On Thursday 30th September, the Scottish Government launched a public consultation on whether the temporary measures allowing ‘DIY’ home abortions should be made permanent. Many medics and charities have criticised this move, including Right To Life UK, CARE Scotland and Christian Medical Fellowship, claiming it lacks the necessary safety checks and is putting women at significant risk.
This public consultation comes weeks after the Scottish Government revealed its intention to expand access to abortion across the nation, despite Scotland already having the second-highest abortion figures on record.
Women seeking a medical abortion take two types of tablet: mifepristone and misoprostol. Prior to the change in law, both sets of pills would only be prescribed following a face-to-face consultation. The first pill, mifepristone, would then be taken in the safety of a hospital or clinic, while the second set of pills could be taken at home.
The change in law, which was done without any parliamentary debate or scrutiny, means the pills can be obtained over the phone and then taken at home, where a woman will be left to abort her unborn child without any direct medical supervision.
Dr. Antony Latham, the chairman of the Scottish Council on Human Bioethics and a General Practitioner says, “I know as a GP how important it is to see someone face-to-face when making such decisions. Phone calls, or video calls, are completely inadequate.
“We need to sit down and discuss the options in a relational and non-judgmental way that gives proper dignity to the person making the decision and allows space for reflection. There are so many dangers to ‘DIY’ abortions. One is that the woman may be under pressure to have an abortion in an abusive relationship or from relatives who will not support her. Such situations are only discussed and discerned properly with face to face meetings.
“Another danger is that she may not fully understand the trauma of having an abortion, potentially all alone, at home. This is a very unpleasant and painful thing to have to go through and needs to be fully discussed.
“Significant bleeding and sepsis are not uncommon. There have been at least two recorded deaths of women having such ‘DIY’ abortions in the UK so far. It is highly questionable whether one can have informed consent for such a procedure over the phone. Without any examination she may be getting the abortion pills for a pregnancy that is over 10 weeks gestation, which is the legal limit for such ‘DIY’ abortions.
“Another significant danger is that there is real scope for people abusing the system and obtaining the pills for someone else other than the person phoning up. “
The temporary provisions have already placed the physical health of thousands of women and girls at risk.
A leaked email sent by a Regional Chief Midwife at NHS England revealed that two women have died from taking medical abortion pills, one of whom died ‘very quickly’ with sepsis and a second found dead at home the morning after starting the abortion process.
The email also revealed a woman at 32 weeks of pregnancy was able to receive ‘at-home’ abortion pills. There are currently three police investigations linked to late ‘at-home’ abortions including a ‘murder investigation as there is concern that the baby was live born’.
Speaking about the Scottish Government’s consultation, Catherine Robinson from charity Right To Life UK said, “The consultation is extremely one-sided. The Scottish Government appears to have repeatedly ‘cherry-picked’ anything that supports making ‘DIY’ home abortions permanent and ignored evidence highlighting serious issues.
“There is no mention in the consultation background evidence that two women have died using these ‘DIY’ home abortion services and no mention of the police investigating the death of an unborn baby after its mother took ‘DIY’ home abortion pills while 28 weeks pregnant.
“This is clearly a rigged consultation which is seeking to make dangerous ‘DIY’ home abortion permanent in Scotland. We are calling on constituents in Scotland to make it clear to their MSPs that these dangerous ‘DIY’ home abortion schemes should be suspended immediately and not introduced on a permanent basis.”
CAPITAL’S PUBS TO CLOSE ON FRIDAY AT 6pm FOR TWO WEEKS
Statement given by the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon to the Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh this afternoon (7 October 2020):
Presiding Officer, I will update the chamber today on the current position in relation to Covid.
I will give an assessment of the current course of the pandemic; propose difficult but important temporary measures to stem the increase in cases; set out how we will support businesses affected by them; and update the chamber on the longer term work we are doing to further improve our ability to live with Covid.
In all of this, I will be very frank about the challenges we face and the difficult balances we must try to strike.
None of this is easy, I am acutely aware that in every decision we take lives and jobs are at stake and I want to assure, not just the chamber but the country, that none of these decisions are taken lightly.
First, though, I will provide a summary of the daily statistics that were published a short time ago.
Since yesterday, an additional 1054 cases have been confirmed. That represents 13% of the people newly tested, and takes the total number of cases to 34,760. A total of 319 patients are currently in hospital with confirmed Covid-19, which is an increase of 57 since yesterday.
And 28 people are in intensive care, which is an increase of 3 since yesterday. I regret to report that 1 further death has been registered of a patient who had been confirmed as having the virus. The total number of deaths in Scotland under that measurement is therefore now 2,533.
National Records of Scotland has also just published its weekly update, which includes cases where COVID is a suspected or contributory cause of death.
Today’s update shows that by last Sunday, the total number of registered deaths linked to Covid was 4,276.
20 of those deaths were registered last week. That is the highest weekly number of deaths since late June.
Every single one of these deaths represents the loss of an irreplaceable individual.
So once again, I want to send my deepest condolences to all those who are currently grieving.
These figures illustrate the rising challenge we again face from this virus.
That challenge is also set out – starkly – in an evidence paper published today by the Scottish Government’s senior clinical advisors – the Chief Medical Officer, the Chief Nursing Officer and the National Clinical Director.
It assesses our current situation in relation to Covid.
And it explains – as I will try to do in this statement – why we need to introduce additional measures to control the virus; why it is urgent that we act now; and why we have decided upon the specific actions that I am setting out today.
Before I come onto that let me emphasise some of the more positive elements of our current position.
It is important – for the morale of all of us – that we don’t forget that progress has been made. It might not feel this way, but the situation now is better than it was in March.
We are benefiting from the sacrifices we made over the summer. By driving the virus to very low levels then, we have helped to ensure that – even after several weeks of increases – the estimated total number of cases is currently just 13% of the peak level back in March.
Cases are rising, but they are not rising as quickly as they were then.
In addition, and most importantly of all, we now have Test & Protect teams across the country, who are doing exceptional work. Test & Protect is now bearing a lot of the strain of controlling the virus.
And of course we understand more now about how to reduce the risk of transmission – for example, by meeting outdoors rather than indoors if possible, wearing face coverings, cleaning hands thoroughly, and keeping our distance from people in other households.
So while there are significant restrictions still in place – and they are hard and painful – we are living much more freely now than in the spring and early summer.
We are determined – if at all possible – that this will continue to be the case.
So let me be clear. We are not going back into lockdown today. We are not closing schools, colleges or universities. We are not halting the remobilisation of the NHS for non-Covid care. And we are not asking people to stay at home.
So while the measures I announce today will feel like a backward step, and in many respects I know they are, they are in the interests of protecting our progress overall.
It is by taking the tough but necessary action now, that we hope to avoid even tougher action in future.
Let me turn now to more detail to the state of the virus.
The need for action is highlighted by the daily figures I reported a moment ago, more fundamentally, in the evidence paper published today.
It’s worth remembering that when I updated Parliament just over two weeks ago, the average number of new cases being reported each day was 285. That was up from 102 three weeks previously.
Now, we are reporting an average of 788 new cases each day. In addition, I can report that in the 7 days up to Monday, the number of people in hospital with Covid increased by almost 80%.
And the number of people who died with Covid last week was the highest for 14 weeks. In fact, there was the same number of deaths in the last week alone as in the whole of the previous month.
The increase in the numbers of people in hospital with, and sadly dying from Covid reflect the rise we are now seeing in new cases among older age groups. In the second half of September, cases were rising most rapidly in the younger age groups.
However, in the past week, cases in people over 80 years old increased by 60%, and cases in the 60 to 79 year old age group more than doubled.
And we are seeing geographic as well as demographic spread.
Without a doubt – and by some distance – the highest levels of infection are across the central belt.
We are particularly concerned about Greater Glasgow & Clyde, Lanarkshire, Ayrshire & Arran, Lothian and Forth Valley – and that will be reflected in some of what I say later.
But that should not obscure the fact that numbers are rising across Scotland. The majority of our health board areas are now recording more than 50 new cases per 100,000 of their population each week. And virtually every heath board area has a rising number of cases. The only exceptions are Orkney and Shetland, and even they have had cases in recent weeks.
There is also, as we speak, a significant outbreak in the Western Isles.
So the need to act – and to act across the country – is clear. What is also clear is the need to take additional action now.
I mentioned earlier that prevalence of the virus is currently around 13% of its March peak.
However, we estimate that the number of new Covid cases is currently growing by around 7% each day.
So without action – and this is perhaps the starkest warning in today’s evidence paper – we are likely to return to the peak level of infections we had in the Spring by the end of this month.
It’s also instructive to consider the experience of other countries. Our modelling suggests that we are approximately four weeks behind France and six weeks behind Spain in the resurgence of the virus.
Their resurgence, like ours, was initially concentrated among younger people. However it spread to other age groups and they are now seeing significantly more hospital admissions, more people in intensive care, and more deaths.
It is to interrupt that trajectory that we must act now.
Of course, we have already taken perhaps the most important – and certainly the most painful – step we can to reduce transmission.
For the last 12 days, apart from certain limited exceptions, we have not been able to meet up in each other’s homes.
That should already be making a difference to infection rates even if, because there is always a time lag between introducing new measures and the impact they have, we are not yet seeing it reflected in our figures.
And let me take the opportunity to emphasise again today how vitally important it is that we all stick to that rule. It’s incredibly hard for all of us not to visit friends and family, or have them visit us. But it is the single most effective measure we can take to stop Covid passing from one household to another.
So please stick with it.
That measure is vital, but the clinical advice I have received now is that it is not sufficient. We need to do more and we need to do it now.
And to those who may wonder and ask, understandably, if the measures I set out today go too far, let me be clear about this.
If this was a purely one-dimensional decision – if the immediate harm from Covid was all we had to consider – it is quite likely that we would go further. But, 7 months into this pandemic, I am acutely aware that this is not and cannot be a one-dimensional decision. We have a duty to balance all of the different harms caused by the pandemic.
We must consider the direct harm to health from the virus – which must be reduced – but do that alongside the harm being done to jobs and the economy, which in turn has an impact on people’s health and wellbeing.
And we have to consider the wider harms to health and wellbeing that the virus – and the restrictions deployed to control it – are having on all of us.
For all of these reasons, we are applying a far more targeted approach than we did in March – one which reduces opportunities for the virus to spread, while keeping businesses and other activities as open as possible.
And we are not recommending that people who shielded over the summer, should return to staying completely indoors. We know how damaging that is to your wellbeing. But we do recommend that you take extra care – especially if you live in the central belt. You can now access information about infection levels in your local neighbourhood on the Public Health Scotland website.
Presiding officer, let me now set out the additional measures that we are proposing.
The measures on hospitality are intended to be in force for 16 days, from Friday at 6pm to Sunday 25 October inclusive – in other words across the next two weeks and three weekends.
So, firstly, with the exception of the five health board areas I will talk about shortly – pubs, bars, restaurants and cafes will be able to operate indoors on the following very restricted basis only:
During the day, from 6am to 6pm, for the service of food and non-alcoholic drinks only.
Hotel restaurants will be able to operate beyond 6pm, but only for residents and without alcohol.
The reason we are not closing indoor hospitality completely is that we know the benefits, in terms of reducing loneliness and isolation, of giving people – particularly those who live alone – somewhere they can meet a friend for a coffee and a chat.
But the restrictions will be strictly applied. And all the current regulations and the limits on meeting a maximum of 6 people from 2 households in indoor public places will still apply.
Again with the exception of the central belt areas I will mention shortly, bars, pubs, restaurants and cafes can continue to serve alcohol outdoors up to the existing curfew time of 10pm, and subject to the 6/2 rule on group size.
There will be an exemption to these rules – in all parts of Scotland – it’s important to stress this, for celebrations associated with specific life events such as weddings that are already booked and funerals. The current rules for those will continue to apply.
These are the new measures that will take effect nationwide.
However, because of higher levels of infection in the central belt, we are introducing stricter restrictions in the following five health board areas – Greater Glasgow & Clyde, Lanarkshire, Ayrshire & Arran, Lothian and Forth Valley.
In these areas, all licensed premises – with the exception of hotels for residents – will be required to close indoors and outdoors, though takeaways will be permitted. Hotels will remain open for residents.
Cafes which don’t have an alcohol license will be able to stay open until 6pm to support social isolation.
In addition, snooker and pool halls, indoor bowling alleys, casinos and bingo halls will close in these areas for two weeks from 10 October.
Contact sports for people aged 18 and over will be suspended for the next two weeks – with an exception for professional sports.
And indoor group exercise activities will not be allowed – although the current rules will remain in place for under 18s. Gyms can remain open for individual exercise.
Outdoor live events will not be permitted in these five regions for the next two weeks.
And finally, we are asking people living in these 5 health board areas to avoid public transport unless it is absolutely necessary – for example for going to school or to work, if home working is not an option.
We are not imposing mandatory travel restrictions at this stage, and specifically, we are not insisting that people cancel any half term breaks they have planned.
However, in general, we are advising people living in Greater Glasgow & Clyde, Lanarkshire, Ayrshire & Arran, Lothian and Forth Valley not to travel outside the health board area they live in, if you don’t need to – and likewise people in other parts of Scotland should not travel to these areas if they don’t need to.
More detail of all that I have just set out will be available on the Scottish Government website.
I now want to set out some of the reasoning behind these decisions, and the focus on hospitality.
I know that the vast majority of pubs, bars and restaurants have worked exceptionally hard over the last few months to ensure the safety of their staff and customers. I am grateful to them for that.
However the evidence paper published today sets out why these settings present a particular risk. The R number seems to have risen above 1 approximately three weeks after the hospitality sector opened up. We know that more than 1/5 of people contacted by test and protect, report having visited a hospitality setting.
It doesn’t mean that is absolutely where they got the virus but it does show these settings pose a particular risk of transmitting the virus.
That makes sense from what we know about how the virus is spread.
Indoor environments, where different households from different age groups can mix, inevitably present a risk of transmission. That risk can be increased, in some hospitality premises, if good ventilation is difficult, and if it is hard to control the movement of people. And the presence of alcohol can of course affect people’s willingness to physically distance.
For all of these reasons, significantly restricting licensed premises for sixteen days temporarily removes one of the key opportunities the virus has to jump from household to household. It is an essential part of our efforts to get the R number back below 1.
It is also worth noting that many other countries are also introducing restrictions on hospitality – Ireland, France, Germany and Belgium have announced a variety of different measures over the past few days.
I mentioned earlier that one of the things we are trying to do is to balance the public health harm caused by Covid, with wider economic and social harms.
I know that the measures we are proposing today, although they are temporary, will have a significant impact on many businesses and I am sorry for that. But since the Government is placing an obligation on businesses, we also have an obligation to help them financially.
I can announce that we are making available an additional £40 million to support businesses that will be affected by these measures over the next two weeks. We will work with the affected sectors – obviously especially hospitality – in the coming days to ensure that this money provides the most help, to those who most need it and gets to them as quickly as possible.
For the rest of this month, businesses can also use the UK Government’s job retention scheme. However, that now requires a significant contribution from employers – so one of the things we will discuss with businesses, in relation to our own support package, is how we can mitigate some or all of that contribution.
As I have indicated, our intention is that these additional measures will be in place for just over two weeks, incorporating three weekends – from 6pm on Friday to Sunday, 25 October. Of course, we will keep the situation under review between now and then, and keep Parliament updated.
We hope that the restrictions already in place and those I have announced today will stem the increase in new cases. But I can’t stress enough that is fundamentally is down to all of us.
The more we comply with all of the restrictions and advice the more effective they will be.
It is also important because we want these restrictions to be temporary that we use the next two weeks to prepare, protect and prevent – to further strengthen our resilience and our ability to live alongside this virus. So I can confirm over the next period we will also take the following steps.
Firstly, we will introduce regulations to extend the mandatory use of face coverings in indoor communal settings – this will include, for example, staff canteens and corridors in workplaces.
We will take action to strengthen compliance with the different strands of the FACTS advice – focusing on areas where we know from research that compliance is not yet high enough, for example, the need to self isolate.
I can also confirm that, from this weekend and across Scotland, we are asking shops to return to 2 metre physical distancing and asking them to reintroduce the mitigations they put in place earlier in the pandemic – for example, one way systems in supermarkets.
We will also work across all other sectors to review – and where necessary tighten – the guidance and regulation on their operating practices.
In addition, over the next two weeks, we will conduct a further review of our testing strategy – setting out the further steps we will take to further expand capacity, which is already underway, and build resilience and also the further steps we will take to extend testing to more people and more groups of people without symptoms.
And, lastly, we will finalise a strategic framework, setting out the different levels of intervention which can be adopted in future – either locally or across Scotland – depending on how the virus is spreading. We very much hope to align the broad framework with those being considered by other UK nations – although each nation will take its own decisions on implementation.
We will put, subject of course to Parliament’s agreement, put this strategic framework to a debate and vote in Parliament in the week after the recess.
Presiding officer, I am well aware that the measures I have outlined today are disruptive to many businesses – obviously especially hospitality businesses – and will be unwelcome to many people across the country.
However although they are significant – as they need to be, to make an impact – they do not represent a lockdown. In fact, they are designed to reduce the likelihood of a future lockdown.
We are not requiring people to stay inside all day as we were earlier in the year.
Schools will stay open. Learning will continue in our Universities and Colleges.
Shops will continue to trade, and businesses like manufacturing and construction will continue.
And these new restrictions are intended to last for 16 days. They are intended to be short, sharp action to arrest a worrying increase in infection.
Although they are temporary, they are needed.
Without them, there is a very real risk the virus, presiding officer, will be out of control by the end of this month.
But with them, we hope to slow its spread. That will help us to keep schools and businesses – including hospitality businesses – open over the winter. And fundamentally it will save lives.
So please follow these new rules. And continue to take the other basic steps that will protect you and each other.
Do not visit other people’s homes.
Work from home if you can.
Download the Protect Scotland app, if you can and haven’t already done so.
And remember FACTS.
Face coverings; avoid crowded places; clean hands and hard surfaces; 2 metre distancing; and self isolate, and get tested if you have symptoms.
Sticking to all of this isn’t easy, after seven long months it is harder than it has ever been. But it is essential. It’s the best way to look out for each other, and now more than ever, we all need that spirit of love and solidarity that has served us so well.
And hard through it is to believe it right now, all the hard sacrifices we are making will hasten the brighter days that do lie ahead. The pandemic will pass.
So, let’s all stick with it – and above all, let’s stick together.
My thanks, again, to everyone across the country, for all you are doing.
‘DEVASTATING NEWS’
Responding to the First Minister’s announcement for further restrictions for pubs, CAMRA’s Director for Scotland Joe Crawford said: “The First Minister’s announcement banning the serving of alcohol indoors for 16 days across the country – and forcing pubs in five health board areas in the central belt to close altogether – is absolutely devastating news for pubs and breweries.
“Publicans who have been operating at reduced rates, and who have already invested thousands of pounds of their dwindling reserves making their premises COVID-secure, now face 16 days without any turnover whatsoever. Understandably, they feel like pubs have become the scapegoat for the pandemic.
“The £40 million in support for the hospitality sector is welcome and necessary but the devil will be in the detail.
“Without proper financial compensation now – and longer-term financial support to help deal with reduced trade as a result of restrictions like the curfew – we risk seeing thousands of pubs, clubs and breweries closing for good before Christmas.”
LICENSED TRADE IS THE ‘SACRIFICIAL LAMB’ – SLTA
Responding to the announcement Colin Wilkinson, Scottish Licensed Trade Association (SLTA) managing director, said: “The recent introduction of the 10pm closing time plus the two-household group of six rule is having a devasting effect on the industry – closures are looming and now today’s announcement of further restrictions and temporary lockdowns will only accelerate business failure and job losses.
“A recent survey highlighted that nearly 40% of hospitality businesses were considering closure or business exit. In September, an SLTA survey of 600 on-trade premises highlighted that within the pub and bar sector, 12,500 jobs could go.
“These figures have increased dramatically in only a month. When the industry reopened after lockdown and with the then restrictive measures in place, it was estimated that two-thirds of hospitality businesses could still be viable, but only just, with one-third of businesses unable to open.
“Now that figure has flipped and in our estimation two-thirds of hospitality businesses could be mothballed or go under. Over 50% of jobs in the pub and bar sector could also be lost which will have a particularly deep impact on the employment of young people as over 40% of staff employed are under the age of 25.
“Our research already tells us that many in the industry are on the precipice of business failure and these further restriction measures announced today and the much quieter winter season approaching leads us to only one conclusion: the sector is now heading into a scenario of ‘last man standing’.
“Details of the First Minster’s announcement of a £40m financial support package are awaited, but the question is will this be enough? In our opinion the hospitality sector in general needs substantially greater and far more reaching support than has just been announced and does not come anywhere near to saving our industry.
“The SLTA will be working with the Scottish Government on how this funding will be distributed to those affected by today’s announcement.
“Responsible operators are running safe, carefully monitored establishments so in our opinion there is no need for the Scottish Government to ‘go further’ on pubs.
“Actions by governments are meant to be proportionate and evidence based and despite reference today to newly released “evidence paper” the industry continues to call on the Government to provide the evidence for infection rates stemming directly from the licensed trade.
“Industry figures suggest that there are very low infection rates of staff within our pubs and bars which suggests to us that the industry is doing everything that it can and is providing as safe an environment as possible – otherwise, if we were a major causal route of infection, this would surely be reflected in the infection rate of hospitality staff.
“It would appear again that Scotland’s licensed trade is the sacrificial lamb and paying the price for other sectors that do not operate under such restrictive measures as we have seen recently.”
Staff are being put at the forefront of a housing and care charity’s strategy to plan its future direction as it prepares for life with COVID-19.
Blackwood will be assessing the responses of all of its 549 employees and using them to implement strategies to improve the work and lives of everyone involved in the charity.
Staff were asked to answer two surveys over a six week period to assess opinions on a range of issues.
Blackwood Operations Director Angela Currie (above) said: “We couldn’t care for our customers without the hard work of all of our staff, from those on the frontline providing care and housing services, to our corporate team.
“Many of us have felt the additional pain and pressure of working in the social care sector during the pandemic. The vital, company-wide support we have had from our colleagues has been a huge factor in our management of the pandemic.
“At Blackwood we believe it is essential to ask for the input of all of our staff. We recognise how important feedback is in creating a strong organisation. We want our staff to be a part of our planning and influence how we move forward, especially as we look to progress out of the pandemic to a more ‘normal’ life.
“All of our employees were sent the surveys, which take into account how staff are feeling about working from home, their work-life balance, and what they would like to see more of in the future.”
Blackwood’s commitment to staff has been evident throughout the pandemic. The charity launched a campaign, #ImInAwe, to showcase its appreciation for the vital work of front-line social care workers, which can often go unnoticed.
As part of the campaign, Blackwood gifted all 284 of its care staff a £90 Aldi voucher to help with their essential shopping.
In addition, Blackwood have further endorsed its desire to recognise the impact of its workforce by giving its support for World Patient Safety Day.
Angela added: “Our colleagues have gone above and beyond over the past few months, we cannot thank them enough.
“Through World Patient Safety Day we celebrate and value our teams as they continue to put customers first in unprecedented times. Utilising practical solutions to empower our staff, even outside of the work environment, is the key to a safer Scotland.
“Working with our colleagues on this survey will hopefully provide us with some interesting insights on how staff are feeling, and how we can retain some of the more positive elements of working we have seen over the past six months.”
Blackwood aims to help people live their life to the full, by providing services which support individuals to live independently. It specialises in technology and design innovation to support the role of its housing and care staff across Scotland.
Many student midwives are struggling under the weight of financial concerns, poor mental health and an unpredictable job market, according to new findings by the Royal College of Midwives (RCM).
Student midwives in England, who must pay tuition fees and take out maintenance loans to cover living costs, will have, on average, a debt of £41,000 when they qualify. Even for those who receive a training bursary, the financial future is bleak.
A staggering 91 per cent of student midwives in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland said their training bursaries were not enough to live on.
Gill Walton, Chief Executive of the RCM, said: “Our student midwives should not be facing a triple threat of debt, worry and an unpredictable job market Unlike other students, the demanding nature of their course mean they have little opportunity to seek part-time work to supplement their income.
“They have a longer academic year, they work nights, weekends and bank holidays, and are often on-call to go in a at a minute’s notice. They show incredible dedication to their chosen career and there is an overwhelming case to give them better financial support, and to ensure they get jobs in our NHS when they qualify.”
The pandemic’s impact on student midwives cannot be underestimated. The RCM found that 96 per cent of student midwives reported having mild or moderate mental health problems since the pandemic began.
Our survey shows that by the end of July just 36 per cent of students in their final year of midwifery training had been offered a job in the NHS. At the same time, midwifery educator numbers are not keeping pace with the rise in student midwife numbers, potentially leaving students less supported throughout their training.
Gill Walton added: “Throughout the pandemic student midwives have made enormous efforts, working in our maternity services while also continuing their studies. At the same time the pandemic has disrupted midwifery education heavily.
“Some UK governments and institutions are doing better than others, but most are selling our student midwives short. They need to step up and ensure we continue to have the best educated, best prepared new midwives in the world. They are the future carers of mothers, babies, and families and we must invest in them.”
– Customers can order a delivery to their doorstep from items across the supermarket –
Morrisons has launched a service aimed at ensuring customers who are self-isolating can get a delivery of food to their doorstep.
With coronavirus cases rising, Morrisons wants no customer to be left behind and the ‘doorstep delivery’ service will offer all customers who are self-isolating a next-day food delivery (from 10am-6pm).
Customers simply have to ring the doorstep delivery service where they can choose the items for their emergency delivery. The service was previously only available for elderly and clinically vulnerable people.
Now anybody who is self-isolating can:
Phone 0345 611 6111 and select option five.
Choose from a items across the supermarket, guided by the telesales operator
Place the order and then the delivery is made the following day by a store colleague from their local store, often the store’s Community Champion, who is tasked with helping the community.
Pay for delivery on their doorstep via a mobile chip and pin device. The delivery charge is £4.50 (students £2). There is no delivery charge for elderly and vulnerable people.
Anna Lane, Morrisons Local Director, said: “This doorstep service will ensure that more people who can’t leave their home to go shopping will be able to get a delivery of affordable food.”
Morrisons will be delivering from more stores in order to extend the service across the country.
Scottish Book Trust, the national charity transforming lives through reading and writing, has today announced the shortlist for the 2021 Bookbug Picture Book Prize. Now in its fifth year, the shortlist includes Morag Hood, Ross Collins and Zoë Ingram.
The award was established to celebrate the most popular picture books by Scottish authors and illustrators and to encourage reading for pleasure.
The winner is chosen by thousands of children across the country who can cast their votes online either at school with their teacher or at home with their families, via the Scottish Book Trust website.
THE BOOKBUG PICTURE BOOK PRIZE 2021 SHORTLIST IS:
Brenda is a Sheep by Morag Hood (Two Hoots)
This is a Dog by Ross Collins (Nosy Crow)
My First Book of Birds illustrated by Zoë Ingram (Walker Books)
Morag Hood and Zoë Ingram are both from Edinburgh, while Ross Collins is from Glasgow.
The 2021 shortlist features Brenda who believes she is a sheep but is different from her fluffy friends; a dog that steals the show and plans to keep it that way, and an illustrated spotter’s guide that is an ideal introduction to garden birds.
Families can watch the books being read aloud here.
The winner of the Bookbug Picture Book Prize will be announced in an exclusive video to all registered groups on Thursday 4 March 2021 (World Book Day).
The winner will receive a specially commissioned trophy and £2,000 while shortlisted authors and illustrators receive £500 per book.
62,000 pupils across Scotland will receive a free copy of each of the three books on the shortlist, which are given to every Primary 1 child during Book Week Scotland (16 November – 22 November), in the Bookbug P1 Family Bag.
Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust, said:“It’s always a delight to see familiar faces on the Bookbug Picture Book Prize, which was established to celebrate the work of great authors and illustrators in Scotland.
“We hope families across the country will enjoy reading these books together, and vote for the one they enjoy most.”
Alan Bett, Literature Officer at Creative Scotland, said:“The Bookbug Picture Book Prize promotes reading for enjoyment and engages young readers, not only through a fantastic shortlist of titles, but also by empowering them with the decision to choose the winner. Congratulations to all the shortlisted authors and illustrators.”
The deadline for voting is Friday 5 February at 5pm.
The Covid-19 pandemic has shown why, more than ever, Local Government is essential to our everyday lives, according to local government umbrella body COSLA.
COSLA also said that we are now at a crossroads and must decide the type of world we want to build as a response to the pandemic.
Councillor Steven Heddle COSLA Environment and Economy Spokesperson, said: “The Covid-19 pandemic has shown why, more than ever, Local Government is essential to our everyday lives.
“The recently published Local Government Blueprint highlights that we are now at a crossroads and must decide the type of world we want to build as a response to the pandemic.
“Climate change and the degradation of natural environments across the world is a factor behind the emergence of new diseases like Covid-19.
“While the exact origins of the pandemic have yet to be discovered, what is not uncertain is the global public health and economic crisis which has resulted. The linkage between the environment, human health and wellbeing and the economy has rarely been clearer.”
Councillor Heddle continued: “We live in a tightly knit and fragile world, so we have no choice but to meet these global challenges on our own home turf which is why Local Government has never been more important.
“In uncertain times like this I believe we must take strength from our civic roots and the local democratic tradition in Scotland. We have shown in the past that big change can start at the local level, but this requires a purposeful decision to invest locally and to trust in local decision making.
“The pandemic has highlighted how Local Government is not just about the delivery of vital services, but it is about the places we live and the lives we lead.
“Whether it is through tackling the inequalities so cruelly exposed by the pandemic, supporting businesses through extraordinary times, investing in our greener future or helping young people find employment, Local Government in Scotland is a positive driver of change locally and nationally.
“The Local Government Blueprint shows a way ahead which is both focused on the needs of our local communities but also on the big, global challenges which we all face. It’s a positive vision for the future we want to build together.”
Capital Theatres, Scotland’s largest theatre charity, has thanked the public for its incredible support of the theatres through its Crowdfunder campaign, an urgent appeal for support launched last month.
The Crowdfunder closed at noon yesterday having raised £86,900 from 1670 people, more than doubling its original target of £35,000.
Capital Theatres, which operates Edinburgh’s much-loved King’s Theatre, Festival Theatre and The Studio had asked for donations to help ensure its three city centre theatres can re-open when it is safe to do so, and to ensure continued access to creativity and the arts for the most vulnerable communities during COVID-19.
The money raised through this outpouring of love and affection for the organisation and its theatres will be put to great use protecting the core staff of the theatres, maintaining the heritage buildings and preparing for a March re-opening should government restrictions, public safety and science allow.
A series of rewards proved extremely popular with supporters, especially opportunities to get behind the scenes with the tech team at the theatres, enjoy a glass of fizz with Elaine C Smith or a chat about theatre voices with Ian Rankin over zoom, an illustrated limited edition poem about the King’s Theatre by King’s Ambassador Alexander McCall Smith, and the opportunity to appear in the next panto!
Fiona Gibson, CEO of Capital Theatres said: “All of us here at Capital Theatres are very humbled by the response from the public to our appeal. We know we still have a long way to go to reopen our doors, but an incredible show of support like this, with wonderful comments and memories shared, clearly demonstrates what our theatres mean to so many.
“It gives us all the passion, energy and determination we need to ensure we survive this crisis through bringing back great shows to our stages when we can and to support our community throughout. A huge, huge thank you to everyone who made this possible with your incredibly generous donations. We can’t wait to welcome you back over our doors when it’s safe for us to do so.
“A huge thank-you too to our King’s Ambassadors, our national companies Scottish Opera and Scottish Ballet and to Birmingham Royal Ballet as well as our corporate partners for their in-kind support of the campaign, and to all of our stakeholders for their beautiful words of encouragement and support.”
Other members of the Capital Theatres staff team added their thanks as news of the scale of donations was shared.
“I was blown away watching all the rewards get snapped up and our total just soar and soar. It truly brought home a sense of belonging to, and our value in the community both at home and afar! I’m looking forward to seeing all of you soon. Thank you for your support!” commented Mark Pringle, Head Flyman
Cat Sheridan, Learning and Participation Coordinator, said: “I am so overwhelmed by the incredible support for Capital Theatres and our ‘Raise The Curtain’ programme, without which none of our digital engagement sessions, with our wonderful participants, would be possible.
And Joanna Miller, Head of Marketing added: “We have been overwhelmed at the outpouring of love for the theatres from the 1670 donors and the generosity of our Friends, customers, Edinburgh’s arts community and the city’s residents. This money will help us to provide entertainment and inspiration during this current pandemic whilst our venues are closed. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”
Capital Theatres is currently actively campaigning to receive emergency Government funding at the same level as other publicly supported theatres, which would allow the theatres to continue to play a vital part in Edinburgh’s year-round thriving arts scene and support the local and national economy.
A petition calling on the Scottish Government to recognise the scale of emergency facing Capital Theatres on Change.org has secured 12,667 signatures to date and is still open for those looking to lend their voice to its campaign.
The money raised through the Crowdfunder is a fantastic support for Capital Theatres. Those who missed the Crowdfunder but would like to support the theatre charity’s work can still donate at www.capitaltheatres.com
#SaveOurTheatres and #AfterTheInterval
Just a few of the comments received on the Crowdfunder page:
Lynne said: “I love the panto very much and was always going to donate but the chance to BE IN the panto was too good to pass up! Wishing you all the best.”
Martin said: “A building, team and company I love. They have welcomed, supported, cajoled and helped me develop as an amateur stage manager.️”
Jennifer said: “Life is so poor without live arts and culture. I miss you very much and am desperately hoping you survive this ongoing lengthy crisis.”
Linda said: “Theatres give so much joy and pleasure and we really need to know they will survive this terrible pandemic. Here to support you in your time of need.”
Evelyn said: “No question our theatres are worth preserving, and the artists and technicians working in the theatre should be supported, not only because the theatre is their livelihood, but also because the arts are actually vital to our well-being (and make life so much more interesting!). I have missed the fun and buzz of live performances (not to mention the cancelled festivals!) and I look forward to the day the doors open again!”
Mairi said: “The Festival Theatre holds a special place in my heart; I’ve been coming here since it opened in 1994 and it is one of the things I have most missed over the last six months.”
June said: “We can’t let this happen – everything is a venue in the Festival, but if we are still to be internationally renowned as a city of culture we must have theatres of international standard, with their own Edinburgh heritage. (And there is no panto in the world like it!)”
Susan said: “My whole family has been coming to The Kings panto for nearly 30 years, never missed it once! Would be gutted if my kids couldnt carry on the tradition! Our best night of the year! Good luck! X️️”
And as Jo succinctly said: “Long live the King’s!”
Finance Ministers from across the devolved nations have joined forces to call for flexibility, fairness and clarity from the UK Government.
For the first time, all three finance ministers – Kate Forbes, Rebecca Evans and Conor Murphy – today made co-ordinated statements in their respective legislatures.
The ministers are asking the UK Government for greater fiscal flexibility to manage the implications of coronavirus (COVID-19), meaningful involvement in the Spending Review to enable planning of budgets and an assurance that lost EU funding will be replaced in full and brought under the control of devolved administrations.
Finance Secretary Ms Forbes said: “Today the finance ministers of the devolved administrations are taking this unprecedented step to demonstrate the level of concern we share across the different nations of the UK, across different parties and across different legislatures.
“The importance of these issues cannot be overstated. They directly impact our ability to respond to COVID-19, to manage our nations’ finances and to support our communities and businesses during the pandemic.
“As representatives of our three nations, we are calling for the UK Government to provide the clarity, certainty and flexibility we require. These calls must not go unanswered.”
Ms Evans said: “I am focused on protecting the people of Wales from the worst impacts of the pandemic, while laying the foundations for recovery based on jobs, our young people and the environment.
“However, the Chancellor’s decision to cancel the UK autumn budget, alongside the uncertainty of the Spending Review and the complete lack of information on replacement EU funding, all contribute to making our task harder still.
“Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are today calling on the UK government to provide the fairness, flexibility and clarity we need to support and protect our communities and businesses.”
Speaking in the Northern Ireland Assembly, Mr Murphy said: “As Finance Ministers we represent over 10 million people and today we speak with one voice. We are calling for more fiscal flexibility to manage the implications of COVID-19.
“We are calling for proper involvement in the Spending Review so we can plan our Budgets. We are also calling for lost EU funding to be replaced in full, and brought under local control.”
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has set out new plans to Build Back Greener by making the UK the world leader in clean wind energy – creating jobs, slashing carbon emissions and boosting exports.
£160 million will be made available to upgrade ports and infrastructure across communities like in Teesside and Humber in Northern England, Scotland and Wales to hugely increase our offshore wind capacity, which is already the largest in the world and currently meets 10 per cent of our electricity demand.
This new investment will see around 2,000 construction jobs rapidly created and will enable the sector to support up to 60,000 jobs directly and indirectly by 2030 in ports, factories and the supply chains, manufacturing the next-generation of offshore wind turbines and delivering clean energy to the UK.
Through this, UK businesses including smaller suppliers will be well-placed to win orders and further investment from energy companies around the world and increase their competitive standing on the global stage, as well as supporting low-carbon supply chains.
The Prime Minister has also set out further commitments to ensure that, within the decade, the UK will be at the forefront of the green industrial revolution as we accelerate our progress towards net zero emissions by 2050.
These include:
Confirming offshore wind will produce more than enough electricity to power every home in the country by 2030, based on current electricity usage, boosting the government’s previous 30GW target to 40GW.
Creating a new target for floating offshore wind to deliver 1GW of energy by 2030, which is over 15 times the current volumes worldwide. Building on the strengths of our North Sea, this brand new technology allows windfarms to be built further out to sea in deeper waters, boosting capacity even further where winds are strongest and ensuring the UK remains at the forefront of the next generation of clean energy.
Setting a target to support up to double the capacity of renewable energy in the next Contracts for Difference auction, which will open in late 2021 – providing enough clean, low cost energy to power up to 10 million homes
These commitments are the first stage outlined as part of the Prime Minister’s ten-point plan for a green industrial revolution, which will be set out fully later this year. This is expected to include ambitious targets and major investment into industries, innovation and infrastructure that will accelerate the UK’s path to net zero by 2050.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “Our seas hold immense potential to power our homes and communities with low-cost green energy and we are already leading the way in harnessing its strengths.
“Now, as we build back better we must build back greener. So we are committing to new ambitious targets and investment into wind power to accelerate our progress towards net zero emissions by 2050.
“This sets us on our path towards a green industrial revolution, which will provide tens of thousands of highly-skilled jobs.”
Together with planned stringent requirements on supporting UK manufacturers in Government-backed renewables projects, these measures will mean the industry can reach its target of 60% of offshore wind farm content coming from the UK.
Business and Energy Secretary Alok Sharma said: “The offshore wind sector is a major British success story, providing cheap, green electricity while supporting thousands of good-quality jobs.
“Powering every home in the country through offshore wind is hugely ambitious, but it’s exactly this kind of ambition which will mean we can build back greener and reach net zero emissions by 2050.”
Today’s announcement marks the latest stage of the UK Government’s support for renewable energy. Last September the third round of the Contracts for Difference renewable energy auction delivered record-low prices on enough clean energy to power 7 million homes. Earlier this year the Government announced the next round would be open to onshore wind and solar projects for the first time since 2015.
The UK has the largest installed capacity of offshore wind in the world, with around 10GW in operation off its coasts.
The Government’s plan for renewable energy forms part of wider efforts to ensure the UK meets its legally binding target to reach net zero emissions by 2050 and build back greener from coronavirus.
Over the past decade, the UK has cut carbon emissions by more than any similar developed country. In 2019, UK emissions were 42 per cent lower than in 1990, while our economy over the same period grew by 72 per cent.
Hugh McNeal, CEO of RenewableUK, said: “The Government has raised the ambition for offshore wind and renewables, and our industry is ready to meet the challenge. A green recovery with renewables at its heart will be good for consumers and jobs, as well as helping to meet our 2050 net zero emissions target.
“Support for new floating wind projects will ensure the UK stays at the forefront of global innovation in renewables, and provides new opportunities in the low carbon transition.”
Energy UK’s Chief Executive, Emma Pinchbeck, commented: “The UK’s power sector has reduced emissions by nearly 70%, but we know we need to go further and faster on the road to Net Zero. The energy industry will work with Government to turn our world-leading low carbon power sector into a Green Recovery for the whole economy.
“The package of support for offshore and floating wind announced by the Prime Minister today takes a UK decarbonisation success story and winds it up to a scale fit for the Green Recovery, creating jobs and billions of pounds of investment.
“We need to build back better for the environment, for the economy and for communities. We look forward to the Prime Minister’s ten-point plan for the low carbon industrial revolution, later this autumn.”
Keith Anderson, CEO of ScottishPower said: “These bold ambitions and clear targets are exactly the right signals at exactly the right time. They will encourage long-term investment and innovation from the renewables industry – and they will boost employment and economic benefits right across the UK.
“ScottishPower is committed to doubling down on our commitments to delivering 100% clean green energy that matches the UK’s aim to cut emissions for every home.”
Benj Sykes, Industry Chair of OWIC, said: “Offshore wind is on track to become the backbone of Britain’s electricity system, providing reliable, low-cost clean power to homes and businesses across the country.
“The industry is investing tens of billions of pounds in new offshore wind projects, supporting local economies and employment in communities across the UK. Our global leadership in offshore wind, coupled with new support for investment in ports, will help unlock the huge opportunity for the UK to build a world-leading, competitive supply chain.”
Alistair Phillips-Davies, CEO of SSE said: “We welcome today’s announcement which will help ensure that more low cost offshore wind can be deployed before 2030, creating green jobs and putting the UK on the right path to net zero.
“This complements SSE’s own plans to invest over £7.5 billion in low carbon infrastructure over the next five years, including building the largest offshore wind farm in the world at Dogger Bank with Equinor.”
