New bus stops at Royal Infirmary

Two new bus stops will open at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh from tomorrow (Monday 25 May). The new routes will see buses coming from town, and out of town. travelling through the site.

One of the new stops will be located on Little France Crescent, with the other situated between the University of Edinburgh Chancellor’s Building and the University of Edinburgh Queen’s Medical Research Institute (click here for large map).

The main bus terminal moved from the West to East side of the site in May 2014 and the loop road, which runs around the site, has now been redeveloped to allow buses to pass through.

This development forms part of a programme of works which have been carried out to prepare the site for the new £150 million Royal Hospital for Sick Children and Department of Clinical Neurosciences.

Work started on the new hospital in early 2015 and the new building is anticipated to open to patients in autumn 2017.

Brian Currie, Project Director, Royal Hospital for Sick Children and Department of Clinical Neurosciences said: “The majority of the road works have now been completed and I would like to thank patients, visitors and the public for their understanding as these developments have taken place.

“The new hospital will conjoin the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh via a link building between both adult and child Emergency Departments. This link building will run across Little France Crescent and therefore the need to reconfigure the bus routes has been an important part of the construction programme.

“We would again like to thank you for your understanding as construction of the new hospital and work to redevelop departments within the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh continues.”

www.nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk/riecampus for more details.

Julie LEAPs forward to enjoy life again

LEAP treats 450th patient

LEAP, the pioneering drug and alcohol detox and rehabilitation service, is celebrating after treating its 450th patient.

Edinburgh woman Julie Bleasdale, 40, marked 12 weeks sober on 14 May after successfully completing the Lothian and Edinburgh Abstinence Programme, (known as LEAP).

Formerly based in Stockbridge, the ground-breaking programme offers clinical, medical and therapeutic help to those who want to get clean from its base at the Astley Ainslie Hospital.

Julie, a mother of six who was referred to the programme when her addiction impacted badly on her mental health, said: “I had no idea that addiction was a disease or that I was suffering from a condition.

“I’d drink at least a bottle of wine every night and I would try to stop but couldn’t stay stopped. Then the drinking would escalate and I’d blame it on stress, or work or being a single parent.

“I never felt I was a good enough mum, I had terribly low self-esteem and I would hide the way I was feeling from everyone. I would be run-ragged taking the kids on trips and days out, trying to be a perfect mum. Then I would binge drink and feel immense shame and guilt, pushing my self-esteem lower and lower, and turning to alcohol again.

“When I was drunk I was like a toddler – any sense of danger would disappear. I’d climb over balconies and disappear with strangers.”

Earlier this year, things came to a head when Julie’s friends were forced to contact police after her behaviour became more worrying.

“I ended up having a mental health breakdown”, Julie remembers. “A full day would feel like a few minutes and I couldn’t account for where I’d been or what I’d been doing. I would be talking gibberish and not making any sense. My friends became increasingly concerned and one night, they phoned the police, who took me to the Royal Edinburgh Hospital.”

Doctors at the hospital, which provides psychiatric and mental health services, advised Julie that it was likely she was suffering from the effects of addiction.

Julie, who is now keen to carve out a career in addiction services, said it came as a shock: “I always thought I had mental health issues. It’s been a revelation to come to LEAP and learn all about addiction as a disease.”

Around 20 patients at different stages of recovery take part in the three month LEAP programme at one time. As well as providing medical care and therapy, patients are encouraged to support each other and are also assisted with housing, education and training.

Julie officially graduated from the programme at a special ceremony surrounded by friends and loved ones.

Dr. David McCartney, clinical lead of LEAP, NHS Lothian said: “Today is a really special day for Julie and her family as it marks a key point in her recovery. LEAP is a challenging and intensive programme aimed at those with the motivation to become substance-free.

“It’s not an easy route but we believe part of our success is down to our partnership with the City of Edinburgh Council and the charity Transition, and also due to the after-care programme we offer which involves peer-support groups and counselling over two years.”

Crackdown on housebreaking continues

‘All reports of housebreaking are being thoroughly investigated in Edinburgh and we are arresting people every day for these offences’ – Superintendent Alan Porte

A second man has been arrested and charged as part of an ongoing investigation into a housebreaking and theft in Craigcrook Road on 24 March.

A Honda Civic and Volkswagen Passat were stolen during the incident and were later recovered in the West Pilton area. Following continued enquiries an 18-year-old was detained at his home in Granton Mill March and charged with the break-in and theft of the vehicles.

He is scheduled to appear in Edinburgh Sherriff Court.

In a separate development two men have been arrested and a vehicle recovered during further Operation RAC activity in Edinburgh.

Plain-clothes officers attended at Harrison Park in the early hours of Friday morning (22 May) following reports from the public of a group in possession of a motorcycle.

A 21-year-old man was subsequently detained and a Yamaha bike seized. The motorcycle was established as stolen from nearby Harrison Road and the male was charged.

He is due to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court tomorrow (Monday 25 May). Police are following a positive line of enquiry to trace others believed to have been involved in this offence.

Superintendent Alan Porte said: “Those responsible for breaking into people’s homes and stealing their valued possessions, such as vehicles, may think they are immune to the law. However, we continue to demonstrate through Operation RAC that this is not the case.

“All reports of housebreaking are being thoroughly investigated in Edinburgh and we are arresting people every day for these offences.

“We will continue to actively pursue anyone involved in acquisitive crime and our communities can help us by reporting any suspicious activity they witness, as well as ensuring they keep their homes, outbuildings and businesses appropriately secured at all times.

“If you have information relating to housebreaking in your area, or wish to receive information on crime prevention then please speak with your local policing team or contact Police Scotland on 101.”

More money for mental health

‘Mental health services are an absolute priority of this government’ – Jamie Hepburn, Minister for Sport, Health Improvement and Mental Health

An extra £85 million will be invested in improving mental health services over the next five years, the Scottish Government announced today.

The money is on top of the existing £15 million fund for mental health innovation, announced last year, making a total additional investment of £100 million over the next five years.

The fund will partly be used to further improve child and adolescent mental health (CAMHS) services, and bring down waiting times. There has been a significant increase in demand in recent years, with a 35 per cent increase in the number of young people starting treatment over the last two years. This is thought to be mainly because more people are seeking help. It will also be targeted at improving access to services, and in particular psychological therapies.

Further areas of focus will be better responses to mental health in primary care, promoting wellbeing through physical activity, and improving patient rights, which is one of the elements of the forthcoming Mental Health Bill. Third sector service providers will be key to delivering new services, and there will be a focus on innovation and providing services in community settings.

There has already been significant investment in improving mental health services. The Scottish Government has already committed to invest almost £7 million in CAMHS this year. This is in addition to the new £100 million fund.

More than £16 million has been invested specifically in developing the CAMHS workforce since 2009. Staffing levels are at an all-time high and have risen by 45 per cent since 2008.

Jamie Hepburn, Minister for Sport, Health Improvement and Mental Health, said: “Mental health services are an absolute priority of this government. These are some of the most vulnerable people in our county and it’s vital that the health service is properly equipped to give them the support and treatment they need.

“We have been investing heavily for a number of years, and waiting times have come down significantly, despite an unprecedented rise in the number of people seeking help. Scotland was the first country in the UK to have a mental health waiting times target – a sign of how importantly we view this issue.

“There is still more work to be done. I’m delighted to be able to announce this £100 million investment which will make a real difference to people right across Scotland.”

You’re in for a TReat at Granton Campus

Edinburgh College will open its larder and put on a feast for the city and surrounding communities at its second annual Treat food and drink festival on Thursday (28 May).

Treat is a celebration of the talents of the college’s hospitality students, who will show their skills and give guests the chance to sample their work. The festival also celebrates the fantastic food and drink produced in Edinburgh and the Lothians, with local companies coming to show their produce.

Treat will take place at the college’s Granton Campus on 28 May from 4-7pm, with a £5 entry fee. The festival will showcase the college’s students, curriculum and training restaurant facilities, demonstrating how it is developing the top chefs of tomorrow.

Students and lecturing staff will serve food and carry out live cookery demonstrations to show the range of food preparation skills that are taught at the college.

Students will be serving samples of delicious hot dishes for just £1 each, with one sample included in the entry price. There will also be kebabs and burgers prepared by butchery students, fresh smoothies, and confectionary on sale.

More than fifteen local suppliers will be tempting visitors with a range of delightful delicacies including African-inspired cuisine, olive oil and speciality products from Spain, nut- and gluten-free baking, and urban edible garden growing kits. There will even be gourmet dog treats on sale to keep furry friends’ tastebuds tingling!

The Granton Campus training restaurant, The Apprentice, will host a drinks zone, with free tasters of wine and premium Scottish cider.

The event will also be raising money for the college’s charity of the year, the Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home (EDCH). Representatives from the charity will be at treat to talk with visitors about their work caring for lost and abandoned dogs and cats. There will be a prize draw on the day to raise much-needed funds for the charity.

This is the second year of the treat festival, after last year’s successful event attracted more than 400 hungry people from around Edinburgh and the Lothians to fill their bellies with top-quality food.

Carol Fyfe, head of the Tourism & Hospitality Academy at Edinburgh College, said: “We are delighted to be bringing back treat, Edinburgh College’s food and drink festival, for a second year. The festival is a fantastic opportunity to focus on our talented cookery and hospitality students providing an insight into their exceptional talent and dedication to their craft.

“Treat also gives visiting food lovers the chance to pick up top tips from our lecturing staff, while giving those who may be considering studying a hospitality and professional cookery course at the college a taste of what to expect. We are also pleased to be supporting the Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home.”

Treat takes place at Edinburgh College Granton Campus, 350 West Granton Road, Edinburgh, EH5 1QE on Thursday 28 May at 4-7pm. Tickets £5 and are available on the door.

The festival is focused on celebrating and showcasing the college’s hardworking, skilled students, while promoting the curriculum, the college’s training restaurants and the college itself as a destination for success.