Month: April 2020

Which? launches tool to tackle profiteers

Which? has developed a simple tool for people to report coronavirus profiteering amid concerns that price-gougers are getting away with hiking the prices of essential items.

The consumer champion has uncovered widespread problems with basic products being sold for hugely inflated prices on online marketplaces such as Amazon Marketplace and eBay – and there are concerns that similar behaviour could be happening on other sites and in shops up and down the country.

These practices may have left key workers and charities struggling to get essential products they need or forced to pay extortionate prices.

Which? spoke to a charity that helps provide hundreds of meals to elderly and vulnerable people – demand for this vital service has gone up since the Covid-19 crisis. However the price of essential items to keep its employees and vulnerable clients safe, such as antibacterial probe wipes, which the charity has only been able to buy in the high quantities they need from eBay, has more than doubled since the crisis.

The Competition and Markets Authority has set up a dedicated Covid-19 taskforce, and reports shared using the tool will help the regulator to establish the scale of the problem and take action against the worst offenders. Which? is also calling for emergency legislation to give regulators the tools to swiftly crack down on price-gouging on certain essential products during this crisis, and any future ones.

The CMA and Chartered Trading Standards Institute have both raised serious concerns about problems with price-gouging and the Prime Minister has also warned traders against “exploiting people’s need” during a national emergency.

Which? has heard reports from hundreds of consumers that unscrupulous sellers have been taking advantage of the situation and its investigations have uncovered huge price hikes on products such as handwash, cleaning products and baby formula.

Which? experts have found Dettol bleach and cleaning sprays being sold by third-party sellers with price hikes of almost 1000 per cent more than the typical price on eBay with evidence of dozens of purchases being made at these prices.

Researchers also encountered sterilising fluid for baby bottles for more than 10 times the original price by a seller on Amazon and a bundle of one handwash and one antibacterial gel for £30 on eBay, instead of the £3.50 it would usually cost.

Some shoppers have felt pressured into buying these overpriced products because of a lack of alternative options available, including older and more vulnerable people who need access to vital hygiene products such as hand sanitiser.

One told Which?: “I’m disabled and struggle to leave my home, but the current crisis is forcing me to go out and struggle to get essentials when I normally get as much online as I can.

“My trust in buying from online marketplaces has been shattered, some items are fine if I find it at a reasonable price, but others I can’t trust as they’re either gouged, possibly diluted and therefore useless, or it’s a scam listing and the item never existed to begin with.”

Another said: “I paid £19.80 plus £5.25 for post and packaging for 2 x 250ml of hand sanitiser from a seller on eBay. Outrageous price but we are a captive audience and it was the cheapest I could find. Someone is getting very rich from this pandemic.”

Which? has also heard numerous reports of price-gouging at bricks and mortar retailers including pharmacies.

Which? is calling for the government to introduce specific legislation to stop unjustifiable price hikes of essential items during times of emergency, as well as requiring online marketplaces to ensure compliance on their sites or face enforcement action.

New legislation would also give the UK a head start in tackling price-gouging during any future emergencies. The absence of legislation has made it harder to take action on this issue swiftly and left the UK trailing behind other countries that already have laws to combat price-gouging during crises.

In the meantime, Which? believes online marketplaces need to bring in stricter, more effective controls and policies to tackle price gouging, and is encouraging the CMA to take strong enforcement action using its existing powers where appropriate.

Sue Davies, Head of Consumer Protection at Which?, said: “It is unacceptable for people to be left at the mercy of unscrupulous sellers during a national emergency. We’re calling for people to report opportunistic coronavirus profiteers via our tool so that we can press home the need for swift action and put an end to price-gouging on basic goods.

“The government, working with the CMA, needs to step in with emergency legislation to crack down on price-gouging and keep the price of essential items reasonable during a crisis.”

Link for consumers to submit reports to Which?’s price-gouging tool: https://www.which.co.uk/pricegouging

Project Wingman takes off at Royal Infirmary Edinburgh

Staff at the Royal Infirmary Edinburgh are set to receive the first class treatment as the latest Project Wingman lounge opens on site.

The facility, which is run by pilots and crew from across every UK airline, will provide a space for staff to unwind, de-compress and de-stress before, during and after their shifts.

The lounge, the first of which to open in Scotland, takes inspiration from the ‘first-class lounge’ experience and will offer a relaxing and friendly environment where staff can be treated to refreshments such as teas and coffee, as well as light snacks.

The Edinburgh facility is part of a UK wide initiative spearheaded by British Airways pilot and captain Dave Fielding, Emma Henderson, an EasyJet pilot, and Prof Rob Bor, a psychologist at the Royal Free hospital in London.

While a light-hearted nod to the movie Top Gun, the initiative aims to provide support for staff who are busy providing first-class care for patients.

Furloughed, grounded, or made redundant by the COVID-19 crisis, the aircrews involved are all volunteering their time to put a smile on faces, while offering a much needed space for rest and relaxation.

Inga Cosway, Healthy Working Lives Co-ordinator, Royal Infirmary Edinburgh, said that across NHS Lothian, work has been ongoing to provide a range of facilities and support for staff. This has included the provision of a number of support helplines, as well as quiet spaces for staff to use.

Inga said, “We are delighted to welcome airline crew to our forces here at the Royal Infirmary. The Project Wingman lounge will provide a welcome space for colleagues to pause, reflect and unwind as together we respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Most of us will never have experienced the luxury of a first-class lounge, but I know that staff are delighted to have this facility available to them and cannot wait to meet the captain and his crew.  We are grateful to the Edinburgh and Lothians Health Foundation who have provided essential funding to make this happen.”

The Edinburgh facility, is being run and managed by Captain Paul Singleton, a pilot with Virgin Atlantic. Paul said that he wanted to give something back to NHS staff after personally seeing the work that they do day in and day out.

Paul said: “Like many others I wanted to do something to help and support the NHS at this critical time. My son had a major operation at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh and I cannot thank staff enough for the outstanding care that he received. I was in awe of NHS staff before the COVID-19 crisis hit, but now, more than ever I wanted to express my heartfelt thanks and admiration.

“As aircrew, we are highly trained, well organised & excellent communicators. Using these skills we hope to support every member of staff at the Royal Infirmary, who are working tirelessly as we navigate the uncharted territories that COVID-19 is presenting us with.”

The Project Wingman lounge is available for all staff and is open daily from 7am – 9pm.

Lothian MSP, Miles Briggs, said: “This is an excellent initiative run by pilots and crew from airlines across the UK to use their skills and experience to support NHS staff at this challenging time.

“NHS frontline staff are going above and beyond every single day, putting themselves at risk to care for everyone, and it is more important than ever to look after those who look after us.

“The incredible efforts made by all NHS staff during this period must be recognised not just now, but also in the future, by continuing to support those who are risking everything for us.”

“Some Promising Signs”: Jeane Freeman updates Holyrood

Statement given by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport Jeane Freeman to Scotland’s Parliament yesterday:

Thank you very much Presiding Officer, and thank you for the opportunity to update the chamber on several key areas around our response to COVID-19, and to say something about our future planning.

Today is International Workers’ Memorial Day, and across Scotland many people observed a minute’s silence to particularly honour health and social care staff who have tragically died during this pandemic. A number of our own colleagues in Scotland have lost their life to COVID-19 and my thoughts, and I know those of members across the chamber, are with their families and loved ones.

In the last 24 hours, 70 deaths have been registered of patients who have been confirmed as having COVID-19 – and that takes the total number of deaths in Scotland, under that measurement, to 1,332.

As always, it is so important to remember that behind each one of those numbers is the loss of someone loved and now much missed and I offer my sincere condolences to their families and friends.

Presiding Officer, notwithstanding all of that, we are starting to see some promising signs that the efforts and the sacrifices that the overwhelming majority of people across Scotland have made are having an impact.

The number of patients in hospital with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 has been broadly stable in recent days, and the number of people in ICU with COVID-19 has shown signs of decline.

We should not read too much into all of this yet – these are early days – but these trends are both welcome and cautiously hopeful.

As of today, 50% of adult care homes have reported an outbreak of suspected COVID-19. Last week I set out a series of additional steps to support those who live and work in our care homes.

These steps increase the clinical support focussed on preventing COVID-19 infection and transmission in care homes. Our NHS Directors of Public Health are now providing enhanced clinical leadership and have contacted every care home in Scotland. They are assessing how each home is managing infection control, staffing, training, physical distancing and testing.

We have provided a direct delivery of PPE to care homes and have worked with local partners to significantly improve the operation of local PPE hubs. Whilst the supply of PPE is primarily the responsibility of care home providers in both the private and the public sector, we will continue to provide both top up and emergency provision to ensure staff have what they need and they and the residents have that protection.

Work is also underway to ensure that all COVID-19 patients being discharged from hospital should provide two negative tests before discharge, and that all new admissions to care homes, and all residents who are symptomatic should be tested and those new admissions should be isolated for 14 days.

Social Care and care home staff continue to be priority key workers for testing and I have written to all care homes reminding them of this and asking them to make sure that as employers they follow through where this testing is required.

As members know we also have over 21,000 returning health and social care staff alongside student nurses, student midwives, AHPs and newly graduated doctors, all willing to apply their skills and experience to the collective effort. Many of them are able to work in both the care and the primary care setting. And, as of today, 185 applicants have been matched into roles in care homes and care at home services, and a further 218 are ready and available. I expect the number of matches to increase rapidly in the coming weeks.

As well as those working in care homes to protect our most vulnerable people, I know there are many carers – both paid and unpaid – who are supporting people to stay in their own homes and they, too, must be protected. So we have extended the provision of PPE to Personal Assistants and unpaid carers.

From the start of this week, the local PPE Hubs for the registered social care sector are receiving enhanced supplies and support so that they can distribute to the whole of the social care sector where normal supply routes have failed.

We have published advice for unpaid carers on the appropriate use of PPE and how to access it, and will be publishing equivalent guidance for Personal Assistants shortly.

I have asked the National Carer Organisations and local carers’ centres to discuss with carers their needs, and help us with directing them to their local Hub where they need PPE.

We will ensure Hub locations are clearly signposted on the Scottish Government website and Health and Social Care Partnerships are working with local carers’ centres to make clear how individuals can get the necessary Personal Protective Equipment.

Throughout this difficult time, it is critical that social care support is maintained to ensure the safety, dignity and human rights of people who already receive that support.

In addition to the funding directed towards social care from the 2020-21 budget, I reached agreement some weeks ago with COSLA that we would meet additional costs incurred because of the impact of the pandemic.

That agreement was specifically reached to ensure that both existing and new demand and need could be met. Alongside this, those additional returning staff I mentioned a moment ago are also available for deployment to these services to ensure staffing resilience.

So it is not acceptable to me that care packages are cut – in some instances by 100%.

I expect the steps I have already taken to be used and if there is more that needs to be done to ensure existing packages are not cut and new demand is met, then I hope that colleagues in the sector know that my door is always open and I expect them to come to me with those additional requirements.

I want to turn now to testing. By 22 April, 17,800 health and social care staff, or symptomatic household members, had been tested. 21 per cent of those tested were social care staff.

By the end of April, all 14 Health Boards should have local testing capacity. In terms of testing capacity, we are on track to reach at least 3,500 tests available per day by the end of this month, making steady progress from the start of this pandemic, where capacity was 350 tests per day, from two labs.

We also continue to work with the UK Government on its testing programme, which is expanding both capacity and access in Scotland.

Four UK Government drive-through testing facilities are already operational, with a fifth due to open in Perth this Thursday.

Five mobile testing units manned by army personnel are going live in Scotland this week, and it is anticipated that a further eight units will be live in Scotland within the next week or two.

This increased capacity in our own NHS labs and through that participation in the four nation testing exercise has ensured that we are able to expand the areas and the groups whoa re being tested. So we have increased availability to key workers beyond the Health and Social Care sector using the categories that we have outlined before, and have today also increased testing to all 70-year-old and over admissions to a hospital setting.

In terms of access to the UK four nation exercise, this is controlled through the queueing system managed by the UK Government and through their digital portal.

I want to touch on now on two other issues before I conclude: research and ongoing changes to healthcare delivery.

The pandemic has required fundamental change to how health and care is accessed and delivered. This has involved a significant reorientation of resources, and the incredible support and efforts of local leaders, planners, clinicians – in fact the entire workforce. The work has included:

  • preparing to quadruple ICU beds and ensuring there is sufficient hospital bed capacity
  • significant increases in digital access for health services – with around 60% of GPs now using “Near Me”, and weekly digital consultations increasing from around 300 to over 9,000
  • the reshaping of primary care to support COVID-19 hubs with 24/7 access
  • shielding almost 150,000 clinically vulnerable people and focusing multi-disciplinary teams working on anticipatory care planning with them
  • and expanding mental health support by moving towards a 24/7 NHS24 mental health hub and digital therapies

What is clear is that, in line with our framework for decision making that was published last week, we need to achieve a careful balance in managing our healthcare capacity going forward including our commitment to continue to treat emergency, urgent and maternity cases. 

So we will continue to work closely with Health Boards and their partners to ensure there are robust plans in place to safeguard local resilience and responsiveness, whilst we also consider how and when we can increase the business as usual work of our NHS.

The incredible levels of compliance with social restrictions that we’ve seen show a clear willingness on the part of the people of Scotland to think beyond individual health to population health. As we move to introduce the test, trace and isolate measures required, we will need that focus on population health to continue.

Finally, I want to update you on research proposals for COVID-19 that we launched on 25 March.

139 proposals were received from across Scotland’s Universities and Research Institutes.

Following an independent expert review process, 55 projects have been selected for funding.

This has resulted in a Pan-Scotland portfolio of research, with 15 different institutions leading on projects.

In summary, the outcome of the call is a programme of projects meeting the aim of establishing a broad Scottish programme of high quality research on COVID-19 that will be delivered rapidly and inform policy and clinical practice in responding to the pandemic.

Presiding Officer, I continue to be grateful for the tremendous resilience of our health and social care staff, our key workers, and most importantly people all across Scotland.

Together, we are making progress, we are suppressing the virus, we are saving lives and we are showing that we can continue to rise to the challenges of this pandemic.

Thank you.

Banks urged to clear up confusion over refunds for coronavirus cancellations

The banking industry is taking an inconsistent and confusing approach when dealing with refund claims for customers who have reached a stalemate with a business over refunds for coronavirus cancellations, new Which? research has revealed.

With huge numbers of consumers deeply dissatisfied with travel companies and other businesses asking them to accept credit notes or rebooking instead of offering refunds, Which? has heard reports from frustrated bank customers who have had claims turned down.

This includes one customer who was denied a refund of a £2,200 payment split between Halifax and Metro Bank cards for a cancelled ski trip and another left £750 out of pocket after RBS rejected her claim. In both cases the customers were told a refund was not possible because they were being offered credit notes or vouchers.

The cases prompted the consumer champion to investigate how banks are handling claims under two forms of consumer protection.

The first of these protections is chargeback, which covers all card payments. While not a direct consumer right, it is a process provided under card schemes which reverses a transaction if a customer is not able to resolve a dispute with a business for a variety of reasons.

The second is Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974, a legal protection for credit card users on purchases of more than £100 and less than £30,000, which gives the customer a claim against the card issuer as well as the retailer or trader for the goods or service supplied.

Despite guidance issued by Mastercard and Visa stating that customers are able to pursue the chargeback route if they are offered a voucher or the option to rebook, when Which? asked banks to confirm if they would attempt to process refunds, MANY STATED THAT CLAIMS WOULD NEED TO BE HANDLED ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS. The same applied to Section 75.

Which? is concerned that a failure to provide even general information about the circumstances where a claim could be successful risks leaving consumers unaware of vital consumer protections that could help them get their money back at a time when people’s finances are significantly stretched.

However, some banks did provide clearer information about the prospects of consumers getting their money back. In relation to chargebacks, Virgin Money (Mastercard) made it clear that if the alternative arrangements are not covered in the terms and conditions, they would normally expect a chargeback to be successful.

Starling Bank (Mastercard) and Lloyds Banking Group (Mastercard and Visa) said that they will initiate a chargeback where the offer of vouchers or free rebooking is not deemed suitable by the customer.

But Which? has also heard from a Halifax customer who was turned down for a chargeback request for a cancelled holiday based on these circumstances, despite the bank being part of Lloyds Banking Group – raising fears that the rules are not being applied evenly.

The number of people using the free Which? chargeback and Section 75 tool has shot up to 10,000 in March and April so far, compared to 1,000 in January and February of this year.

This highlights how many people are getting nowhere with businesses on refunds, often in cases where a significant amount of money is on the line. Amid confusion over the protections the banks offer in these circumstances, Which? is calling for the industry to be more upfront about the situations where chargeback and Section 75 are likely to be appropriate for consumers in relation to coronavirus-related cancellations. It believes banks should follow the lead of those in the industry who have committed to providing customers with the best prospect of getting their money back.

Gareth Shaw, Head of Money at Which?, said: “While it is a very difficult time for businesses, the coronavirus outbreak has also put people’s finances under considerable pressure, and they deserve to get their money back if they want a refund for a cancelled event or trip, rather than a voucher or the option to rebook.

“However, there is clearly confusion about the circumstances which allow banks to help their customers achieve this. There needs to be greater clarity and consistency about claiming through banks, and the industry should ensure that all bank customers have a fair chance of getting their money back.”

Scots encouraged to use face protection in enclosed public places

Coronavirus update: First Minister’s speech Tuesday 28 April 2020:

Good afternoon. Thanks for joining us for today’s briefing.

I want to start – as I always do – by updating you on some of the key statistics in relation to Covid-19 in Scotland.

As at 9 o’clock this morning, there have been 10,721 positive cases confirmed – an increase of 200 from yesterday.

A total of 1,754 patients are in hospital with Covid-19 – that is an decrease of eight from yesterday.

A total of 126 people last night were in intensive care with confirmed or suspected Covid 19. That is also a decrease of 8 since yesterday.

These figures continue to give us cause for cautious optimism.

I am also able to confirm today the positive news that since 5 March, a total of 2,448 patients who had tested positive for the virus have been able to leave hospital.

On a much sadder note, I have to report that in the last 24 hours, 70 deaths have been registered of patients who have been confirmed through a test as having Covid-19 – that takes the total number of deaths in Scotland, under that measurement, to 1,332.

Tomorrow of course will see the publication of National Records of Scotland weekly statistics that cover not just those who have die having had a positive test,  but those where Covid-19 is a presumed factor in the deaths.

These numbers, as I stress every day, are not just statistics. Behind each of these numbers is a unique and irreplaceable individual whose loss is a source of grief to many. So once again, I want to send my deepest condolences to everyone who has lost a loved one to this virus.

I also want to thank – as I always do and consider it important that we always do – our health and care workers. Everyone across Scotland is grateful to you for the extraordinary work that you are doing.

Many of us will have joined the minute’s silence at 11 o’clock today to honour the frontline workers – including, of course, health and care workers – who have sadly lost their lives while working to tackle this pandemic.

It was a reminder of the selflessness of our health and care workers – choosing to treat and care for others during a time of crisis – and it was also a reminder of the government’s duty to do everything we can to keep those workers safe.

I have two issues I want to update you on today.

The first relates to testing. We have been making steady progress on increasing our testing capacity over the last month – from an initial starting capacity that could cope with 350 tests a day to a capacity of at least 3,500 by the end of this month.

We will give a further update on testing capacity at the end of the week.

As a result of the work we have been doing so far to build capacity, we have already been able to expand testing in some priority areas.

Tests are currently made available and processed within NHS labs for:

  • people in hospital with symptoms of Covid-19 and all those in intensive care
  • people who have been referred for testing by their local Covid hubs
  • people in care homes who have symptoms
  • people who are being admitted to care homes
  • and key workers in our health and care services and where appropriate their family members. More than 20,000 people in that category have now been tested.

In addition, of course, key workers in other sectors – for example the prison service – are now able to book tests online for the drive through centres established at different locations around the country.

We are today expanding testing further.  All NHS Boards are now being asked to put in place procedures to test all those over 70 who are admitted to hospital for any reason – not just those with Covid symptoms.

As we know, the virus can have an especially severe impact on older people. And so although we don’t usually test people without symptoms – because the test isn’t totally reliable in those cases – we do think that there could be a benefit in testing older people both on their admission to hospital and then at intervals thereafter.

So patients in this category will be tested on admission, and then every four days throughout their stay in hospital.

This will help us identify if the virus is being transmitted in hospital, and if so, how and where. It will also help us provide better care for older people in hospital and therefore contribute to our wider efforts to slow the spread of the virus.

The second issue I want to address relates to face coverings, an issue which has attracted lots of attention recently. Guidance on this has just been published on the Scottish Government’s website.

I want to stress at the outset that I am talking here about face coverings made of cloth or other textiles, such as a scarf. I am not talking about medical grade face masks that health and social care workers wear.

The guidance makes clear that the most important step we can all take to prevent transmission of the virus is to comply with the current stay at home, social distancing and hygiene rules.

Face coverings are not – I repeat not – a substitute for any of that.

The guidance also makes clear that the evidence on use of face coverings is still limited.

However, it recognises that there may be some benefit in wearing a face covering if you leave the house and enter an enclosed space where you will come into contact with multiple people and safe social distancing is difficult – for example on public transport or in shops.

Of course just now, most shops are closed so this would apply in particular to food shops.

To be clear the benefit comes mainly in cases where someone has the virus but isn’t aware of that because they are not experiencing  symptoms and therefore not isolating completely – so wearing a face covering in these circumstances may reduce the chance of that person transmitting the virus to others.

The Scottish Government is now recommending the use of face coverings in these limited circumstances as a precautionary measure.

Given that the evidence is relatively weak, we are not at this stage making this mandatory or suggesting that it will be enforced, though we will keep that under review as we go into future phases of managing and tackling the pandemic.

And of course it is worth bearing in mind that there are some people – people with asthma, for example – may have very good reasons for choosing not to cover their mouth and nose when they are out and about.

And we are not recommending the use of face coverings for children under the age of two.

However, to repeat we are recommending that you do wear a cloth face if you are in an enclosed space with others where social distancing is difficult, for example on public transport or in a shop.

Let me emphasise the key point here which is that you should not really be in situations very often like that right now if you are complying with the stay at home rules.

The guidance states that there is no evidence at this stage to suggest that there are benefits to wearing a face covering outside, except in unavoidably crowded situations. Again, we are keeping that aspect under review.

The guidance also includes some information on how to safely apply and wash coverings.

When you are applying or removing the face covering, you should wash your hands first, and avoid touching your face. And after each time you wear the covering, you must wash it at 60 degrees centigrade, or dispose of it safely.

The detailed guidance, as I’ve said, is available on the Scottish Government’s website, and the guidance on the NHS Inform website will also be updated very soon.

The most important point I want to stress is this one. The wearing of facial coverings is an extra precaution that you can and, we are suggesting, you should take. It may do some good in some limited circumstances. It is not – and must not be seen as – a substitute for the other rules and guidelines that we have been stressing. 

In particular, anyone with symptoms of Covid-19 – and all members of their household, regardless of whether or not they have symptoms – must self-isolate. Guidance on that is available on the NHS Inform website.

And physical distancing, hand washing and respiratory hygiene – covering up coughs with disposable handkerchiefs, or even with your sleeve – remain the most important and effective measures we can all adopt to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

So please, above all else, continue to follow the rules that we have set out.

Stay at home, except for essential purposes such as buying food or medicine, or exercising.

If you do leave the house, you should stay 2 metres apart from other people, and you should not meet up with people from other households.

And you should wash your hands thoroughly and regularly.

I know that sticking to these rules is really, really difficult but it is essential. It is how all of us can help to slow the spread of the virus, to protect the NHS, and continue to save lives. So thank you for sticking with it.

Brown bin collections back next month

Garden waste (brown bin) collections will resume in Edinburgh from week commencing 11 May.

The service was suspended in April as part of the city’s response to the coronavirus crisis, allowing us to divert resources to other, essential waste collections and helping crews observe social distancing measures.

The return of team members from absence, as well as the bedding in of new collection arrangements, means we will be able to reintroduce garden waste collections.

Anyone with a garden waste permit will be compensated for the break in service with an extension to their permit to cover this time. We will contact customers in due course with further information.

Council Leader Adam McVey said: “We’ve made every effort to continue to run core services, including waste collections, and I’m grateful to residents for their understanding of why we’ve had to make some temporary changes under these extraordinary circumstances.

“Its thanks to the enormous hard work of the Council’s waste team that we’re beginning to see those services returning to normal.

“I know many residents will be keen to get out and tend to their gardens and I’d like to thank them for their patience while brown bin collections were temporarily suspended to help us respond to the coronavirus outbreak.

“We will be extending the time period that the current payments cover to make sure residents get the number of collections they paid for and we’ll be writing to households with further details later in the year.

Depute Leader Cammy Day said: “Recent changes have helped to protect the safety of workers and I’m pleased to see that the service has adjusted to these. The crews who pick up our bins play a crucial role, and it’s thanks to their hard work that we can reintroduce brown bin collections.

“I hope residents help us to keep protecting crews’ safety by storing any excess garden waste for their next collection, as otherwise bins may become too heavy to lift.”

Residents should check their collection calendars to find out when their brown bins will next be picked up.

We’re encouraging people to store any excess garden waste that won’t fit in the bin until their next collection dates – overflowing bins, heavy bins or waste placed at the side of bins won’t be collected.

We are writing to and emailing all those who have signed up for the garden waste service with details of its reintroduction, as well as plans for compensation for the collections that have been missed.

From today, (Tuesday, 28 April), the council has also reintroduced kerbside glass recycling collections, which were suspended in March.

During the first weeks, residents are asked to put out only one blue box and to store any excess glass for the next collection, as boxes may become too heavy to lift, posing a health risk to crews.

Special uplifts are currently suspended while Household Waste and Recycling Centres remain closed but efforts are being made to reintroduce these services as soon as it is safe to do so.

Anyone with symptoms of coronavirus is encouraged to follow the guidance on how to dispose of waste correctly to help protect the safety of bin collection crews.

Further information on changes to bin collections and other services can be found on the Council website.

Primary Care services to remain open over May public holidays

Primary care services will remain open during the May public holidays, Health Secretary Jeane Freeman has confirmed.

Funded by £8.2 million from the Scottish Government, GP services and community pharmacies have been asked to remain open on the May public holidays, with NHS 24 operating with an increased number of call handlers.

Ms Freeman has praised the response and dedication of healthcare staff across the country who are ensuring people can continue to access services during the pandemic.

Ms Freeman said: “Health and social care staff are already working incredibly hard to look after people during this pandemic, and I want to thank each and every one of them for their ongoing commitment and dedication during this unprecedented time.

“Last month we asked GP services to remain open during the Easter holidays and once again, we have asked them to do the same for the May public holidays.

“Community pharmacies will also be open so they can continue to provide advice and treatment through the extended Minor Ailment Service for minor illnesses and common conditions. We have also taken steps to ensure NHS 24 can continue to meet the increase in demand.”

Dr Andrew Buist, chair of the BMA’s Scottish GP Committee, said: “Practices and out of hours services are working under increased pressure during this pandemic and I am extremely grateful to GPs across Scotland who are all willing to put in the extra work that is needed to help the NHS fight this virus.

“During this unprecedented time, GPs have been asked to keep their practices open over public holidays and, as we have witnessed recently over the Easter weekend, patients have been receptive to these changes and how we have adapted. The BMA was also clear that this needed to be supported by the Scottish Government and we welcome the funding put in place to make this happen.

“It is very important for patients to know their NHS is open for non-COVID-19 related health concerns, and they should always contact their GP if they have any worries. General practice is part of the protective ring around Scotland’s hospital system as we fight this pandemic.

“I am proud of how quickly GPs have responded to these challenging times with flexibility and ingenuity. There is a huge amount of work being put in from the Scottish Government and across the system and we should continue to work together with clear thinking and strong leadership.”

Health advice can be found at NHS Inform.

Edinburgh book subscription service confirms 52% increase in sales

  • Monthly book delivery complemented by digital book club offers a welcome distraction and meaningful network for women across the world 
  • Book club strives to combat Coronavirus loneliness, anxiety and unease 

Since its emergence onto the scene in 2017, Rare Birds Book Club has seen growth of 86% and 57% year on year respectively – but since lock down measures commenced, the subscription service and digital book club headquartered in Scotland has reported a staggering 52% growth over the course of the past four weeks.

At the beginning of the year, the club was just about to hit 1,000 subscribers per month, an almost 50/50 split of those buying for themselves (51%) and those buying as gifts (49%) however, post lock down, the emphasis on sales has shifted firmly towards gift purchasing with hundreds of orders including messages of consolation, comfort and togetherness.

The pay-as-you go option has also taken off, with people looking to enjoy the service without having to commit longer-term; a bonus in these times of uncertainty and the business has also recorded a marked increase in international sales with 10% of all orders now being shipped internationally.

In the short-term, mail outs are now being done from Rachel’s spare room instead of her headquarters in Edinburgh city centre!

Rachel Wood, founder of Rare Birds Book Club comments: “My spare room is basically now a small warehouse, but it means we’ve been able to stay fully operational during lockdown.

“Once books are picked, packed and ready to go, they are collected by Royal Mail in a seamless operation that is completely contactless. My staff and I are all isolated in our own homes and have different responsibilities to keep us ticking over – I do the big send outs and individual orders are done elsewhere.”

A simple, yet personal subscription, Rare Birds Book Club offers members the chance to pick between two surprise books each month (or upgrade to both) before joining like-minded subscribers in the digital book club to discuss this month’s read.

Its ethos being rooted in a service that was both letter-box friendly and heavily digital has been key in driving the sales spike that has kept the business operational when so many others have temporarily or indefinitely closed-down.

Never one to rest on her laurels, Rachel also launched a podcast a few weeks ago, which sees her and two friends waxing lyrical about all things books.

“The first few episodes were pre-recorded and ready to go, so we were able to launch quickly. Now in lockdown we record remotely; each of us with the same microphone we’d use together. We host the discussion through a video chat on my computer so it’s all online, and it’s recorded by connecting the computer up with our soundboard to keep the quality high. Then we edit and release as normal.”

With COVID-19 still keeping us in our homes and with reports of mental health issues on the rise, it seems reading and podcast listening will only increase to help combat loneliness, anxiety and the unease Coronavirus has brought. For Rare Birds Book Club that suggests 2020 is set to be a year of even bigger growth.

For more information visit https://rarebirdsbookclub.com/

Cyrenians raises over £200,000 towards emergency appeal

At the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, Cyrenians launched an emergency appeal to enable the charity to respond effectively to the crisis. Thanks to support from individuals and businesses across Scotland, they are already over 80% of the way towards their £250,000 target.

Cyrenians tackles the causes and consequences of homelessness. In the past 6 weeks, Cyrenians have helped house rough sleepers into self-contained hotel accommodation and are continuing to provide support alongside partner organisations.

They are also delivering up to 40 tonnes of food a week to charities and community groups across central and south east Scotland from their Fareshare depot in Leith. Just across the road, their repurposed cook school is producing up to a 1000 healthy, freezer-friendly ready-meals a day.

CEO Ewan Aitken said; “The response from communities across Scotland to this crisis has been outstanding. People have responded with a real sense of compassion, knowing that more than ever now is the time to pull together.

“We knew that responding to this would stretch already-limited resources, and so we set an ambitious goal to ensure we could continue providing our critical services and allow us to respond flexibly – providing support where it’s needed most.

“We’ve been humbled by the number of donations we’ve received – from individuals donating their weekly coffee or monthly gym membership fees, to businesses donating larger sums that have allowed us to overhaul the way we work.

“Standard Life Aberdeen have been supporters of ours since before this crisis, and, when Covid-19 hit, they were quick to reach out to offer generous additional support, allowing us to continue caring for some of the most vulnerable people in our communities. I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks on behalf of everyone at Cyrenians – support like this makes our work possible”

Sandy MacDonald from Standard Life Aberdeen said, “Cyrenians acted quickly in a time of great need, adapting their business model so they can get thousands of meals to those who need it most.

“We’re delighted to play our part in helping them achieve their aim to serve 40,000 meals in the next 100 days. Well done to all those involved and thank you from all of us to the team at Cyrenians for continuing their vital support in our community at this challenging time”

To find out more about Cyrenians’ emergency appeal, please visit: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/Covid19CrisisAppeal

Edinburgh Napier students join the front line as Special Constables

Innovative training while they studied sees students join Police Scotland Covid-19 response

Five Edinburgh Napier students are ready to support Police Scotland in its Covid-19 response after becoming the first individuals to qualify in the country as Special Constables through a new on-campus training programme.

The students – Larissa Engelmann, Campbell Cunningham, Annelise Hoey, Sumaiyah Shafique and Amy Murphy – who all study within the University’s School of Applied Sciences – have been training as Special Constables since January and have completed 136 hours of training while studying at Edinburgh Napier.

The project to bring the Special Constable training in-house was led by Edinburgh Napier’s Dr Andrew Wooff, who worked with Police Scotland to adapt the training to allow it to be built into the students’ timetable.

Regular Special training requires three full weeks at the Scottish Police College at Tulliallan or every weekend for 12 weeks. The in-house training saw the students undertake their training every Wednesday at Edinburgh Napier’s Sighthill campus, allowing them all to continue their studies and work part-time as they trained.

The training also included a visit to Tulliallan for officer safety training alongside giving the students a chance to meet other probationers and to learn about the discipline required to be a member of Police Scotland.

The programme was devised because of a growing demand from students to get involved as Special Constables, with the five students now ready to go out onto the front line and join Police Scotland community teams in working across their areas. The students will be available to help Police Scotland with its Covid-19 response, alongside offering support during periods where officers may be self-isolating because of the virus.

Dr Andrew Wooff, Lecturer in Criminology at Edinburgh Napier University, is delighted to see the first cohort of the training pass out as qualified Special Constables.

He said: “We are delighted that Edinburgh Napier could be the first to use this new on-campus training module so that our students could train to become Special Constables as they continue their studies at the University.

“Our main priority when devising – and carrying out – the on-campus training was maintaining the high Police Scotland standard while supporting students to become Special Constables. Their time at Tulliallan also gave them an insight into the discipline and standard required by a member of Police Scotland. The training is rigorous and will hopefully facilitate the successful candidates in pursuing a rewarding career with Police Scotland.

“The feedback from both the students and Police Scotland has been great and we’re really proud to see them out on the frontline already, supporting the Force in its community operations. Planning for the next cohort is already underway and we’ve had more than 50 individuals express an interest so far. We feel this type of flexible training benefits our students greatly and we look forward to playing our part in strengthening Police Scotland’s Special Constabulary in the coming months.”

Assistant Chief Constable John Hawkins said: “Police Scotland is extremely grateful to all five students for the time and effort they have already dedicated to their roles as Special Constables, from juggling their studies alongside training to now deploying on the frontline.

“Special Constables have always been a vital and valued feature of policing in Scotland, however during this extraordinary time the significance of their role is greater than ever and we have been humbled by the response of our volunteers.

“Our thanks also goes to Dr Andrew Wooff at Edinburgh Napier for committing his time to working with Police Scotland to adapt the training to allow it to be built into the students’ timetable.

“While Police Scotland undoubtedly benefits from the experience our volunteers bring, we also hope the opportunity is unlike any other where you gain confidence, new skills and get the chance to help people in need. I wish our new recruits the very best for their future on the beat.”

PhD student Larissa Engelmann recently completed her first shifts as a Special Constable. She said: “I decided to become a Special Constable to explore other ways of giving back to the community as I’ve already been involved in a lot of different volunteering opportunities within Edinburgh and beyond.

“The training – even though it was over three months, rather than three weeks – was still very intense. We had to learn a lot of legislation too but nevertheless it was really enjoyable. We had really great police officers who helped us with the training – and we had a lot of fun as well.

“I’ve had my first shifts at the weekend and although it was quiet, it was great to see some of what we have learned in training in practice and develop our own way of working in Police Scotland as a Special Constable.”

The Special Constable role is diverse, demanding and rewarding. Special Constables could be doing anything from policing a football match to assisting at a road accident. Special Constables also police major sporting and public events and provide an excellent bridge between the Police Service and the public, representing both the community within the police service and the police service within local communities.

More details on Police Scotland’s Special Constabulary can be found here.

For Edinburgh Napier students interested in becoming a Special Constable, they can contact Andrew Wooff on a.wooff@napier.ac.uk