Strengthened standards ensure fewer restrictions on visiting
Strengthened national guidance on visiting has improved residents’ quality of life Health Secretary Michael Matheson was told by staff and residents at a care home in Greenock.
The Health and Social Care Standards which came into force last April gave people living in care homes rights to see loved ones and name relatives or friends they wish to be involved in their care plans.
The standards have helped deliver the aims of Anne’s Law, ensuring people who live in adult care homes have rights to see and get support from those who are important to them, ahead of the Scottish Parliament considering entering it into legislation as part of the National Care Service (Scotland) Bill.
The Bagatelle Care Home is one of two operated by the Greenock Medical Aid Society. Their “meaningful visits” team, set up during the pandemic to ensure residents had regular, safe contact with loved ones, won the Nursing Older People Award at the Royal College of Nursing Awards 2021.
Mr Matheson said: “Strengthening the standards has allowed us to meet our pledge to introduce the provisions of Anne’s Law as quickly as possible by using existing legal powers. This has minimised disruption to visiting and I am glad to hear how this is already helping residents and their loved ones.
“I would also like to congratulate the staff here at the Bagatelle Care Home on the Nursing Older People award and thank them for their continued hard work.”
Andrea Wyllie, Chief Executive of Greenock Medical Aid Society, said: “Since we introduced meaningful visits safely during the height of the pandemic we’ve seen improvements in residents’ and family members’ overall wellbeing.
“Our data showed an increase in appetites and a significant decrease in those at risk of malnutrition. We saw moods lift and a feeling of life and buzz return into our care homes. We demonstrated that we could balance the rights of residents and family members in being back together, with the risks that increasing footfall could bring.”
Kevin Mitchell, the Care Inspectorate’s executive director of scrutiny and assurance, said: “We recognise that recent years have been an unprecedented challenge for all those living and working in care settings.
“We have seen countless examples of care services working extremely hard to support people to maintain contact with their loved ones in meaningful ways.
“The Care Inspectorate continues to work closely with partners across the sector and with the Scottish Government to ensure people experiencing care are supported to have meaningful contact with the people important to them.”
Cathie Russell of Care Home Relatives Scotland said: “We are pleased the Health Secretary is marking the one year anniversary of the new care standards which are helping to ensure people can still have contact with loved ones even during Covid and other outbreaks and look forward to this approach being enshrined in Anne’s Law as a matter of urgency.”
Edinburgh Science Festival drew to a close at the weekend, having turned the Scottish capital into a living laboratory over the Easter holidays.
With the theme Let’s Experiment!, the 2023 edition of the world’s first science festival got people of all ages hands-on with science through a fantastic and ambitious live programme of workshops, Big Ideas discussions, free interactive exhibitions and many more, one-third of which was free to experience.
This year’s edition engaged with 31 fantastic partner organisations from Scotland and wider UK and gave a platform to a range of inspiring speakers, 60% of whom were women.
Some of the highlights included the Edinburgh Medal Address delivered by this year’s recipient of the prestigious award, food politics expert Prof. Marion Nestle, two themed family weekends bookmarking the Festival, FutureFest and EarthFest at the National Museum of Scotland and Ponyo, a unique screening of the Ghibli Studio classic synchronised with 2.4 litres of water at the FloWave research facility at the University of Edinburgh. Cherish: Shaping Our Planet free outdoor photography exhibition continues on Portobello Promenade until 4 May.
The Festival team has now announced that the 2024 edition will take place between 30 March and 14 Aprilwith the theme of Shaping the Future.
Celebrating the power and potential that human creativity, collaboration, innovation and play have to change our world for the better, next year’s event will explore the roles of science, technology and their creative cousins in tackling the challenges and seizing the opportunities that our ever-changing world presents.
It will champion imagination, innovation, entrepreneurship and the value of creativity and play, and look at the tools needed to foster these and ignite a generation of innovators. By working and playing together, we stand the best chance of securing a sustainable future and ensuring that we are ‘the architects of our future not its victims’ (R Buckminster Fuller).
Amanda Tyndall, Festival and Creative Director at Edinburgh Science said: “We live in a complex world and if we are to not only survive but to thrive, we need to foster the skills and come up with creative solutions that will help ensure that we shape the world we want to live in.
“The 2024 Edinburgh Science Festival will explore the science, technology and people making this happen, through an exciting, informative and playful programme for all ages.”
Police Scotland’s strategy to tackle violence against women and girls was presented to the Scottish Police Authority Policing Performance Committee yesterday(Monday 17 April).
The strategy is subject to final discussion by the full SPA Board next week.
Based on wide-ranging and unprecedented engagement with the general public, women and girls, survivors of violence, key partners, academics and experts, the strategy builds on the Service’s commitment to improve and future-proof its response.
Proposals within the strategy include:
tackling and diverting incel culture through education
expanding the use of sexual offences liaison officer (SOLO) led visually recorded interviews (VRI)
delivery of trauma-informed training to all police officers and staff
Launching the strategy, Deputy Chief Constable Jane Connors, Police Scotland, said: “We are committed to creating a society where women and girls live free from violence, abuse, exploitation and harassment.
“Women, girls, and men, have shared their experiences, their thoughts and their views on how we can tackle violence, create a service that is responsive to victims and how we prevent violence against women and girls.
“We have listened and their voices and experiences thread through our strategy.
“They have informed and influenced our approach, our commitment to act and to improve how we tackle the sexual violence and domestic abuse that disproportionately affects women and girls.
“We will work with our partners across criminal justice, and support services, to improve the opportunities and support for women to report.
“It is up to us to improve how we respond at that first point of contact. To be compassionate, to listen, to signpost to help, and to ensure women are kept informed from the moment they report.
“We are committed to continually improving the service we provide, to build confidence in reporting and in policing more widely. Our service must be trauma-informed, we will prioritise the needs of victims and survivors.
“As an organisation we are not immune from the sexism and misogyny that is at the root of this violence. Our strategy recognises the work that needs to be done internally.
“Our role is crucial, but policing alone cannot stop violence against women and girls. Our strategy outlines the actions we will take as a service, together with our partners.
“We will continue to engage, to work with our partners, to improve our response and to drive the change needed to end violence against women and girls.”
Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth has written to teachers, education leaders and staff across Scotland setting out her priorities for the sector.
These include reforming education for the benefit of all learners, and continuing to close the poverty-related attainment gap.
The letter reads:
To Scotland’s teachers and school leaders,
It is a great honour to have been appointed to the role of Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills. As you may know, I spent a decade working in education before entering politics. I recognise first-hand how dedicated and committed our teachers and support staff are to giving our children and young people the best opportunities to succeed in life.
The Covid-19 pandemic was a sharp reminder of just how important education is to our communities. I know how challenging it was for our young people – just as I know how challenging it was for our teachers and staff in school. I want to thank you all for your hard work and professionalism throughout that time. You stepped up when Scotland’s young people needed you most. Thank you.
We need to now focus on rebuilding, together, for the benefit of Scotland’s children and young people – and I firmly believe that post-pandemic we have a unique opportunity to do so.
There are many strengths in our education system which we must use as our foundation; equally I know of the challenges that the Covid legacy has created in our classrooms and school communities. I want to work with you on how we can address those challenges and opportunities together.
Undeniably, we are at a crucial point in setting out the future through a comprehensive programme of education reform. The National Discussion on Education and the Independent Review of Qualifications and Assessment (Hayward Review) will conclude soon. This work includes the reform of our national bodies as we work to establish the new agencies.
These new organisations will need to work better to meet the needs of our young people – but they also need to work better to support you, our educators.
The educational landscape which existed when the Scottish Attainment Challenge launched in February 2015 is markedly different. The cost of living crisis has deepened inequity; but it further necessitates our relentless focus on closing the poverty related attainment gap.
High quality learning and teaching is crucial to help disrupt the impact of poverty in our education system. Our schools have a key role to play in driving ambition and attainment; through promoting a culture of high expectations and excellence for all. Excellent teachers are fundamental to that endeavour – I want to make sure you have the necessary support and opportunity to fulfil that expectation.
Furthermore, I am committed to delivering excellence and equity in school education through empowering and supporting our teaching profession and putting learners’ needs at the centre. We will ensure that teachers and practitioners across the education system can access the high-quality support and professional learning they need. Our new national education bodies will be central to this, with clear roles and responsibilities to support this work collaboratively across the sector.
Scottish education is at an important juncture. The future for Scotland’s next generation depends on those of you who work in our education system. From our school janitors to our secretaries in school offices; from our catering staff to our Headteachers; from our classroom support assistants to our teachers – all of you make up the myriad of support provided to Scotland’s children and young people in our schools. All of you are valued.
As the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, I am committed to working with you to make sure the next steps on reform deliver real improvements, with partnership with our teaching profession as my guiding principle.
I look forward to working with you all, for the benefit of Scotland’s children and young people.
Officers are appealing for the help of the public to trace a 17-year-old teenager reported missing from Peterhead who may have travelled to Edinburgh.
Ethanie Labandia (pictured) was last seen around 8 am in the Skelton Street area of Peterhead yesterday (Monday, 17 April). She did not attend school and has not been seen since.
She is described as around 5ft 2ins, of slim build with long, dark hair. When last seen she was wearing a white shirt and dark trousers.
Sergeant Gary Johnston said: “Ethanie did not attend school as expected and concerns are growing for her welfare. She may have travelled to Edinburgh by bus.
“We are asking anyone who has seen Ethanie or knows where she might be to get in touch. If Ethanie becomes aware of this appeal then I would urge her to call us or get in touch with her family so we know she is safe and well.”
Anyone who can help is asked to call Police Scotland on 101, quoting reference number 1461 of Monday, 17 April, 2023.
*** UPDATE ***
Police Scotland can confirm that Ethanie Labandia (17), reported missing from the Peterhead area, has been traced safe and well.
Breast cancer charity Walk the Walk has granted £50,000 to help reduce the waiting list for Scottish cancer patients, and their families, who are in desperate need of emotional and wellbeing support.
The funds will allow Cancer Support Scotland, based in the grounds of Glasgow’s Gartnavel Hospital, to provide 174 people with wellbeing support at the time when they need it most. The charity has seen a dramatic increase in referrals recently and is being contacted by up to a dozen new patients from across Scotland every single day.
The current waiting list for appointments is up to 12 weeks. Walk the Walk’s grant will allow people to get vital assistance much sooner, either online or at Cancer Support Scotland’s centre.
· Counselling – providing patients with the tools to deal with their diagnosis
· Complimentary therapy – in person sessions, designed with relaxation in mind
· Befriending – informal wellbeing calls to help reduce isolation, fear and anxiety
Entries are now open for The MoonWalk Scotland 2023, organised by breast cancer charity Walk the Walk.
On Saturday 9th September, thousands of women and men wearing decorated bras will set off from Holyrood Park in Edinburgh to walk an overnight half or full marathon through the streets of the capital.
Michael MacLennan, Interim CEO of Cancer Support Scotland, said: “We are absolutely delighted to receive a £50,000 grant from Walk the Walk.
“We understand these are challenging times for everyone and these incredible funds will allow us to continue supporting those that need us, when they need us most.
“Each year we continue to see a rapid rise in demand for our services, and thanks to the generosity of Walk the Walk we’ll be able to provide 174 people with 6 vital wellbeing appointments.”
Susan(52) from Glasgowreceived counselling from Cancer Support Scotland, following her cancer diagnosis. She said: “My mood was very low and I was often feeling anxious. I was also spending a lot of time in my flat, not going out much and felt as if sometimes people didn’t understand why I wasn’t feeling great, as my treatment had ended.
“I didn’t understand that myself if I’m honest. I still struggle at times but I’ve received so much non-judgemental support, motivation, encouragement, and laughter (which is so important) through these sessions.”
Nina Barough CBE, Founder and Chief Executive of breast cancer charity Walk the Walksaid: “I was deeply upset to hear about the unacceptable length of time people are having to wait for wellbeing support, following their cancer diagnosis.
“Whilst 12 weeks might not seem very long in some people’s worlds, if you’ve just found out you have cancer, it’s a lifetime!
“In 2023, Walk the Walk is releasing £1 million to help fund innovative support like that provided by Cancer Support Scotland. It’s a tough time for cancer patients across Scotland, so I’m delighted that Walk the Walk has been able help so many people.”
For the month of May, Johnson’s Lawn Seed is encouraging gardeners to say “no” to mowing their lawns, in a move to halt the declining numbers of bees, butterflies, and wildlife, as part of Plantlife’s No Mow May initiative.
A special new product will also be introduced, helping gardeners to further support our beloved creepy crawlies.
No Mow May returns next month and was first launched in 2019 by the botanical charity, Plantlife to highlight the terrifying loss of natural habitats including almost 7.5 million acres of flower-rich meadows and pastures having been lost since the 1930s. The result is fewer pollinators and fewer insect-eating birds, with entire habitats on the verge of complete collapse.
Recognising this, Johnsons Lawn Seed, alongside the No May initiative is highlighting the importance of our gardens, as a place to support vital wildlife. Small steps, such as having a slightly overgrown lawn or planting wildflowers that are rich in pollen and nectar, will attract beneficial insects and bees to gardens.
How to get involved
No Mow May doesn’t mean messy, overgrown, and scraggy patches of lawn to attract wildlife. Johnsons Lawn Seed’s Celebration Wildflowers Mix – launched for the 2023 season – can take a part of an existing lawn or flowerbed and convert it into a meadow. Containing bright and vibrant annuals, the mix has 17 different flowering species including cornflowers, poppies, cosmos, marigolds, and daisies, providing a diverse assortment of local insects.
Not only do the Celebration Wildflower tins make ideal gifts for garden-loving friends and family, but they also offer an important gift to nature, as the wildflowers will encourage pollinators into gardens, providing nectar for these vital winged insects.
Outdoor spaces will come alive with bees and butterflies for months at a time as soon as the flowers appear. With coverage of up to 15m2 from one tin and an RRP of just £9.99, Celebration offers a lot more for your money and will bring wildlife to your garden in its droves.
In the Tin
The Celebration Wildflower Tins contain a stunning mix of flower seeds, chosen to create a riot of colour and attract all kinds of pollinators to the garden:
Common Name
Colour(s)
Paper Daisy
White/Pink/Purple
Pheasant’s Eye
Red/Orange
Pot Marigold
Red/Orange/Yellow
Cornflower
Blue/Pink/White
Cosmos
Pink/Purple
Painted Daisy
Red/Orange/Pink/Yellow
Dwarf Morning Glory
Blue/Purple/Pink/White
Chinese Forget-Me-Not
Blue
California Poppy
Multi Colour Mix
Fineflower
Blue/Pink
Farewell to Spring
Pink/Red/White
Baby’s Breath
Red/White
Candy Tuft
White/Blue/Pink/Purple
Love-in-a-Mist
Blue/Pink/Purple/White
Corn Poppy
Red
Why rewilding matters
Bumblebees are by far the most well-known pollinators and without these little buzzing creatures there would be far fewer flowers, fruits, and vegetables growing around us. According to a BBC report, bees pollinate approximately 70 of 100 crop species that feed 90% of the world, with honey bees alone being responsible for $ 30 billion a year worth of food.
Another benefit of leaving your lawn uncut is it protects butterflies as they lay eggs and food for insect larvae as they grow and develop. There are about 60 types of butterflies in the UK, but they are declining more rapidly in urban areas. A major scientific report from Butterfly Conservation shows that almost three-quarters of the UK’s butterfly species in the UK have suffered population declines over the last 10 years.
Seeds created by the wildflowers can also be eaten by garden birds and the taller plants will provide shelter for all kinds of wildlife, increasing biodiversity in an outdoor space. It’s also ideal for the novice gardener as the wildflower lawn is low maintenance, requires little water, and does not require a green thumb to keep it looking bold and beautiful.
Plants grasses too
For those that want to establish grasses as well as flowers, Johnsons Country Meadow Mix when planted in an urban setting is beneficial to support insects and other wildlife. By planting native wildflowers, you will provide attractive drifts of colour throughout the summer months, as well as maintain the No Mow May pledge.
The Country Meadow Mix is a mixture of native origin as sown by professionals and contains birdsfoot trefoil, black knapweed, and yarrow, as well as grasses including browntop bent, crested dogstail and Yorkshire fog.
The diverse lawn and native wildflowers are both natural and sustainable and are essential for establishing a healthy wildlife community. Think soft meadow colours, wildflowers, and native plants such as cow parsley, poppies, and buttercups accompanying wispy grasses and you have wildlife-friendly sanctuaries in your backyard.
Get the kids involved
Or why not get the kids involved with No Mow May and use either of Johnsons’ mixes by making a seed bomb? This is a fantastic gardening activity that children will love. All you need is some wildflower mix, some clay, and compost.
Mix with water to form a dough ball. Once they have dried, simply throw them onto your lawn or into your flower bed and watch how a magical meadow of blooms grows.
What’s more, each mixture of Johnsons’ wildflowers will establish within eight weeks. By not mowing the lawn this May, the longer length will create a haven for wildlife, newts, frogs, and hedgehogs to forage, as well as beetles and worms that will also bring birds to your garden to feast on the many invertebrates.
It’s not too late for gardeners to start getting involved now as part of the build-up of the charity’s No Mow May initiative.
Guy Jenkins, Consumer Manager at Johnsons Lawn Seed says: “No Mow May represents an opportunity for homeowners when it comes to native wildflowers and helping to support the biodiversity and nature of their area.
“Our Wildflower mixes can help the pressures our pollinating insects and other wildlife face by creating a sustainable environment within the urban garden.”
Johnsons Celebration Annual Wildflowers are available in 50g tins with an RRP of £9.99.
Johnsons Country Meadow Mix is available in a 200g carton with an RRP of £14.99 Both are available from garden centres or retailers.
Quickest rise in private sector activity since June 2022
Growth in new orders also picks up
Employment growth at eight-month high
According to the latest Royal Bank of Scotland PMI® data, the Scottish private sector saw a second successive monthly rise in business activity, with underlying data showing quicker growth across both the manufacturing and service sectors.
The rate at which private sector output grew was the strongest in nine months, with the Scotland Business Activity Index rising from February’s 51.0 to 52.9 in March. This compared favourably against the UK as a whole (52.2), where the rate of expansion slowed.
Furthermore, firms across Scotland noted a solid and accelerated rise in new business inflows in March. In turn, back-to-back expansions were noted in private workforce numbers, again the latest rate of job creation quickening on the month and signalling the strongest intake of staff since last July.
Private sector companies across Scotland signalled a second monthly rise in volumes of new business at the end of the first quarter. The upturn was quickest since last May and robust overall. The rise in business inflows was attributed to an array of reasons including increased advertising and investment, stronger sterling against the dollar and improved client demand. Nonetheless, the uptick in new order inflows was weaker than that recorded for the UK as a whole.
While the degree of confidence weakened in March, due to a slight dip in optimism at service providers, business sentiment towards 12-month activity was highly positive and above the historical trend. Optimism stemmed from greater client enquires, new business development, higher marketing and new contracts in the pipeline. Confidence across Scotland, however, posted the third-weakest of all the monitored UK regions, ahead of the North East of England and Northern Ireland.
Firms across Scotland raised their payroll numbers for the second successive month in March. The rate of job creation was the fastest seen in eight months, with only Northern Ireland registering stronger growth across the UK.
The positive performance of the sector supported a stronger intake of staff, suggested anecdotal evidence. Underlying data pointed to quicker upturns in workforce numbers across both the manufacturing and service sectors.
Scottish firms were able to reduce their outstanding business during March, thereby stretching the current run of contraction to ten months. The rate of backlog depletion remained unchanged from the preceding survey period, the joint-softest decrease in unfinished work in the aforementioned sequence. The rate of decrease in backlogs across Scotland was quicker than that seen at the UK level.
Continuing the trend observed since December 2022, private sector firms noted a further cooling in input cost inflation during March. The rate of growth was the weakest in 22 months and only marginally faster than the UK-wide average. Nonetheless, the pace of inflation was comfortably above the long run average, with respondents blaming wage, food and energy costs.
In line with the strong growth in prices, Private sector firms across Scotland raised their charges sharply. That said, the pace of charge inflation was the second-softest in 22 months, behind February’s reading. Charges levied for the provision of goods and services across Scotland rose at a similar pace to that seen across the UK as a whole.
Source: Royal Bank of Scotland, S&P Global.
Judith Cruickshank, Chair, Scotland Board, Royal Bank of Scotland, commented: “The rate of expansion in private sector activity across Scotland quickened at the end of the first quarter.
“Both manufacturing and services registered growth, with goods producers noting the stronger upturn. More so, improved investment and advertising has been fruitful, with order volumes picking up at a historically strong rate.
“The upturns in output and new business resulted in a further expansion in workforce numbers. In fact, despite levels of unfinished work falling at a modest pace, hiring activity across the Scottish private sector was at an eight-month high.
“Looking ahead, confidence across the private sector faltered slightly from the recent high seen in February. Nonetheless, private sector firms across Scotland were strongly confident in regards to longer term future output.”
