-medicalising the everyday challenges and worries of life.”
Yesterday’s fit note review builds on the significant steps the UK Government has taken so far to break down barriers to work and tackle inactivity.
This includes through our £2.5 billion Back to Work Plan which is already helping over a million people, including those with mental health conditions, break down barriers to work by expanding access to mental health services and putting an additional 384,000 people through NHS Talking Therapies.
The new WorkWell pilot is also being rolled out and will support almost 60,000 long-term sick or disabled people to start, stay and succeed in work once it has gone live in approximately 15 areas across England.
The WorkWell services provides a single, joined-up assessment and gateway into local employment support services, to help people manage their health conditions and get back to work sooner. This is part of an ambitious programme to support disabled people and people with health conditions to start, stay and succeed in work.
DWP are also testing reforms of the fit note process to integrate it more closely with WorkWell, enabling the people who need it to have a work and health conversation, with a single, joined-up assessment and gateway into local employment support services.
It will also complement the role of Occupational Health in ensuring employers understand and benefit from more expert work and health support to retain and support those in work.
The fit note call for evidence is part of five key reforms the Prime Minister outlined in his speech to put work at the heart of welfare and modernise the welfare system to ensure it is fit for the future.
First year of Healthy Planet, Healthy People research grants by Williamson Trust and Royal Society of Edinburgh
Nearly £60,000 worth of funding will be given to 12 research projects in communities across Scotland
Community research projects to promote the health of individuals will take place in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Renfrewshire, Dumfries and Galloway, Inverness, Campbeltown, Fife, Lewis, Orkney and Perth.
The Royal Society of Edinburgh and the Williamson Trust have given their support to three community research projects in Edinburgh, aimed at promoting healthy living.
The RSE and Williamson Trust have given their support to 12 new community-led research projects, which will promote the health of individuals by fostering healthy communities, healthy environments, and healthy food.
This is the first year that the Healthy Planet, Healthy People awards have been given out. Originally only ten awards were planned, however the strength of the applications was such that a further two projects will now be supported.
The Community Renewal Trust in North Edinburgh has received £4,600 of funding. The Trust is part of the R2 network of organisations that collaborate to achieve better outcomes in local communities.
Through the project, the group will explore the feasibility of establishing a food buying group for local organisations that would achieve economies of scale, improve the quality and quantity of food available in the area, reduce food waste and reduce the time, energy and food miles that local organisations are spending in procuring food in north Edinburgh.
R2 co-ordinator Anita Aggarwal said: “Local people and organisations have been at the forefront of finding dignified solutions to food insecurity in the area.
“This award will help us work towards our vision of sustainably produced food being affordable and available in the area. As a network of organisations, we know we can achieve more if we work together, but finding time to collaborate can be hard, so this helping hand will go a long way and have a wide impact in the long term.”
Art Walk Projects based in Portobello is set receive £5,000 to develop a series of public conversations with artists, scientists, farmers, landscape architects and climate scientists to establish a strategy for coastal communities to achieve net zero.
Founder and artistic director Rosy Naylor said: “We are so very delighted to receive the support from RSE and Williamson Trust enabling us to develop our new project ‘Thrift: Climate Conversations’ involving local coastal communities in conversations around issues of food production, farming and coastal ecologies of northeast Edinburgh.
“It will provide for a rich multi-disciplinary approach engaging local publics around possible future food environments.”
Nourish Scotland’s “Our Right to Food” project is the third in Edinburgh to benefit from funding, receiving £5,000. The project aims to develop ways to measure the progress towards the right to good quality affordable food in Scotland.
Senior project officer Irina Martin said: “We are delighted to have been successful to get the ‘Healthy Planet, Healthy People’: Community-led Award. The Our Right to Food project aims to learn what people in Scotland would choose as a healthy and enjoyable way to eat so that rights holders and decision makers can better identify how to make this accessible for all.
“It does this by working with people from the community to create and then price “shopping baskets” for typical households across Scotland – the idea being that these baskets can be used to measure whether a “good enough” diet is affordable.
“This funding will support the next phase of the project which will focus on a typical Pakistani household in Scotland. This is to explore whether a “good enough” diet is more or less affordable for different groups within Scotland, and in doing so, show the functional value it could have when it comes to measuring progress toward achieving the right to food in Scotland.”
Aside from the three food security projects in Edinburgh, funding has also been awarded to a number of other projects in the west of Scotland, the Highlands and Islands, Fife and Perth.
Professor David E Salt FRSE, chair of the Williamson Trust said: “I speak for all the trustees when I say we were incredibly excited to see the very strong response we got from communities across Scotland.
“From food waste, the right to food and cooperative local growing, to rebuilding biodiversity and land rights, community street play, urban forests, and climate conversations as street theatre.
“The Trust hopes this seed funding will deliver real change and lead to larger impacts going into the future. We are very excited to be working with these communities across Scotland to help them make a new and better future.”
RSE Vice President, Research, Professor Anne Anderson OBE FRSE said: “This is the first time that the RSE has supported this type of research, as the Society broadens its range of research awards, and I feel that it is vital that we do so.
“The health of the individual and the health of the environment are inextricably linked, and it is my hope that these awards will now provide a boost to these exciting research groups which will lead to improvements in both.
“I very much look forward to following their progress and achievements over the next 12 months.”
An Edinburgh based diabetic patient has been told she will be not given the new closed loop diabetic pump technology, despite the fact that she has been testing the system, for the NHS since last year.
Megan Ormond, who has had diabetes for all her teenage and adult life, contacted Labour MSP, Sarah Boyack to raise her situation.
Ms Ormond was taking part in a study of the closed loop system and was told partaking in this study would likely secure her the technology faster.
However, at her last meeting, she was told, due to budget cuts, the closed loop system would not be made available to her after the study.
While using this closed loop system, her HBA1C which is used by doctors to test a patient’s glucose levels over the last 3 months, has been the lowest it has been for her entire time with diabetes.
The Scottish Government’s Diabetic Improvement Plan cites rolling out the closed loop system, as quickly as possible as a key target.
However, due to budget cuts and required savings, NHS Lothian is unable to carry out their rollout of the system at their expected rate.
NHS England began rolling out the closed loop system on the 1st April 2024.
Commenting on Megan’s case, Lothians MSP Sarah Boyack, said: “Megan’s case shows the absolutely shocking state the SNP Government has allowed NHS Lothian to fall into.
“Life changing technology and treatment are being denied to patients due to a lack of funding. That is unacceptable anywhere in Scotland, never mind our nation’s capital.
“The Scottish Government must act to ensure Megan and other diabetics are able to access this ground-breaking treatment as they were promised.
“There is real opportunity to improve the quality of life for diabetes patients in Edinburgh, but that opportunity isn’t just being denied to my constituents its being snatched away.”
A closed loop system is a game changer for T1 diabetics. One of my constituents tested this system for the NHS However, due to budget cuts the system can’t be rolled out as planned and she must revert to her old insulin pump. The SNP's cuts are rolling back these opportunities pic.twitter.com/P7i40rNDc8
Frequent GP appointments and in-house healthcare on offer for residents at leading home
A LEADING Scottish care home has revealed its residents currently benefit from some of the best healthcare in the country within a care setting, thanks to world-class in-house facilities and frequent GP checkups.
With research from the British Medical Journal showing that frequent, primary healthcare decreases mortality and hospital visits; dementia care experts Cramond Residence has prioritised its resident’s care by ensuring all of them have access to GP visits twice a week.
The home boasts some of the most extensive care in Scotland, providing its residents with top-tier facilities through its wellness and physiotherapy suite, an in-house GP, a room dedicated to Allied Health Professionals, and a gym.
Ross Bijak, General Manager of Cramond Residence said: “Usually, those who stay with us are dealing with complex health issues and we want to ensure that we provide them with the very best healthcare possible.
“We’re incredibly fortunate to be able to provide this to our residents, by offering frequent GP checkups we can ensure we are on top of any medical concerns and that our resident’s families can have peace of mind knowing that any issues are frequently monitored and managed.
“We believe we have one of the best care programmes in Scotland. We have a fantastic in-house nursing team and state-of-the-art facilities and this is further solidified by the frequent GP visits which our residents benefit from every Tuesday and Friday.”
Specialising in a comprehensive range of dementia care services, the home accommodates residents in both its communal living spaces and a dedicated section for those with advanced dementia needs.
The residence ensures optimal care through continuous assessment and a collaborative team of healthcare professionals, all within a setting designed to promote independence and well-being.
Ross added: “Our team keep the GPs updated about on any medical challenges that our residents face, and then after a thorough check-up, the GP’s insights help us update our records and fine-tune care plans to meet each resident’s unique needs.
“Everything we do happens right here in the comfort of the residence, so there’s hardly any disruption to the everyday lives of our residents. Plus, having the same friendly faces of doctors for check-ups brings a comforting sense of consistency and trust for both our residents and their loved ones.”
Since its opening in October 2018, after an investment of £8m, the Cramond Residence has championed the concept of small group living, emphasising social connections.
The residence offers a selection of activities designed for individuals with dementia, aiming to enhance their quality of life. Equipped with modern facilities and supported by a dedicated team, the home is committed to providing care, support, and respite for its residents.
For further information about Cramond Residence, call 0131 336 1064 or visit the care home’s website at cramondresidence.co.uk.
Circle, a local Edinburgh-based charity dedicated to supporting children and families, is thrilled to announce the return of its annual The DARED (Do A Run Every Day) Challenge.
Back for another exhilarating year, The DARED Challenge promises to ignite a month-long celebration of fitness, community, and charitable giving throughout June.
Since its launch, The DARED Challenge has captured the hearts of over 600 runners, raising an impressive £87,000 for local children and families in Scotland. This year, Circle aims to reach new heights in fundraising, gathering passionate participants from Edinburgh and beyond to join in making a significant impact on the lives of local children and families.
“The DARED Challenge is more than just a run; it’s a testament to the power of community and compassion,” says Kirsty Henderson, Events Officer at Circle.
“We’ve seen firsthand the incredible impact of this event on both our participants and the families we support.
“It’s a chance to challenge yourself, meet and connect with new people, and make a tangible difference in the lives of others.”
The concept of The DARED Challenge is simple yet impactful: participants pledge to run every day in June, at a time that suits them. Whether it’s before work, after work, or during lunch breaks, runners have the flexibility to choose when and how they complete their daily run.
Physical activity has been shown to have a positive impact on our mood. A study from the Mental Health Foundation asked people to rate their mood immediately after periods of physical activity (e.g. going for walk or run).
Researchers found that the participants felt more content, more awake and calmer after being physically active compared to after periods of inactivity.
…This can be you too!
Participants can opt for one of three exciting challenges: the 1-mile run, the 5K run, or the DARED To Be Different Challenge.
No matter your fitness level, there’s a challenge suitable for everyone. Plus, participants have the option to raise funds for Circle’s children and families or make a one-off donation entry fee, both including a welcome pack, runner’s t-shirt, water bottle, and other exciting offers.
Also, you don’t need to run alone, you can also sign up as a team – so why not DARE your friends, family, or work colleagues to join you!
“DARED really is more than just a physical challenge; it’s a journey of personal growth,” adds Kirsty. “Every penny raised, and every mile run directly supports local children and families in our communities facing difficult times.”
Ready to join? Sign up for The DARED Challenge now at:
Come and share your experiences of accessing healthcare as a woman in Scotland!
Discussion topics will include: periods, pregnancy, maternity and motherhood, menopause, mental health, patient experience and more.
This free reminiscence group is open to 60+ and all participants will receive a £15 gift card for their contributions.
Join us on Thursday 18th April at 11am for reminiscence and refreshments at the Wee Hub Lounge (first floor of Ocean Terminal Shopping Centre), right beside The Wee Hub brought to you by The Living Memory Association.
