March 2022 – Page 35 – The NEN – North Edinburgh News

REVEALED: The true cost of smoking

BURNING MONEY: How much you could be saving per year by giving up smoking

Giving up a pack of cigarettes a day could save you up to £4,197 a year – the price of a family holiday abroad.
Cutting out that weekly pack of cigarettes could save you £598 a year, or £2,991 over five years.
Quitting for good could save you up to £41,975 over ten years – equivalent to a 20% deposit on a new home.

You could be saving up to £4,197 a year by giving up a pack of cigarettes a day according to new research, with savings of £598 a year for less frequent smokers.

Vaping experts over at IndeJuice calculated how much money you could be saving based on the average UK cost for a pack of 20 cigarettes over various timespans. They broke down how much you would save throughout your lifetime if you kicked the habit for good, as well as comparing what you could be spending the money on instead.

The research reveals that if you are smoking one pack of cigarettes per day at the average UK cost of £11.50 per pack, you would save £334.58 per month or £4,197 over the course of a year by quitting – the cost of a family holiday abroad for four people, the cost of running your car for ten years or paying for 11 years’ worth of gym memberships.

Someone who regularly smokes a full pack of cigarettes a day can expect to see staggering savings in the long run – banking up to £41,975 over ten years from quitting smoking. This is the equivalent of a 20% deposit on a £200,000 property, the price of a Porsche Cayman or nearly a kilogram of 24 carat gold.

For people who are only smoking a couple of cigarettes a day, the cost can still quickly add up. If you are smoking just one pack of cigarettes a week at the same average cost, you could still make savings of £598 a year, or £2,991 in your pocket over the next five years.

The money saved by quitting for one year, could cover the cost of a three-course meal for you and your significant other 11 times a year, the cost of nine weekly food shops or seven annual Netflix subscriptions.

A spokesperson from IndeJuice added: “Many smokers are already aware of the harm imposed on their body by regularly smoking, but it is easy to overlook the financial savings that could be made by choosing to quit for good.

“When looking at Google Trends data over the past five years, there has been a significant increase in people searching the term ‘quit smoking’ year on year, with the exception of 2021 where there was a 2.3% decrease in searches from the previous year.

“As we emerge out of the pandemic, it is important that we continue to reflect on the health benefits of quitting for good, and the long-term savings offer an additional incentive to do so.”

Mental Health Foundation: Mental health problems cost the Scottish economy at least £ 8.8 BILLION a year

Mental Health Foundation calls for Scottish Government commitment to cost-effective prevention of poor mental health
Cost to UK economy is at least £117.9 billion, around 5 per cent of GDP

Mental health problems cost the Scottish economy at least £8.8 billion annually according to a new report published today by the Mental Health Foundation and London School of Economics and Political Science with support from the University of Strathclyde.

Almost three-quarters of the cost (72%) is due to the lost productivity of people living with mental health conditions and costs incurred by unpaid informal carers who take on a great deal of responsibility in providing mental health support in our communities.

To put the economic cost of mental ill-health in Scotland into context, the NHS Scotland operating budget for 2020/21 was around £15.3 billion.

The UK cost is at least £117.9 billion – equivalent to around 5 per cent of the GDP.   Across the UK there were 10.3 million recorded instances of mental ill-health over a one-year period, and the third most common cause of disability was depression.

The report, ‘The economic case for investing in the prevention of mental health conditions in the UK’, makes the case for a prevention-based approach to mental health which would both improve mental wellbeing while reducing the economic costs of poor mental health.

Lee Knifton, Director of Mental Health Foundation in Scotland, said: “Our report reveals the opportunity we have to revolutionise our approach to mental health in Scotland.

“It’s time to increase investment in population-level prevention of mental health problems. We can’t only treat our way out of the mental health crisis, which is worsening due to the pandemic, and we cannot afford the spiralling costs to both people’s wellbeing and our economy.

“We urge the Scottish Government to pay attention to what the evidence is telling us and commit to prioritising prevention in mental health. A prevention-first approach will not only help break down the barriers to good mental health but empower people to thrive at every stage of their lives and boost our economy in the long run.”

Research gathered from the UK and internationally shows the potential public health and economic benefit of programmes that target and prevent mental health problems and empower more people to live well, for example, by addressing issues such as perinatal depression, bullying, and social isolation in older people.

Other well-evidenced initiatives include promoting positive parenting, rapid access to psychological and psychosocial supports for people with identified needs and building supportive and inclusive workplaces.

A growing number of studies report on the significant return on investment from parenting programmes. Methods and costs vary, but those assessed in this way cover a long-time frame and report positive returns of up to £15.80 in long-term savings for every £1 spent on delivering the programme.

Similarly, a review of workplace interventions found savings of £5 for every £1 invested in supporting mental health.

Lead author of the report, David McDaid, Associate Professional Research Fellow in Health Policy and Health Economics at London School of Economics, said: “Our estimate of the economic impacts of mental health conditions, much of which is felt well beyond the health and social care sector, is a conservative estimate.

“What is clear is that there is a sound economic case for investing in effective preventive measures, particularly at a time when population mental health may be especially vulnerable because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This requires further sustained and coordinated actions not only within the health and social care sector, but across the whole of government.”

The £8.8 billion costs to the Scottish economy is likely to be a significant underestimate of the true costs – based on the lack of data available around some key areas.

For example, health service costs are based on the number of people receiving treatment and do not consider the many people who would benefit from treatment but either does not receive it because of pressure on services or do not seek help.

Additionally, no costs are included for reduced performance at work due to mental health problems, costs to criminal justice and housing systems linked to poor mental health, costs associated with addiction issues, or the costs associated with self-harm and suicide.

To read the full report visit www.mentalhealth.org.uk.

UK backs ambitious global action to tackle plastic pollution

The UK provided support to kick start negotiations on a legally binding treaty on plastic pollution at the United Nations Environment Assembly.

As the fifth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-5) in Nairobi draws to a close, the UK has worked with international partners to secure a breakthrough on negotiations to kickstart a new legally binding treaty on plastic pollution.

While the terms of the treaty are still to be negotiated it could include measures that promote sustainable production and consumption of plastics, as well as more environmentally sound waste management.

It is also hoped it will help tackle marine plastic pollution, one of the greatest global environmental challenges. It’s predicted that unless action is taken there will be a threefold increase in the amount of plastic flowing into the ocean between 2016 and 2040.

This comes as our landmark Environment Act gives us a raft of new powers to step-up our war against plastic pollution. We are also committed to introducing a Deposit Return Scheme for drinks containers, which will recycle billions more plastic bottles and stop them being landfilled or littered.

At the conference, which was attended by the Lord Zac Goldsmith, UK Government Minister for International Environment, the UK provided support to kick start negotiations on a legally binding treaty on plastic pollution.

The UK has also supported other ambitious action, including on:

Establishing an intergovernmental Science Policy Panel to conduct horizon scanning, assess current issues and facilitate communication between scientists and policy makers
Agreeing on the importance of nature-based solutions and on actions to scale up their implementation to simultaneously provide benefits to people and the planet.

Lord Zac Goldsmith, UK Government Minister for International Environment said: “This agreement by governments at UNEA is truly historic, and I’m so proud that the UK co-sponsored the proposals and helped get them over the line.

“In the space of just one human lifetime, we have caused unimaginable damage to the global environment, choking every single part of the global ocean with plastic pollution. And although there is much to be done now to turn it into an ambitious and far-reaching treaty, we can now begin to close this ugly chapter. I am so grateful to UK negotiators for their fantastic work securing agreement this week.”

While there are multilateral agreements to tackle biodiversity loss and climate change, up to now there has been no equivalent agreement to tackle plastic pollution.

The resolution, proposed by Peru and Rwanda, had received strong support and was backed by over 60 countries.

The plans have also received considerable support from the private and third sector with 111 organisations having signed The Business Call for a UN Treaty on Plastic Pollution including Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, P&G and Unilever.

The resolution titled “End plastic pollution: towards a legally binding international instrument” establishes an Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) tasked with preparing a new treaty that would address plastic pollution through a life-cycle approach, with the aim of producing the treaty by 2024.

The UK was also a key proponent of plans for a new science-policy panel to contribute to policy making on the sound management of chemicals and waste, and preventing pollution. This will act in a similar way to the IPCC — Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which provides advice to governments on the scientific consensus on climate science.

This new science-policy panel will produce assessments on current issues; identify possible future risks and opportunities and provide up-to-date and relevant information, promoting effective communication between scientists and policy makers.

The UK has made nature a top priority during our COP26 Presidency year alongside strong action on cutting emissions. The UK has continued to drive international support for nature-based solutions that address biodiversity loss, climate change and poverty, co-sponsoring a resolution on their benefits and how to scale them up.

Drumbrae Library Hub seeking donations to support Ukraine

Hello Library friends!

We have started a box for donations to help the people of Ukraine.

We are accepting:Sanitary products – nappies – dental hygiene – first aid kits – bandages – plasters – sterile gloves – wet wipes – canned food – baby formula – bottled water – dummies – baby blankets – regular blankets – thermals – waterproofs – candles – lighters – sleeping mats – sleeping bags – tents – camping pots – camping pans – camping cups – unopened painkillers – glucose tablets – water purifying tablets.

Any donations would be much appreciated.

Thank you.

Dental services for all?

Revised arrangements will reward dentists for seeing more NHS patients – but dentists remain concerned

Revised payment arrangements for NHS dentists will be linked more closely to the number of patients they see under changes being introduced in April.

The revised arrangements will help ensure patients are able to access NHS services while dentists continue to be supported as they operate under necessary coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions. The revised payments replace the emergency top-up arrangements that were introduced to protect the sector from the immediate impact of the pandemic.

Separately, an advisory group will be established to consider long term reform of the sector and future structure of NHS dentistry.

Public Health Minister Maree Todd said: “The pandemic has had a significant impact on the provision of dental care and our focus must now be on recovery and ensuring we equip the sector to work through the significant dental backlog.

“From April, the new system will support dentists to see more patients while avoiding a cliff-edge for practices and ensuring a soft transition during what is still a constrained period for dental teams.

“Importantly, this means dentists could earn more than they do now through COVID-19 payment support.

“We’re delivering record investment in dentistry – with a 9% increase in the budget for NHS dental services in 2022-23 – and there has been a 39% increase in the number of high-street dentists in Scotland between 2007 and 2021. Last year there were 55.6 dentists per 100,000 of the population providing NHS care in Scotland compared to 39.9 in England.

“We are absolutely committed to improving oral health, including the removal of NHS dental charges during the lifetime of this Parliament.”

Chief Dental Officer Tom Ferris said: “We know how important it is that NHS dental teams get the right support to carry on providing the services patients need. We’re confident that these revised arrangements are a step in the right direction to improving access, by linking financial support to seeing patients.

“We have been sharing our proposals with the British Dental Association from before Christmas, listening to the concerns of the sector and the need to avoid the cliff-edge when the emergency support payments come to an end.

“These revised arrangements are in addition to £50 million of financial support for dentists during the pandemic, along with £35 million of PPE. It also comes on top of new and increased fees for dentists for a range of treatments including enhanced appointments from 1 Feb 2022.”

However The British Dental Association Scotland has warned that dental practices will continue to face grave uncertainty, as the Scottish Government moved to impose an interim funding model for the service without meaningful negotiation.

While the BDA has welcomed the introduction of a ‘multiplier’ to be applied to dental fees, dentists have significant concerns that the planned 3-month review will have serious implications for patient care and will leave practices unable to plan.

The union remains steadfastly opposed to the return to the unworkable high volume/low margin model of care that operated pre-COVID, and has urged the Government to apply the multiplier until new contractual arrangements are in place.

The BDA had argued that the Scottish Government needed to significantly increase the current inadequate fees for extractions and denture repairs. Increased lab fees mean that dentists often provide these treatments at a loss, and the treatments are particularly prevalent in more deprived areas so any reduction in provision may further widen oral health inequalities.

The announcement follows a bruising debate in Holyrood last week, in which all opposition parties accused the Scottish Government of failing to heed the warnings from the BDA on the potential collapse of NHS dentistry in Scotland.

A BDA survey from late last year reported that 80% of dentists expect their practices will reduce their NHS commitment should the Scottish Government withdraw emergency support and return to pre-COVID models of care.

Dentist leaders have also warned that comments made yesterday by the Public Health Minister fly in the face of the facts, given the tight restrictions practices continue to work to.

Maree Todd MSP incorrectly stated that “from April, the new system will support dentists to see more patients”: an impossibility without meaningful change to COVID operating procedures.

Both the Scottish Government and the BDA recognise the urgent need for long-term contractual reform. The Government has committed to start discussions as soon as the interim funding model is in place. The BDA stress the negotiations must include all practice activity – including work on prevention that is currently unremunerated – and adopt an evidence-based approach to address the current low fees.

David McColl, Chair of the British Dental Association’s Scottish Dental Practice Committee said: “Bruised by the political pressure that’s been brought to bear in recent weeks Ministers have railroaded through a package that will leave practices totally unable to plan.

“The idea this package is the result of meaningful negotiation is laughable, and any idea that practices can see more patients from April flies in the face of the facts. Dentists are still working to tight restrictions, and there is no sense we are returning to anything resembling ‘business as usual’. The Government needs to communicate this clearly to patients.

“Applying a multiplier is the right call but the Government should have taken this opportunity to address derisory fees. We have faced the absurd situation where dentists are providing NHS care at a loss.

“What NHS dentists desperately needed was some certainty on what’s expected of them in the year ahead. The choice to put these new arrangements in place for just three months is an exercise in futility.”

Panmure Place stabbing: two guilty

Two men have been convicted of the attempted murder of another man in Edinburgh in 2020.

Paul O’Docherty, 30 and Jake O’Docherty, 27, (pictured) were found guilty on Tuesday (1st March) following a trial at the High Court in Glasgow.

They attacked the man, who was 34-years-old at the time, in an alleyway off Panmure Place during the evening of Sunday, 13 September, 2020.

Detective Sergeant Keith Taylor said: “Both O’Dochertys subjected this man to a violent attack which has had lasting impact on the life of the victim.

“They will now face the consequences of their brutal behaviour following this guilty verdict.While it cannot change what happened, this will hopefully provide some closure for the victim.”

The two men are due to be sentenced on Monday, 28 March.

“Rarely has the contrast between right and wrong been so stark”

PM statement on the vote at the UN General Assembly: 2 March 2022

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “We are united in our abhorrence to the evil actions of Putin’s regime and stand side-by-side on the international stage as we deplore its aggression in the strongest possible terms.

“Rarely has the contrast between right and wrong been so stark. 141 countries voted to condemn Putin’s war.

“Along with my almost daily conversations with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, I have engaged world leaders in our joint mission to denounce Russia’s actions and make clear – for the sake of innocent civilians – Russia should withdraw from Ukraine and Putin must fail.

“We are – and will continue to be – unified in our resounding admiration for the courage and bravery of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian people.”

“International pressure will not relent until every Russian soldier is out of Ukraine”

UK statement after UN General Assembly vote on aggression against Ukraine

Thank you, Mr President, Colleagues,

The United Nations spoke clearly this morning.

141 countries voted in favour of this resolution and against Russian aggression in Ukraine.

It is a clear message:

that we condemn President Putin’s war;

that we support the Ukrainian people;

that we uphold the principles of the Charter.

Russia’s international isolation is clear for all to see.

The Russian people did not want this isolation. They did not want this war.

President Putin’s decision to start this war has made Russia a global pariah.

We will ensure President Putin’s war of choice comes at a heavy cost.

International pressure and isolation will not relent until every Russian soldier is out of Ukraine.

The free world stands with the people of Ukraine.

Our votes today are for the brave Ukrainians who are suffering the barbaric shelling of their cities and are besieged by Russian forces.

We must support the Ukrainian people with the diplomatic, economic, humanitarian and defensive military assistance they so desperately need.

And our votes today are for the sovereignty and the territorial integrity of every state.

We have stood up against those who seek to redraw the world’s borders by threat or use of force.

For if President Putin’s aggression against Ukraine goes unchecked, which country could be next?

Today we have shown that we will defend together the Charter and the rules we built together.

I thank you, Mr President.

Dame Barbara Woodward, the UK Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York yesterday

Survey reveals Edinburgh residents favour reliving holiday memories over their marriage proposal

To find out how sentimental the country is, Ryman decided to find out which moments top the list for which Brits would relive, given the chance. And it turns out, Edinburgh residents are not always as sentimental as the rest of the nation.

The moment Edinburgh dwellers would most like to relive is the birth of their child. 35.29% of respondents said this is the moment they’d most like to experience again – slightly higher than the national average.

Second on the list was in fact their wedding day, with 29.41% of respondents, more than 10% higher than the national average!

Coming in third place is a less sentimental answer – highlighting the love Edinburgh dwellers have for getting away – with 25% voting to relive the holiday of a lifetime.

Despite being more sentimental to some key moments such as the birth of their child, fewer residents of Edinburgh would opt to relive the day they got their pet; less than 9% of respondents agreed this would be the day they’d hurry back given the chance. This compares to almost 15% nationally.

In fact, more people would relive their holiday of a lifetime (25%) over the day they got their beloved pet!

In other shocking news, Edinburgh residents were less interested in reminiscing about the day of their proposal, with only 2.94% of respondents selecting this moment, making this nearly 5% less than the national average – the second lowest score out of all of those quizzed!

See the full table of results below, while the national results can be found here.

What moment(s) or day(s), if any, would you most like to relive?

The birth of my child/children	35.29%
The holiday of a lifetime	25.00%
The time I first met my partner	19.12%
A family holiday from childhood	17.65%
My wedding day	29.41%
The day I got a pet (dog, cat, etc.)	8.82%
The day I found out I was having a baby	11.76%
There is no moment or day that I would like to relive	10.29%
The day I bought my first house	11.76%
Achieving a lifelong ambition or skill (winning an award, graduating, etc.)	11.76%
Eating the best meal I’ve ever had	4.41%
The day I left a job I didn’t like	5.88%
The day I was proposed to/proposed	2.94%
Ticking an activity off my bucket list (skydiving, charity work, etc.)	5.88%
The day my team won a coveted trophy	7.35%
The moment I got my dream job	1.47%
My divorce day	2.94%
Other – please specify	5.88%

The Crown effect triggers new tourism trail in East Cairngorms

Popular Netflix series, The Crown, has boosted visitor numbers to Scotland’s East Cairngorms, the home to the royal family’s Scottish seat, Balmoral Castle, according to local tourism guides.

Ballater Business Association (BBA) and Braemar Tourism Group (BTG) has attributed this, in part, to the interest the drama has sparked in the area’s local history and heritage.

Simon Blackett, who owns and runs Yellow Welly Tours, says that similar to the effect that other viral TV series have had on Scotland, the same is being experienced in the East Cairngorms.

“Hype around The Crown has definitely increased visitors’ interest in the area’s royal connection. It’s certainly worked in our favour as people want to know what we think and over the years I’ve been lucky to meet members of the royal family so I can give visitors a feel for the role they play and the fantastic interest they take in the local area.

“Interestingly though, visitors’ curiosity goes beyond our more recent royal history with most particularly intrigued by the Jacobite period with the 6th Earl of Mar raising the standard in Braemar to signify the start of the 2^nd Jacobite Rising in 1715.”

To help visitors explore the area’s rich history – which includes clan wars, Queen Victoria’s role in establishing a strong royal tie and military occupations – the BBA and BTG have launched the Jacobite Whisky Trail as part of their Imagine More campaign.

The trail will combine whisky with the area’s unique history starting with the Jacobite period. Tourists in the area can explore the landmarks, and relive the experiences of bygone eras, by planning their visit through a new interactive site map produced by BTG and BBA.

The trail also takes you to important heritage locations such as Braemar Castle, the nearby graveyard, Braemar village and the monument commemorating the Raising of the Standard for the 1715 Jacobite Rising.

Further west the trail reaches the River Quoich Punchbowl where, the previous day, a huge gathering of Jacobite leaders and clansmen had toasted ‘the King over the Water’ from a large hollow in the flat rocks, filled with whisky and honey.

Maureen Kelly, who is a guide at Braemar Castle, says that although the East Cairngorms was similar to the ‘Wild West’ from the 16^th to the 18^th century, major historic moments have occurred there throughout the ages.

“Looking beyond the Jacobite period, there are so many stories and major events for visitors to immerse themselves in. During the Second World War the East Cairngorms was home to commandoes doing artic training; Canadian lumberjacks who established a camp near Mar Lodge to support the war effort harvesting wood from the Caledonian forest; and around 100 evacuated Belgian children were housed in the Invercauld Arms Hotel.”

The campaign, which includes a website, promotional video, digital trail map, and trip planner, is part of a series of five which aim to inspire visitors to explore the East Cairngorms as a year-round destination for outdoor activity.

For more information on the Jacobite Whisky Trail or the East Cairngorms’ History and Heritage, head to: https://www.visitballater.com/east-cairngorms-the-jacobite-whisky-trail/