Month: June 2020

BAME community and coronavirus: we need answers

A recent publication released by the government states that BAME communities – including the Bangladeshi community – are disproportionality impacted by COVID-19 (writes Foysol Choudhury). 

My community would like to know: how many Bangladeshi people have actually died from Covid-19? Where is the evidence regarding why they died?

We are asking for factual information to relay back to the communities as misinformation has a detrimental impact on people’s mental wellbeing, which has become clearly apparent from speaking to the local BAME community members.

As an organisation and as community activists, it is our job to ensure our communities are given the current and correct information in a manner they understand. Failing this causes paranoia, worry and stress. This is very detrimental for those people who already have underlying health issues and mental condition such as depression and anxiety.

Public Health Scotland published some interim data about two weeks ago that suggested that there was no evidence of disproportionate impact on BAME communities in Scotland. A few weeks ago it was mentioned that Black people are at higher risk of dying from Covid-19. Why?

Information given in the media relating to BAME people should be based on science facts and provide clear explanations to why BAME people are at higher risk of Covid deaths.

Is it due to the lack of PPE provided for front line workers, or poorer working conditions and poor health? Why are certain ethnicities more at risk? In particularly, those who are working as carer, patient handlers, porters, cleaners etc.

“An analysis of survival among confirmed COVID-19 cases and using more detailed ethnic groups, shows that after accounting for the effect of sex, age, deprivation and region, people of Bangladeshi ethnicity had about twice the risk of death than people of White British ethnicity.

People of Chinese, Indian, Pakistani, Other Asian, Caribbean and Other Black ethnicity had between 10 and 50% higher risk of death when compared to White British.”

If this is the case, where are the UK statistics? What is the government proposing to do to eliminate such disparities? I am keen to get Scottish Covid 19 related data on BAME communities; test results, hospital admission, death and suspected infected.

It is the responsibility of the government to release true, reliable statistics – not to create fear and division in the community by releasing data that has no scientific evidence.

As a member of the Bangladeshi community, I am fully aware of community members going through many difficulties during this pandemic. I am also fully aware of only a few Covid-19 related deaths in Scotland.

It is shocking to hear that Bangladeshis are apparently at a higher risk of this disease. Please provide the data requested so that the community can protect themselves.

Foysol Choudhury MBE

Chairman, Edinburgh & Lothians Regional Equality Council

Action Against Inequality

A new expert group will work with the Scottish Government to provide a clearer picture of the impact on minority ethnic communities of coronavirus (COVID-19).

Following indications that minority ethnic communities may face higher risks from COVID-19, the group will consider evidence and data being gathered by the Scottish Government, Public Health Scotland, National Records of Scotland and the NHS, and advise on policy actions to mitigate any disproportionate effects.

As part of its immediate response to the pandemic, the Scottish Government has provided more than £500,000 to organisations working specifically with minority ethnic communities across Scotland.

Equalities Minister Christina McKelvie said: “The Scottish Government is deeply concerned by reports that suggest people from ethnic minorities have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19 both in terms of health and wider social and economic impacts.

“Although the current analysis in Scotland appears to show that there is not a higher level of COVID-19 cases than would be expected, I understand that many people will be anxious about protecting themselves and their families. I want to reassure them that we are taking this issue extremely seriously.

“We are working to better understand the data on how the pandemic is impacting on our minority ethnic communities in Scotland so we can take the appropriate action and this new group will use their expertise to challenge, inform and shape future work.

“Equality and human rights issues such as this are at the heart of our policy response to the impacts of COVID-19, and in particular in our recovery and renewal work. This is part of our wider work to advance race equality, backed by over £2.6 million in the last year.”

Angela Leitch, Chief Executive, Public Health Scotland said:  “Understanding whether minority ethnic communities are at greater risk from COVID-19 is a crucial part of our response to the virus, particularly in light of reports from other parts of the UK and across the world.

“Public Health Scotland is undertaking work to review the available evidence understand emerging patterns including comparisons between the situation in Scotland and other parts of the UK.

“We are also working with National Records of Scotland and the Scottish Government to analyse and report on the impact of COVID-19 by ethnicity. Working with other members of the expert group, our evidence and data will enable the development of an effective evidence-based response and ensure the health of all of Scotland’s communities is protected.”

FM: coronavirus update

Statement given by the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at a media briefing in St Andrew’s House, on Tuesday 9 June:

Good afternoon. I’ll start – as I always do – with an update on some of the key statistics in relation to Covid-19 in Scotland.

As at 9 o’clock this morning, there have been 15,653 positive cases confirmed – an increase of 14 since yesterday.

A total of 1,011 patients are in hospital with confirmed or suspected Covid-19. That represents a total decrease of 31 from yesterday, including a decrease of 14 in the number of confirmed currently cases in hospital.

A total of 21 people last night were in intensive care with confirmed or suspected Covid 19. That is a decrease of 3 since yesterday.

I am also able to confirm today that since 5 March, a total of 3,820 patients who had tested positive for the virus have been able to leave hospital. I wish all of them well.

And in the last 24 hours, 7 deaths were registered of patients confirmed through a test as having Covid-19 –the total number of deaths in Scotland, under that measurement, is therefore 2,422.

Of course, tomorrow we will have the weekly report from National Records of Scotland which includes confirmed and suspected deaths from the virus.

After two days of reporting zero deaths, today’s figure of 7 is, of course, not what we would want to hear.

However, it is important to stress that it is not a surprise either – we know there is a weekend lag in registration of deaths and so the numbers we report on Tuesdays are usually higher than those on Sundays and Mondays. Last Tuesday, for example, we reported 12 registered deaths.

So, today’s figure though an increase on the last two days, is nevertheless a further indication of a clear downward trend in the number of people who are losing their lives to this virus. And that, of course, is clearly welcome.

We know, however, that this will be no consolation whatsoever to people who are grieving these lost lives. The figures I have just read out are not simply statistics. They represent individuals who are being mourned and grieved by many. So – once again – I want to convey my deepest condolences to everyone who has lost a loved one to this illness.

I also want to express again my thanks to our health and care workers. The entire country is so grateful to you for everything you continue to do during this very difficult time.

And, during what is Carers Week, I also want to thank our unpaid carers. This pandemic has demonstrated again the importance of what you do – but it has also, I know, created additional stress and anxiety for many of you.

That is why the Health Secretary announced some additional help for young carers on Sunday, and it is why we are paying an additional Coronavirus Carers Allowance at the end of this month, to those who receive the Carers Allowance.

In addition, we have also helped carers’ centres to work remotely. That means that help, advice and support is still available – online or on the phone – to all carers across the country. That support is not just available to people who have been carers for several months or years – it also applies to people who have had to take on caring responsibilities as a direct result of this pandemic.

And so I’d recommend to any carer, including any new carer, that if you need advice – or practical help, or just a friendly word – you can search for your local carers’ centre on the Care Information Scotland website, and get in touch. Help is available for you if you need it.

And finally, thank you once again to all of our carers for everything that you do. Your efforts make such an enormous difference obviously to those you care for, to all of their loved ones, and to the wider community and our whole country. All of us are grateful to you for that.

I want to highlight two further issues today.

Firstly, I can confirm that we will publish initial data in relation to our Test and Protect system tomorrow.

That information will include how many positive cases have been identified so far through Test & Protect, and how many of those have had their contacts traced. At this stage, this will be national data though we intend to break it down regionally in the weeks ahead and add more detail to it. It is also data that will, at this stage, reflect the early stage of Test & Protect.

One point that it is important to note at this stage is that the figures that we publish tomorrow will not completely match our daily testing figures that we publish at this daily update, because they will also include results from the drive-through centres that are situated in various parts of the country.

The Covid update I give tomorrow – which I will deliver in parliament just before First Minister’s Questions – may be too short to explain those new figures in detail.  However I will say more about them later in the week.

For now, though, I want to stress that if you have symptoms of the virus – a new, continuous cough, a fever, or a loss or change in your sense of taste or smell – you should immediately take steps to book at test. Please do not wait to see if you feel better first, do it straight away. And you and your household, of course, should isolate immediately.

You can book a test at nhsinform.scot or by phoning NHS 24 on 0800 028 2816.

If you don’t have symptoms but you are contacted to say you’ve been a contact of someone who has tested positive, please do follow the advice you are given on self isolation.

I can’t stress enough that the willingness of all of us to fully co-operate with Test & Protect in the weeks and months to come will be absolutely vital to our efforts to keep the virus suppressed as we try to restore some normality to our everyday lives.

The second issue I want to cover relates to the impact of Covid-19 on people from minority ethnic communities.

Public Health Scotland’s preliminary analysis of data from Scotland, which was published towards the end of May, does not appear to show that people from ethnic minorities are disproportionately affected by Covid in terms of its impact on their health.

But these are preliminary findings based on limited data, and we know that studies in other parts of the UK and indeed around the world have provided different results to that. And we also recognise that people from ethnic minorities could be disproportionately affected by the economic and social impacts of COVID-19 – as well as the health impact.

The Scottish Government has already allocated more than £500,000 to organisations that work directly with ethnic minority groups across Scotland. But we know that we may well need to do more.

For that reason, I am establishing a new expert reference group, made up of academics and other advisers.

That group will consider the evidence on Covid-19 in Scotland – including the data provided by NHS Scotland, National Records of Scotland and Public Health Scotland – to assess the impact of the virus on minority ethnic communities. In areas where Covid is having a disproportionate effect, they will also make recommendations on policies and approaches to mitigate that.

It is always essential – at any time – to listen to people from our ethnic minority communities, to work with them, and to ensure that the policies we adopt and implement do not have disproportionate and adverse consequences.

It is, however, especially important at this time, and I hope that this expert reference group will ensure that our response to Covid 19 takes full account of the needs and experiences of our minority ethnic communities.

Finally, I want to end by emphasising once again our key and very important public health guidance.

Right now you should still be staying home most of the time, and you should still be meeting fewer people than you would normally. If your life feels like it is getting back to normal, ask yourself why that is the case – because it really shouldn’t yet be getting back to normal.

When you do meet people from another household, you must stay outdoors, and you must stay 2 metres, at least, apart from them.

Don’t meet up with more than one other household at a time, don’t meet more than one a day – and please keep to a maximum of 8 people in any group.

Wash your hands thoroughly and often. If you are out of your home, take hand sanitiser with you.

Please wear a face covering when you are in shops or on public transport or in any enclosed space where physical distancing is more difficult.

Avoid touching hard surfaces – and any you do touch, make sure you clean them regularly and thoroughly.

And if you have the symptoms of Covid-19 – a new continuous cough, a fever, or a loss of or change in your sense of taste or smell – you must get tested, and follow the advice on self isolation.

And above all for all of us, if we all remember each and every day that the decisions we are taking as individuals now have a big impact on the health and wellbeing of all of us, then we will all do the right thing and it is more likely that we get through this crisis more quickly.

North Edinburgh’s Food Share group updates city councillors

North Edinburgh’s Covid-19 Foodshare Group has written to city councillors to update them on the work of the local coalition:

Elected member,

Since the setting up of North Edinburgh Covid-19 Foodshare Group we have kept elected members informed of the work the community organisations, volunteers and funders have been carrying out in these very challenging times.

Attached is a newsletter which, by the end of this week, will be delivered, by volunteers, to 14,000 households in North Edinburgh. Please circulate this to any individuals or groups who will find the information helpful.

NEN_8pp_A4_MAY20_2

Over the past six weeks (20 April – 25 May 2020) North Edinburgh organisations have:

· Produced 58,258 Food Items/Packed Lunches/Packs

· Gifted 23,888 Food Items/Packed Lunches/Packs to other organisations

· Delivered 79,171 Food Items/Packed Lunches/Packs

· There have been specific deliveries for Milk, Butter, Vegetables,Toiletries and Fruit.

· Passion 4 Fusion are providing culturally specific foods for BAME communities in the area.

Of the 919 postcodes supplied by agencies, 582 residents lived in Deciles 1&2, which means we reaching some of the most vulnerable in North Edinburgh.

63.3% of Food Items delivered are reaching those who need it most.

Please get in touch if you want further information, regarding the work of North Edinburgh Covid-19 Foodshare Group.

Willie Black

Chair, North Edinburgh Covid 19 Food Share Group

ICU painting captures pandemic for future generations

In fifty or a hundred years from now a stunning picture may give our descendants a glimpse into the pandemic of 2020.

Proudly hanging just outside the Intensive Care Unit of Glasgow Royal Infirmary, it depicts three NHS colleagues on the frontline in the fight against Covid-19.

The Chief Nurse for NHSGGC’s North Sector is John Stuart. He said: “Glasgow Royal has such a long and distinguished history of being a respected teaching hospital.

“It is world renowned and has as a proud history in the East End. It’s been there through World Wars, major incidents and other outbreaks – and it’s been there for Glaswegians throughout this pandemic that none of us will ever forget.

“I wanted to capture the enormity of this and approached Glasgow artist and musician Robert Miller with the idea of creating a piece of artwork, which people can look back on. I just felt we needed to capture the dedication of our amazing staff in a way that would last for future generations.

“I had been happy to pay for the picture but Robert kindly offered his services for free – even covering the framing himself.”

The picture – which is 5ft by 4ft – now takes pride of place outside the ICU where many patients have been treated for Covid-19 over the past two and a half months.

John added: “We are so grateful to Robert for creating such a beautiful picture. I think it perfectly captures our staff – anaesthetist Dr Kathryn Puxty, Physiotherapist Helen Devine and Senior Charge Nurse Suzi Madden – and will serve as a symbol of the dedication of all the staff who served in NHSGGC and gives them their place in history.”

Robert videoed himself making the painting and created a time-lapsed video accompanied by the tune “Voice of an angel”, sung by his wife May Miller.

https://we.tl/t-kOMeQ8CKYA

Robert said: “I was honoured when John asked me to create a painting to mark the work of his staff in the pandemic. The Royal has such a special place in the hearts of Glaswegians and its amazing staff have been at the heart of the city’s response to the pandemic.

“The staff are all wearing masks in the picture so it was more important for me than ever to capture their eyes well. I hope people like it and they take a minute to think of the enormity of the situation we’ve been facing. Who knows how long it will hang there, but it’s been good to be part of marking the dedication of our amazing NHS. We are truly lucky.”

Buying a bike?

Buying second-hand is a great way to get your hands on a bike for a reasonable price. If you’re looking to bag a bargain, read on for Gumtree UK‘s top tips for buying used bikes:

📑 Proof of ownership

To check everything’s above board, ask the seller to show you a receipt of purchase. You can also ask about the bike’s service history, or run the frame number through BikeRegister.

💬 Ask questions

It’s important to make sure the bike does what you need it to do, so remember to ask about: wheel size, suspension, mudguards, rack mounts and gears. Set a budget beforehand and prioritise your needs to find the best bike for you.

🚲 Research the competition

Once you’ve found a bicycle you like, check other ads to see what they’re selling for. You’ll get a fair price if you go into the sale with some knowledge of what’s out there.

🕵️‍♂️ Check the bike out

🚲 Once you’ve got the bike in front of you, check it over for damage and general wear-and-tear. Look out for: cracks in the frame, rust on the chain, worn down brake pads and any punctures on the tyres. If the seller’s happy, ask to take it for a quick test ride.

Remember to always follow the government’s guidelines for social distancing when you’re meeting sellers and wash your hands before and after touching the bike. Once you get your bicycle home, we recommend giving it a thorough clean.

Police Scotland

Airline crew lands at Sick Kids to boost staff wellbeing

Frontline workers from Edinburgh’s Sick Kids hospital are being treated to a ‘first-class lounge’ experience, thanks to a new initiative by grounded airline pilots and cabin crew.

Project Wingman is a group of airline staff who are volunteering at UK hospitals while furloughed or grounded because of the pandemic. They are offering NHS workers the chance to relax and unwind in a lounge setting similar to what first-class passengers enjoy at airports.

Now, in addition to visits to Edinburgh’s Royal Infirmary, the crew has landed at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children (RHSC) where they will visit the Staff Wellbeing Lounge every week for “Wingman Wednesdays”.

Over a 12-hour shift, the volunteers will provide a relaxing environment, treating staff to refreshments, snacks and friendly conversation.

The Project Wingman visits have been made possible thanks to essential funding from Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity (ECHC), which supports and complements the work of the RHSC.

Roslyn Neely, CEO of ECHC, said: “We are thrilled that the amazing crew from Project Wingman have now landed at the hospital and will be visiting our Wellbeing Lounge every Wednesday.

“The NHS heroes of the Sick Kids are working incredibly hard to provide first class care for children, young people and their families during this difficult time. Now more than ever we need to look after those who look after us so it’s wonderful that the aircrew volunteers are giving the hospital teams the ‘first-class lounge’ experience that they so deserve.

“This is an amazing initiative and we would like to say a huge thank you to all the Project Wingman volunteers for so generously giving up their time to support frontline workers and for helping them to relax and unwind when they need it most.”

The Edinburgh hospital visits are run and managed by Captain Paul Singleton, a pilot who has experienced the vital work of the RHSC staff first hand.

Paul said: “I’m absolutely delighted that Project Wingman was able to extend our reach into the wonderful Edinburgh Sick Kids Hospital.

“My boy had a major operation at the Sick Kids and the care he received undoubtedly saved his life. When you are touched by our wonderful NHS, you never forget it. It’s a debt of gratitude I’m happy to repay.

“Our volunteers are delighted to bring our First Class Lounge experience to the world class staff at the Sick Kids. “Wingman Wednesdays” will be a lovely way to say thank you to our NHS heroes.”

Project Wingman is just one of a number of things that ECHC is funding to support hospital staff wellbeing during the pandemic.

The charity has created the Staff Wellbeing Lounge at the RHSC and is distributing Wellbeing Boxes, filled with treats and pick-me-ups – to teams at the hospital as well as other healthcare settings across Edinburgh and the Lothians.

The charity is running a COVID-19 Emergency Appeal to support children, families and staff through the pandemic. Donations can be made online at https://echcharity.org/support-us/covid-19-appeal

For more information on Project Wingman: https://www.projectwingman.co.uk/

Baby loss charity’s community keep connected through virtual running

Local charity Held In Our Hearts has seen success through a series of virtual challenges through April and May to keep their community connected and raise essential funds for their work.

The charity has always had a groundswell of supporters who are keen runners, as part of Team Held In Our Hearts, and they wanted to find a way for them to stay connected as a community throughout the lockdown.

Through the month of May the challenge was #MayTheKBeWithYou for supporters to continue to get out, with the aim of completing a longer distance over the Edinburgh Marathon Festival (EMF) weekend.

The charity has now launched a new June challenge, #TheKTeam, asking supporters to see how many ‘K’ they can do and how far round the world that would be.

During what would have been the EMF weekend, 102 runners put on their charity vests, doing virtual runs in their local community, completing 1ks, 5ks, 10ks and even a marathon relay team of 4 (who ran separately at different times). In the process, they raised a wonderful £4357 over the month.

The events started on Friday morning at 6am as two supporters Stephanie and Anita were working. They braved a wet and windy early start as they wanted to make sure they could be part of something very special. A mother in law and daughter in law duo determined not to let work get in the way of their support of the charity.

Anita Baggs said about starting this special weekend with her virtual run: “On Friday morning at 6am I felt extremely proud, lucky and privileged to be starting the Virtual EMF for Held in our Hearts charity. 

“Although, it was raining and at times gale force winds it didn’t put a damper on my face!  It is such a worthwhile charity to be involved with as it supports so many people.”

Many of the participants were bereaved families who took part to remember their baby. There were also friends and family who cheered on from their garden as supporters went past on their solo runs. All the runners, walkers and cyclists continued until Sunday where they met up at the virtual tent via Zoom to celebrate the success of a great weekend.

Nicola Welsh, Chief Executive Officer, said: “Since the lockdown, we have provided over 339 hours of face to face (online) support to families individually, in couples and in groups, 126 phone calls, 873 emails and texts, which is a huge increase on what we would normally provide.

“Our team is working harder than ever to meet that increased need and is never more needed, as we are only beginning to see the traumatic impact of this crisis on families, especially those families that have experienced a loss during lockdown.

“These challenges have been such a positive way for people not only to raise awareness, but also to give a small, but much appreciated donation for our work.”

The funds that this is raising will go towards helping parents like Scott and Katy, who has been receiving support before and now during the lockdown:

“We lost our wee baby girl just before Christmas. We first met our befriender Tracy at Held in Our Hearts a few weeks before lockdown.

“Tracy was empathetic and present from the off and we felt comfortable enough in that first session to talk openly about our loss in a way that hadn’t been possible before.

“Held In Our Hearts have continued to be present for us since the lockdown, by email and most crucially over Zoom. We speak to Tracy regularly and she has been so available for us. Sometimes we talk in a light hearted way, but that connection is really important and it often opens the vital wee space we need to talk through our feelings about our grief and what it means for our future.

“While there is no replacement for being present in a room with someone, the fact that Held In Our Hearts are continuing to connect with us, and people like us, is invaluable … Held in Our Hearts have helped us feel so much less alone in our situation, and have helped us understand the feelings of failure and individual culpability that can be torturous at this time … We are very grateful for their continuing support, and that they are out there supporting other families at this time.”

Tracy Watt, Fundraising Manager, says of the current situation: “Like many charities, we have seen our income streams hugely affected by the Covid-19 crisis with many spring and summer sports and challenge events cancelled.

We wanted to create challenges that would bring our community together, giving a focus and helping boost their mental health, while we all remain in lockdown. Our next challenge for June, #TheKTeam is available to anyone, any age and any fitness and we are so grateful for everyone that has got involved so far and help provide much needed funds for us to continue supporting bereaved parents, like Scott and Katy, in the community.”

In order to take part, the charity is asking for a £5 donation and people can also encourage others to donate in support of their challenge.

If people prefer they can also just text KTEAM to 70085 where they can donate £5 to help our work.

Cyrenians delivers over one million meals during covid19 outbreak

  • Cyrenians FareShare depot quadruples output due to increased demand, delivering over 419 tonnes of food – approximately 1 million meals worth of food – since March
  • Making use of FareShare produce, the Community Cook School, having been converted into a production kitchen, is cooking roughly 5000 healthy, freezer-ready meals a week

 

In Leith’s Jane Street, two converted warehouses are currently responsible for supporting hundreds of people impacted from covid-19: from frontline workers separated from families, to elderly people and families across central and south east Scotland suffering the injustice of food poverty.

Before covid19, the Cyrenians’ depot, operated in partnership with FareShare, was delivering around 50 tonnes of food a month. Across the road, their Community Cook School provided classes to those at-risk of, or with experience of, homelessness, and hosted a series of popular supper clubs to help support the charity.

The impact of the pandemic has placed all communities under increasing pressure, and as a result demand for services has soared. Since March, the depot has quadrupled its output, delivering over 419 tonnes of food to charities and community groups across Central and South East Scotland – approximately ONE MILLION meals worth of food.

The Community Cook School, having been converted into a production kitchen, is cooking roughly 5000 healthy, freezer-ready meals a week, making use of FareShare produce, as well as generous donations from the food industry across the city.

It’s not only the staff at the charity making this remarkable work happen – what makes all this possible is the incredible generosity of volunteers who have pitched in and shared their skills to better support our communities.

From Scottish chef John and others currently on furlough, to local 100-year-old baker Margaret; from long-term volunteer Priscila, to first-year international student Julian – the charity’s quick response has been greatly aided by a wealth of local talent and compassion.

Priscila (above) volunteers 1-2 days a week at the cook school – a place she has gotten to know well over the past year, using her love of cooking and in-depth knowledge of nutrition to ‘give back to the community’ in whatever way she could:

“I started volunteering last year at the supper clubs at the cook school, and when those stopped because of lockdown I immediately wanted to see if there was a way I could help out. You can really see the difference Cyrenians makes.

!I absolutely love cooking and being in the kitchen, and by helping out this way, I can see the real impact that just one individual can make”

Julian is a first-year international student from Zimbabwe at the University of Edinburgh, and was very happy to get involved:

“I started in late March when the pandemic hit – it’s been a great way to give something back, as well as a reason to get out of my room!

“I’ve gotten some other students involved too, some of whom were struggling with feeling contained all day, and they told me that ‘this is the best thing you could have ever done’ to help. Getting outside and helping out is doing us a huge amount of good – the team at the depot are some of the nicest people i’ve ever met, and it’s great to be part of it.”

Ewan Aitken, CEO, said: “The response from across Scotland to this crisis has been both staggering and humbling. Community groups and voluntary organisations have played a key role in Scotland’s response to this crisis, working together and making use of long-standing local connections.

“We have only achieved so much because of those communities and community connections. None of this would have been possible without the compassion and incredible generosity of spirit we’ve seen – I would like to extend a thank you from myself and from everyone at Cyrenians to those communities in all their diversity who have come together in such a difficult period to make sure that people get what they need.”

There are those also who have been unable to leave their home, but determined to make a difference while keeping busy.

Local 100-year old volunteer Margaret has been baking a variety of loaves to include in the deliveries, with support from her local community to get ingredients:

“Baking is helping me keep busy right now, I’m not very mobile so can’t get out and about, but people have been dropping me off flour and sugar which is so lovely. I can’t sew, read or knit right now as I need to see the opticians but they’re all shut. I’ve mainly been baking from memory – I’ve not had any complaints so far so they must be okay!”

Demand for these services has far outstripped anything the charity has ever encountered before, and is likely to continue long-after this pandemic. There is a very high risk of more people being driven into poverty and placed at risk of homelessness by the impact of covid19[1].

More people are faced with restricted incomes, dependents to support, finding it more difficult to pay for essentials like food and housing.

This crisis has shone a light on already-present issues in society. Voluntary groups and charities have played a vital role in the emergency response, and will continue to do so in delivering support while developing long-term solutions to build back better.

Carers Champion: Together let’s ‘Make Caring Visible’ in 2020

Edinburgh’s Depute Lord Provost and Carers Champion, Councillor Joan Griffiths, writes on National Carers Week:

This is the start of national carers week and never more than now has caring for others been so discussed and quite rightly recognised as being so incredibly important.

This year’s theme is ‘Making Caring Visible’, which is very appropriate as we need to also recognise the incredible contribution unpaid carers are making to our society in what are currently extremely challenging circumstances.

I would like to give my heartful thanks to the estimated 65,084 unpaid carers living in Edinburgh – 13.7% of the city’s population. What’s really important is acknowledging the hard work and dedication of every person carrying out this role as well as identifying and making sure that everyone caring for a loved one is given the support they need for their own health and wellbeing.

Unpaid carers are people of all ages who look after family members, partners, friends or neighbours due to their physical and mental health needs. Often, the person could not live in their own home unsupported without this care. It’s not unusual for an unpaid carer to be looking after someone for some time and not realise that is what they are doing. 

This year, people across the country are continuing to face new challenges as a result of the coronavirus outbreak. Many people are taking on more caring responsibilities for their relatives and friends who are disabled, ill or older who need support. 

If this applies to you, I want you to know that you can receive help, support and advice from a range of different carer organisations and services in Edinburgh.

Usually, this support can be provided face to face with a carer support worker but at the moment we are living in unprecedented times and this has to be offered on the phone or by video conference following government guidance.

What’s important though is that help is still available and carer organisations would be delighted to speak to anyone who thinks they are caring for a loved one in this way. There is a lot of support available such as access to relevant information and learning and social opportunities. Alternatives to short breaks under the current circumstances can be discussed as well as counselling services and help with finances.

Unpaid carers are also entitled to request an Adult Carer Support Plan or a Young Carers Statement and again these can be completed over the phone or by video conference.

Each day this week well be highlighting different themes including carers, information and advice, carer health and wellbeing, short breaks, young carers and personalising support for carers.

Over the course of this week I would appeal to everyone to share this information as widely as you can through your own networks and social media if you have it. This will help us to make sure that our unpaid carers can access the help and support that they need, now and in the future. Together let’s ‘Make Caring Visible’ in 2020.

If you need support with your caring role or would like to talk to someone please contact the Edinburgh Carer Support team on 0131 536 3371. They will be able to support you directly or connect you to the relevant service.

You can also contact them online at https://www.edinburghhsc.scot/support-for-carers/further-support-for-carers/.

 Further information for unpaid carers during the current coronavirus pandemic can be found at https://www.edinburghhsc.scot/coronavirus-information/carers/.

This contribution first appeared in the Edinburgh Evening News