More than 20,500 children across Edinburgh, the Lothians and Fife will wake up to a Christmas present, thanks to the generosity of thousands of people throughout the region. This year’s Mission Christmas campaign, organised by Radio Forth’s Cash for Kids, has broken new records, with £1.1 million raised in gift and cash donations over the last six weeks. Continue reading Record breaking Mission Christmas helps thousands of local children
Yule Regret This: IT firm reveals Remote Control Decorations!
FESTIVE IT experts have kitted out their office with illuminated brash and noisy Christmas decorations – that can be remotely controlled by anyone online. Urging visitors to the webpage to “take control of our office decorations and annoy the team”, the ten-strong group at Consider IT has programmed a range of highly interactive decorations. Continue reading Consider IT Christmas!
Saturday 23 December – kick off 2pm
Christie Gillies Park, Marine Drive
To ensure patient safety, the children’s short stay assessment unit at St John’s Hospital in Livingston will not open on the weekends before Christmas and New Year. The decision was taken as a result of ongoing staffing and recruitment issues which mean there are not enough doctors available to cover overnight and weekends, coupled with late notification of clinician unavailability.
Parents are not being asked to do anything differently. If they require health care or advice over the weekends, they should take the normal steps of calling NHS 24 on 111. They will either be directed to an out-of-hours GP or referred on to the most appropriate place.
Children will still be assessed and treated in the Emergency Department and 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 short stay assessment unit will not open on December 23rd and 24th, however normal service will resume on December 25th, Christmas Day.
The same arrangements will apply the following weekend, with the unit not open on January 30th and 31st, before returning to normal on January 1st, New Year’s Day.
Jacquie Campbell, Chief Officer of Acute Services, NHS Lothian, said: “Despite our best efforts, we have been unable to reliably secure the levels of staffing required on the festive weekends to guarantee a safe service. The safety of our patients must be our top priority and for that reason the unit will not open. This is the safest option for the children of West Lothian and normal service will resume at the start of each week.”
NHS Lothian says it is working closely with the Scottish Ambulance Service, NHS 24 and local GPs to ensure the provision of a safe and reliable service.
Help available for low mood, depression and anxiety
People experiencing depression, low mood or anxiety should be encouraged to seek help this Christmas, the Mental Health Minister has said. Maureen Watt also thanked those who provide help and support to those dealing with mental health problems associated with stress and loneliness at this time of year.
Breathing Space is a free, confidential phone line offering advice to people experiencing anxiety, depression or low mood. Also available is Living Life, which offers more in depth telephone-based and online therapy.
Samaritans provide confidential non-judgemental emotional support, 24 hours a day, for people who are experiencing feelings of distress or despair.
Ms Watt said: “I think our much greater awareness of mental health issues in recent years has highlighted that this can be a difficult time of year for many people. Hopefully that increased knowledge also means that people know that they do not need to suffer alone, that support is available and that no-one should ever feel afraid to speak up and ask for help if they feel depressed or anxious.
“I would urge anyone who is feeling low or anxious to reach out to Breathing Space, Samaritans or other services to make sure they get help. This time of year can be overwhelming and we should all aim to be more aware of the toll that can sometimes take and do what we need to reduce unnecessary stress and anxiety.
“I also want thank everyone across the country – in the NHS, social services, the third sector and in local communities – who is working to ensure that people in distress have someone to help them.”
There are a number of steps that can be taken to reduce stress and anxiety over the festive period:
Tony McLaren, National Coordinator of Breathing Space, said: “Remember, if you are experiencing emotional distress during the festive season and feel you can’t talk to your family or friends, then call a phone line such as Breathing Space. Our advisors are available every day of the year to listen and offer you support. Call them in confidence on freephone 0800 83 85 87 to talk about what you’re going through.”
Executive Director of Samaritans in Scotland, James Jopling, said: “If you’re dealing with difficult thoughts and feelings, the festive season can make everything seem worse. Whether you’re on your own or feeling alone in a crowd, we don’t want anyone to struggle. So, remember you can call Samaritans for free from any phone and, if you’re expecting to have a good Christmas this year yourself, have a think about those around you who may not be as lucky and give them the gift of listening.”
Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123.
Bin collections will be made as easy as possible this festive period, the city council has announced.
Since the approval of a Waste and Cleansing Improvement plan in November 2016, enquiries about communal, kerbside and trade waste have seen a downward trend, with half the number of complaints in the first three weeks of December compared to the same period in 2015.
MSPs on Holyrood’s Justice Committee have unanimously backed the proposed law which changes the costs for people bringing a civil claim to court in Scotland. Continue reading MSPs back Bill to remove barriers to civil justice
