Day: February 16, 2022

“I felt like I was hitting my head off a brick wall” – Edinburgh PE teacher’s seven-year battle with chronic pain

Experts come together to support the one in five Scots with persistent pain

Stacey Wilson has never been one to shy away from a challenge – competing for Scotland in throwing sports and athletics up until the age of 23 – but the PE teacher from Edinburgh didn’t expect to face her hardest one at age 27, when debilitating back pain changed her life forever.

Immediately after giving birth to her daughter Sadie, now seven, Stacey began experiencing excruciating pain in her back. The ‘flare-ups’, as she refers to them, last between four and six weeks and have blighted Stacey’s life ever since, resulting in hospitalisation, expensive healthcare treatments, time off work and her even having to learn to walk again.

Most traumatising for the mother of two is the impact her pain has had on her children.

Stacey recalls: “My back pain started straight after having my daughter, despite having a really healthy pregnancy. It meant I couldn’t fully enjoy being a new mother as I was in constant pain, very fatigued and had continual brain fog.

“After having my little boy, Clark, four years ago, I also remember being blue-lighted to the hospital in agony. He was just a few months old, and I was waiting for 10 hours to be seen, expressing breast milk in the hospital cubicle and then being told to ‘go home and make an appointment with my doctor for the morning.’

“I couldn’t move and had to be lifted and laid down in the back of my dad’s cab to be taken home – it was an horrific experience that has stayed with me to this day.”

Despite being proactive about her health and paying out thousands of pounds on private healthcare treatments, including cupping and acupuncture, Stacey was frustrated she wasn’t being listened to. “I felt like I was hitting my head off a brick wall,” she explains. “I asked to join a pain management programme three times to try and regain some control, but I kept being rejected for a place – with no feedback about why.”

After eventually getting onto a pain management programme, the 34-year-old from Gilmerton hasn’t had a severe flare-up in four years.

Stacey now manages her pain with tried and tested techniques and coping strategies including Pilates and regular physiotherapy sessions.

She is sharing her story in a bid to help others like her, who live with chronic pain. Chronic or persistent pain affects 20% of Scots and is defined as pain that lasts for longer than 12 weeks, despite medication or treatment.

Running in February and March, people from across Scotland will have the opportunity to get advice, guidance and hear real-life stories about living with chronic pain from world-leading pain experts, panels of people who live with it and specialist health professionals, through a series of free-to-attend events.

The events – designed specifically for those affected by persistent pain – will be delivered as live webinars which can be watched back by those who are unable to attend on the day.

Led by the Flippin’ Pain™ public health movement in partnership with NHS Scotland and the Scottish Government, the series is one of 13 Scottish Government-funded projects made available via the Chronic Pain Winter Support Fund. They aim to improve access to care and deliver better health outcomes for people with chronic pain in Scotland.

Internationally acclaimed pain scientist and the world’s leading pain educator, Professor Lorimer Moseley, will lead the first event: ‘Rethinking Pain:  new understanding and new possibilities.’

Professor Moseley spearheads the ‘Pain Revolution’ movement throughout Australia, has 300 published research articles, is author of six books and presented a series of Ted X Talks, putting him at the forefront of thinking in contemporary pain science.

Chronic pain can affect many aspects of day-to-day life and can be associated with depression, anxiety, fatigue and sleep issues. People with chronic pain are also more likely to report lower life satisfaction and poorer quality of life compared to those without the condition.

Public Health Minister Maree Todd explains: “Living with chronic pain is extremely challenging, which is why the Scottish Government is committed to ensuring patients can access the support they need, when they need it.

“We are running a public consultation on a new Framework for Pain Management Services with the aim of improving the care and quality of life for people with chronic pain.

“I am pleased to see projects like this one, funded through our Chronic Pain Winter Support Fund, to boost the support available for people with chronic pain to help them maintain their health and wellbeing over the months ahead.”

Richard Pell, campaign director for Flippin’ Pain™ concludes: “Understanding pain is so important. Our understanding of pain – why it’s there, why it behaves the way it does and why it sometimes doesn’t go away – influence what we do about it and even how it feels.

“Many long-held beliefs about pain are hugely out of step with modern scientific understanding. People deserve better. People are suffering more than they should, losing control and seeing their quality of life deteriorate.

“I urge people living with pain, their friends and family too, to engage with the events and to do so with an open mind. Flipping your understanding of pain won’t take pain away overnight – but with time it can be transformative and has been the first step on the road to recovery for many.”

Flippin’ Pain™. Its ‘Why rethinking pain really matters’ webinar services includes:

  • Event one: 15th February 2022, 10am, ‘Rethinking Pain: new understanding and new possibilities.’
  • Event two: 2nd March 2022, 5pm, ‘Why everything matters when it comes to pain.’
  • Event three: 23rd March 2022, 12pm, ‘Flippin’ everything you thought you knew about arthritis.’

All events can be watched back, on-demand.

For more information including booking a place for the events visit the News & Events page at www.flippinpain.co.uk

How to keep your dog safe and happy during a storm

With storms on the way, the UK’s largest dog welfare charity, Dogs Trust, is providing top tips and advice on how to keep our four-legged friends happy and safe.

Charlotte Huggins, Canine Behaviour Officer at Dogs Trust, says: “Extreme weather can be distressing for dogs. Signs to look out for include pacing around the home, excessive barking, or trying to run and hide.

“There are steps owners can take to comfort their dog and help them cope if their dogs are becoming anxious. If you’re worried about the weather, keep your dog indoors as much as possible.”

Top tips

  • Make sure your dog has enjoyable things to do indoors to keep them stimulated, such as a toy filled with food or a long-lasting chew
  • Play games or practice reward-based training with your dog
  • Close the curtains, turn lights on and turn up the volume on your TV or radio
  • Make sure your house and garden are secure, in case your dog tries to run away if they are scared
  • Provide a safe hiding place – for example, a comfy bed under a table with blankets which will make it cosy and help with soundproofing.
  • If your dog wants to hide, allow them to stay where they feel safe
  • If you can head out safely, always keep your dog on a lead
  • Stay out of flood water as it may contain raw sewage and toxins and other hazards that could injure your dog.

For more information and advice visit www.dogstrust.org.uk/advice 

West Pilton Park – The Developing Plan

Over the last few months, the Edinburgh & Lothians Greenspace Trust (ELGT) have been engaging with the local Pilton community and stakeholders about a West Pilton Park masterplan.

Through workshops, meetings, and walk-abouts we have been finding out how the park is currently used, what’s good and what’s not, and how people would like to see it develop over the next decade.

It has been great to hear so much from so many of you and the amount of ideas and interest has been integral for this part of the design process. We are now at the end of this first round of engagement and would like to share with you the initial masterplan ideas that have been developed between yourselves and us (please find attached, below).

However, it doesn’t end there!

This is just the initial draft and ELGT would really like to hear your thoughts on this masterplan, where you think it is working, what you think could be improved, or what is still missing.

As such, we would like to invite you to an online meeting where we can present the initial masterplan ideas for West Pilton Park. You will have the opportunity to discuss, ask questions and shape how we move forward with the masterplan.

The meeting will take place on Wednesday 23rd Feb at 6pm

Please send on the below link to anyone you feel would be interested in attending:

West Pilton Park – Masterplan Progress Meeting

Wednesday 23rd Feb – 6pm

Click here to join the meeting

We also have a feedback sheet (attached) for anyone who cannot make the meeting.

If you could share this as far and wide as possible within your networks, through social media or through hard copies (ELGT can provide), as well as doing one yourself, that would be great.

It will also be available soon in West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre alongside the masterplan display there.

If you have any questions, comments or queries please don’t hesitate to get in contact.

Thanks for your continuing help with this project

Angus Fisher | Greenspace Project Officer | Edinburgh & Lothians Greenspace Trust

ELGT838_WPP_initial-design-plan_feedback-formDownload
ELGT838_WPP_Masterplan-Progress-ReportDownload

Red Cross volunteers standing ready to support communities if storms cause disruption in Scotland

British Red Cross volunteers and staff are ready to support communities as Storms Dudley and Eunice approach Scotland. 

Met Office weather warnings have been issued for Wednesday and Thursday with 90mph winds possible in parts. 

Red Cross teams are based across Scotland and support communities as part of coordinated responses with local authorities, the emergency services, and the voluntary sector during emergencies. 

Just recently, volunteers and staff helped people affected by power outages following Storm Arwen, providing information, food and other essentials to vulnerable people who were in need.  

Anyone affected by the storms can contact the British Red Cross Support Line on 0808 196 3651 for emotional support. 

British Red Cross tips for preparing for floods 

Before floods 

  • Check for local flood warnings online or during weather forecasts and stay up to date with local radio and TV news.  You can also download the British Red Cross emergency app here. 
  • In a Covid-secure way, check in with vulnerable people to see what help they need and, if you are vulnerable yourself, let others know you may need a little help yourself. 
  • Buy or prepare sandbags, move vehicles to higher ground and prepare an emergency kit of items you might need in the event of crisis – a first aid kit, drinking water, a snack, a torch and some waterproof clothes might be some choices. 
  • Get hold of a battery or wind-up operated radio to stay in touch with the latest developments. 
  • Make sure you have all the medicines you need, especially if you have conditions such as diabetes or angina.  

During floods 

  • Don’t walk, swim or drive through floodwater and don’t walk on sea defences or riverbanks. 
  • Avoid contact with flood water as it can be contaminated with sewage and don’t allow children to play in or near it. 
  • Contact your local council.  They will be helping your community respond to this crisis and may have arranged emergency shelter. 

After floods 

  • Throw away any food that has been in floodwater. 
  • Boil tap water or use bottled water until you’re told your water supply is safe. 
  • If you’re struggling and need a little help call the British Red Cross support line on 0808 196 3651.

Spokes public meeting: Monday 21st February, 7.30 – 9.30pm

Traffic Reduction Commitments, Scotland & Edinburgh

The Scottish Government has made a remarkable “commitment” to reducing car-kilometres by 20% over the 2019 pre-covid figures, by year 2030 – primarily as a response to the climate crisis, although with many additional side-benefits for public health and community.

Edinburgh City Council has followed this up with a 30% ambition – albeit a “target” rather than a commitment.

Our online public meeting on Monday 21 February brings together Scottish Government Minister Patrick Harvie MSP, responsible for active travel policies and Cllr Lesley Macinnes, the City’s Transport Convener, to explain, debate and be challenged on the route to achieving these very tough ambitions.

Dr Caroline Brown, member of Spokes and of the Transform Scotland policy forum, will critique the government and council approaches; and this will be followed by an hour of debate between the panel members, prompted by your questions.

The QA/debate will be chaired by Dr Sam Gardner, head of the Edinburgh Climate Commission.

Website article …

http://www.spokes.org.uk/2022/02/spokesmtg-traffic-reduction-commitments-in-scotland-edinburgh/

Tweet …twitter.com/SpokesLothian/status/1493588445595410438   Hashtag #SpokesMtg

Practicalities

Date/Time: Monday 21 Feb 7.30 – 9.30pm

Registration : Register in advance – the link is in the above website article

HMRC: Almost 100,000 people spread cost of their tax bill

Almost 100,000 Self Assessment customers across the UK have used online payment plans to spread the cost of their tax bill into manageable monthly instalments since April 2021, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has revealed.

Once a customer has filed their 2020/21 Self Assessment tax return, they can set up a Time to Pay arrangement for up to 12 months on debts up to £30,000, that they’re unable to pay in full. This can be done online at GOV.UK without speaking to HMRC.  

Since April 2021, Self Assessment customers have used the online Time to Pay service to pay more than £310 million worth of tax in instalments. If a customer owes more than £30,000, or needs longer to pay, they should contact HMRC to discuss payment options.

The deadline for filing tax returns, paying any tax owed or setting up a payment plan was 31 January but, this year, HMRC has given customers extra time to meet their obligations without facing penalties.

This means:

·         anyone who did not file their return by the 31 January deadline will not receive a late filing penalty if they file by 28 February

·         anyone who did not pay their tax liabilities by the 31 January deadline will not receive a late payment penalty if they pay their tax in full, or set up a time to pay arrangement, by 1 April

From 1 February, all outstanding amounts were subject to interest.

Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s Director General for Customer Services, said: “We understand some customers might be worrying about paying their Self Assessment bill this year, and we want to support them.

“To see if you’re eligible to set up a payment plan, go to GOV.UK and search ‘pay my Self Assessment’.”

The 2020/21 tax return covers earnings and payments during the pandemic. Customers will need to declare if they received any grants or payments from the COVID-19 support schemes up to 5 April 2021 on their Self Assessment, as these are taxable, including:

  • Self-Employment Income Support Scheme
  • Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme
  • other COVID-19 grants and support payments such as self-isolation payments, local authority grants and those for the Eat Out to Help Out scheme

The £500 one-off payment for working households receiving tax credits should not be reported in Self Assessment.

It is important that customers check and make any changes to their tax return to make sure any SEISS or other COVID-19 support payments have been reported correctly in their Self Assessment.

HMRC urges everyone to be alert if they are contacted out of the blue by someone asking for money or personal information. Customers should always type in the full online address www.gov.uk/hmrc to get the correct link for filing their Self Assessment return online securely and free of charge.

HMRC sees high numbers of fraudsters emailing, calling or texting people claiming to be from the department.

If you’re in doubt, do not to reply directly to anything suspicious, but contact HMRC straight away and search GOV.UK for ‘HMRC scams’.

Severe weather warning: Keep your wheelie bin under control!

Why a rampaging bin might not be covered by home or business insurance

Winter storms inevitably bring storm damage, and one of the major culprits these days are wheelie bins being blown into cars and property. Recent storms have caused many £1000s of pounds worth of damage to cars, garden fences and untold hours will be wasted collecting litter from streets and car parks.

And according to one waste and recycling company, if you’ve not made a reasonable effort to prevent your bins from getting loose, you might not be covered by insurance.

Waste collection company Divert.co.uk says rampaging wheelie bins can cause thousands of pounds of damage for which the householder or business owner from where it came could be held responsible.

We’ve all seen videos of bins being blown down the street during storms, says Divert.co.uk spokesman Mark Hall, “but what many people forget is that they’re heavy and can pack a real punch if they hit anything.

What’s the damage, then?

The average domestic wheelie bin, when empty, weighs around 10kg (22lbs in the old money). A wheeled commercial bin weighs between 15-50kg (33-110 pounds).

Allowed to run free in gale-force winds gusting up to 50mph, the potential for damage is enormous.

Blown out into the street, even a domestic bin can cause thousands of pounds of damage to a car. Even a small dent could cost you between £50-£150, and that might not be covered by your insurance excess, so it’ll come straight out of your pocket.

And that’s if your insurance is valid because here’s the small print: Insurance companies – always looking to protect their bottom line – might not payout if you have not made a reasonable attempt to secure your bins.

We repeat, in bold type: Your insurance may not be valid.

“The nightmare scenario is your bin pummelling your neighbour’s brand new Tesla,” says Divert.co.uk’s Mark Hall. “You might need to be as rich as Elon Musk to get out of that if your insurance turns you down.”

So, should I tie down my bins?

Securing your wheelie bins on your domestic or commercial property protects you from any liability should they cause damage to other people’s property.

In most cases, you don’t need to do anything elaborate. For a domestic bin, a bungee cord securing the bin to a fence, downpipe or other fixture would be sufficient.

You can also buy a bracket handle that fixes your bin to the wall if you want a more elegant and secure solution.

For multiple or heavier bins, it’s worth investing in a corral or enclosure for your wheeled containers. They also look tidier than having a row of bins outside your property.

All of these solutions also secures them against bin theft, which is a bizarre, yet growing phenomenon.

Not only do thieves love wheelie bins as a means to carry swag away from a break-in, but they’re also stolen and burned by feckless youths who live under the belief that inhaling the fumes gets you high.

Public service announcement: Huffing bin fumes does not get you high.

And securing your bins makes sense even before you consider the insurance aspect.

That’s because there’s nothing worse than stepping out in a cold, wet, and blustery morning to find your bin blown over and having to chase rubbish down the street.

Nobody wants to do that, says Divert.co.uk’s Mark Hall. “Save yourself a morning of misery – secure your wheelie bin.”

Nearly 82,000 carers benefit from additional double payment

£57.6 million support for carers in 2021

Over 658,000 Carer’s Allowance Supplement payments have been made to 126,055 carers since this additional payment, unique in the UK, was introduced in September 2018.

In total, £188 million has been paid to carers since launch and just under 82,000 eligible carers received a payment in December 2021.

Recognising the impacts of the pandemic on unpaid carers, these payments included an additional Coronavirus Carer’s Allowance Supplement payment, making the total December payment value  £462.80.

Carer’s Allowance Supplement is an extra payment for people in Scotland who get Carer’s Allowance on a particular date.

There are two Carer’s Allowance Supplement eligibility dates each year – one in April and one in October. The eligibility dates for 2022 will be Monday 11 April 2022 and Monday 10 October 2022.

The Minister for Social Security, Ben Macpherson said: “In recognising the vital contribution of unpaid carers in our society, Carer’s Allowance Supplement was the first payment we introduced when we established our new social security system in 2018.

“Providing this supplementary payment rights the wrong that Carer’s Allowance on its own is the lowest of all working age benefits in the UK.

“The impacts of the pandemic put additional pressure on tens of thousands of carers across the country. That is why we also paid an additional Coronavirus Carer’s Allowance Supplement Payment in 2020 and 2021.

“The Scottish Government’s additional payments meant that eligible carers in Scotland received up to £694.20 more in support last year than carers in the rest of the UK.”

  • Full details on the statistics are available to view at https://www.socialsecurity.gov.scot/reporting/publications/summary-statistics-for-carers-allowance-supplement-to-october-eligibility-date-2021 
  • Carer’s Allowance Supplement is paid automatically twice a year to carers who are living in Scotland and receive Carer’s Allowance, paid by the Department for Work and Pensions, on specified qualifying dates. The qualifying date for the December 2021 double payment was 11 October 2021
  • There are two Carer’s Allowance Supplement eligibility dates each year – one in April and one in October. The eligibility dates for 2022 are Monday 11 April 2022 and Monday 10 October 2022. Payment months will be June and December 2022 which follows previous payment cycles, with exact date to be confirmed closer to the time
  • Carer’s Allowance Supplement will be uprated from April 2022. The new Carer’s Allowance Supplement rate for 2022 will be £237.90
Carers-Allowance-Supplement-factsheet-June-2021Download

Scotland braced for Storm Dudley

Deputy First Minister John Swinney chaired a meeting of the Scottish Government’s Resilience Room (SGoRR) last night in preparation for severe weather expected this week.

The Met Office has issued an amber wind warning for today -Wednesday 16 February – ahead of Storm Dudley. This will be followed by a second named storm, Storm Eunice, which is expected to bring strong winds and snow on Friday.

The Deputy First Minister has advised the public to plan their journeys in advance and check the latest advice before travelling.

Deputy First Minister John Swinney said: “We expect another period of disruption this week, with Storms Dudley and Eunice set to bring strong winds to Scotland.

“High winds may cause issues on roads and bridges, disruption to power supplies and danger from falling trees. We would urge everyone to plan their journeys in advance, exercise caution on the roads, and follow the latest travel advice.

“Other transport services are likely to be affected, so if you are planning to travel by train, ferry or air, please check with your operator to make sure your service is still running.

“The Scottish Government’s resilience committee has met this evening and will continue to monitor the situation for the duration of the storms.

“The Scottish Government is in close contact with local authorities and emergency and essential services to ensure people in the affected areas receive the latest information, advice and support where needed.”

Storm Dudley will impact on the northern half of the UK from Wednesday afternoon through to early Thursday, while Storm Eunice will bring strong winds and potentially some snow for parts of the country on Friday.  

Met Office Chief Meteorologist Paul Gundersen said: “An active jet stream is driving low-pressure systems across the country, both of which are likely to cause some disruption and National Severe Weather Warnings have been issued.”

The Met Office warnings for Storm Dudley and Storm Eunice can be viewed on their website.

Follow @metoffice for any updates to the weather warnings in place.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency issues flood alerts and warnings for Scotland. View the latest updates on their website.

Updates on ScotRail services and road conditions are available online.

Advice on preparing for severe weather can be found on the Ready Scotland website.