Day: November 7, 2023

Scottish Ambulance Service prepares for Winter

The Scottish Ambulance Service is bringing in a range of extra initiatives this winter, including new frontline staff, ambulances and enhancements to 999 call centre operations.

The initiatives will come into place in the coming weeks to help SAS meet the increased demands on their services at a time which is traditionally the busiest for the NHS.

Recruitment is already well underway to support SAS’s dedicated frontline workforce with 317 new paramedics, technicians and advanced practice practitioners joining the Service by the end of March 2024.

Additional clinicians are also being introduced in the Service’s Integrated Clinical Hub. The Hub triages less seriously ill patients who don’t need to go to A&E to receive care and provides alternative routes for treatment, freeing up ambulances and reducing pressure on A&Es.

Michael Dickson OBE, Chief Executive of the Scottish Ambulance Service said: “We know that winter will be an extremely challenging period for the NHS which is why we’ve introduced a range of initiatives to help our patients and support our staff this winter.  

“Our patients are our priority, we will do everything we can to ensure patients are cared for and get the service they need quickly and efficiently.

“Not every call to 999 needs an ambulance or a trip to A&E and we are completely focussed on supporting patients to get care at home or close to home where it is safe to do so, ensuring patients get the right care, in the right place, at the right time.

“The SAS workforce is essential as they carry out their roles often in extremely difficult circumstances and we will continue to support them during this high-pressure time.

“We urge the public to help our staff by remembering that 999 and A&E is for emergencies, if you need urgent care, but it’s not life-threatening, you can call NHS 24 on 111, day or night, or your GP during opening hours.”

Extra initiatives being brought in this winter include:

  • New staff, including Advanced Practitioners into each region and 52 new vehicles such as Rapid Response Vehicles to help respond in a more flexible manner throughout the winter period.
  • Maximising the use of trained volunteers such as Community First Responders, Cardiac Responders and BASICS, where appropriate.
  • Utilising dedicated Patient Transport Service (PTS) resources for low acuity patients, freeing up ambulances to get help to very seriously unwell patients as quickly as possible.
  • Connecting patients with local services and communicating pathway information to SAS clinicians.
  • Daily meetings with health boards to respond to the challenges relating to hospital handover delays so that our highly-trained ambulance crews can be back out responding to the next patient in the community who needs our help.
  • Hospital Ambulance Liaison Officers (HALOs) will work with senior hospital site managers and the Service, improving the hospital admission and discharge process.
  • Ensuring the wellbeing of our crews, working with Health Board partners to provide refreshments for crews at hospitals in periods of high pressure and demand
  • Piloting new processes to help staff finish on time to protect their wellbeing and having a wide range of health and wellbeing services available for them to access should they need them.

PICTURES: (L to r) Newly Qualified Paramedic, Ellie Brown and Laura Robb, Paramedic, recently qualified NQP

Picture TOP: Stewart Ramsay, Paramedic, and Toni Boyd, Technician, both Glasgow East Station

Aldi launches partnership with Age Scotland to help combat loneliness this winter

Young Scots are being encouraged to send a poem or joke to an older person this festive season, through ‘Festive Friends’ post-boxes launching in Aldi Scotland stores this week

Young Scots are being encouraged to bring some much-needed joy to older people experiencing loneliness this winter, through a new campaign launched by Aldi and Age Scotland, the national charity for older people, this month.

The ‘Festive Friends’ campaign will ask shoppers with young children to share their favourite poem or joke on a Festive Friends postcard and submit it through post-boxes which will be in all Scottish Aldi stores from Tuesday, 7th November until Sunday, 19th November. 

Postcards will be distributed to 90 of Age Scotland’s community groups hosting a Christmas event throughout late November and December, funded by Age Scotland grants.

Age Scotland has member groups in communities around the country; for many older people, this will be one of the biggest social events, if not the only social event, they will attend this winter. 

Aldi Scotland will also be donating £1,000 to Age Scotland to support 200 calls on its Friendship Line, a free telephone service which older people can call to have a friendly chat during their day, to help combat feelings of isolation.  

One Friendship Line call to an older person costs £5, and shoppers who are able can also donate directly to the charity via QR codes found on every Festive Friends post-box.

The campaign has launched off the back of recent findings from Age Scotland’s Big Survey*, which indicated that almost two-thirds (66%) of older people don’t feel valued for their contribution to society. The campaign aims to remind them of the joy of shared friendships and people thinking of them, near and far.

Stacey Kitzinger, Head of Fundraising and Marketing at Age Scotland, said: “We’re delighted to team up with Aldi to help spread some festive cheer this winter and make a difference to the lives of older people in communities across Scotland.

“While many of us are looking forward to spending the festive season with family and friends, it is heartbreaking to think that the equivalent of one older person in every street in Scotland feels lonely all or most of the time.

“The festive period is an opportunity for communities and generations to come together. That’s why we’re encouraging younger shoppers and their families to add some sparkle to an older person’s day this winter and share their favourite poem or joke on Aldi’s Festive Friends postcard.

“Money is tight for many, but reaching out doesn’t have to cost anything and knowing someone is thinking of them could be the best gift an older person feeling lonely receives this winter.”

Richard Holloway, Regional Director at Aldi Scotland, added: “This is a fantastic partnership which should make a really positive difference to people living in communities right across Scotland. There is a wonderful opportunity here to light up someone’s day through the words of children and young people.

“Age Scotland does excellent work, and we hope the support of our shoppers will continue to help those most in need, especially those who are feeling particularly isolated this winter season.”

Festive Friends postcards will be available in all Scottish Aldi stores today – Tuesday 7th November. For full T&Cs, visit: age.scot/aldi.

* https://www.ageuk.org.uk/scotland/bigsurvey.

Plant Swap at Granton Parish Church

FRIDAY 17th NOVEMBER from 5 – 7pm

🌱🌿 Join our Plant Swap in collaboration with Granton Goes Greener! 🌱🌿

🌼 Bring your beautiful plants, cuttings, or gardening tools, and let’s exchange them with fellow plant enthusiasts. If you don’t have anything to bring – just come and join us anyway! There’s always something for everyone to bring back home. 🌼

🎉 This event is completely FREE, and everyone is welcome! No bookings needed. 🎉

#ClimateAction

#Gardening

#GreenThumbs

#sustainability

Shelter – Housing Drop-In at PCHP

Carol from Shelter Scotland advises Families and Pregnant Women around any housing issues but mainly damp and mould, and overcrowding.

She will be here at PCHP on the first and third Fridays of November and December from 10am until 12pm. Come along to meet her if these issues are affecting you!

Book Week Scotland: Lin Anderson coming to Drumbrae Library HUB

We’re SO DELIGHTED to announce that, as part of Book Week Scotland, we have an author event with queen of crime LIN ANDERSON!

Lin Anderson’s books are some of our most borrowed titles so we know there are many, many Anderson fans in the Drumbrae (and Edinburgh) library community.

Tickets are free but places are limited and so booking is essential – get your ticket while you still can!

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/…/book-week-scotland-lin…

Lothian health hero Claire picks up Scottish Health Award

One of NHS Lothian’s healthcare heroes was celebrated at this year’s Scottish Health Awards 2023, scooping the Care for Mental Health Award.

Claire Bashford, who works in the Mental Health Team at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh Major Trauma unit was named the winner of the Care for Mental Health Award.

Described as providing invaluable care through her training and support, Claire is known to support patients long after their initial injuries as her dedication to helping recovery is second to none.

As well as leading the Mental Health Team as part of the Major Trauma Service during the Covid pandemic, Claire developed an initiative for patients in Critical Care which is still used to this day. She is said to have ‘established a support network for staff and ensure co-ordinated, exceptional care is always available’.

Run by the Daily Record and in partnership with NHS Scotland and the Scottish Government, the annual awards celebrate the NHS staff, support workers, volunteers and specialist teams who go above and beyond to provide exceptional care and support to patients and their families.

Patients, families, work colleagues and members of the public were invited to nominate a local hero across one of the sixteen award categories with over 900 nominations and 51 finalists named.

David Dick, editor in chief of Daily Record and Sunday Mail, said: “Congratulations to Claire for winning the Care for Mental Health Award. With over 900 nominations, the judging panel had a difficult task in picking the winner for each category this year.

“Every winner should be extremely proud of their hard work and dedication in making a difference to their patients, families and communities. It’s with their support that we are able to celebrate 75 years of our National Health Service as a country and it is an honour for us to continue running these awards.”

Winners were named at an awards ceremony at the O2 Academy in Edinburgh on 2 November.

For more information visit https://scottishhealthawards.com

Morrisons cuts the price of festive favourites

– Prices will be locked at new price until 31st December –

– Morrisons is investing over £4 million in these new price reductions –

Morrisons is cutting the price of 58 popular festive items and is committing to keeping the prices low until the end of the year.  The cuts are being made well in advance of December 25th so that customers can stock up and spread the cost of their Christmas grocery shopping.

Key festive items such as stuffing, roast potatoes, cranberry sauce and tin foil have been cut in Morrisons latest wave of price activity – its tenth of the year.  

Morrisons is investing over £4 million to cut the price of the products by an average of almost 20 per cent from current prices. The items have all been chosen because they were particularly popular at Christmas last year – with an average uplift in sales of over 90 per cent throughout the festive period.  

The total price of all 58 items in Morrisons festive basket is nearly two pounds cheaper than the same basket of items would have cost in Christmas 2022, despite the significant inflation over the last year.

The cuts cover Christmas dinner must-haves and trimmings as well as drinks and nibbles including Bucks Fizz, tonic and peanuts.  Festive hosts can also stock up on kitchen essentials such as kitchen foil and napkins while key ingredients needed to create seasonal bakes have also been cut such as mincemeat, sultanas and pastry – as well as cream. 

These lower festive prices introduced in Morrisons supermarkets and online this week are on top of  further 62 price cuts made last week on items such as chicken wings & drumsticks, frozen chips, bread and smoked fish.  Those prices will be held for at least eight weeks and form part of the commitment Morrisons has upheld since January to always have over 1,000 prices lowered and locked each week. 

Rachel Eyre, Morrisons Chief Customer and Marketing Officer, said: “We know that Christmas is an expensive time of year and that our customers are having to make tough choices about what to put in their baskets. 

“We are working hard to help them when it comes to their festive grocery shopping and want to protect them from rising costs so despite the significant inflation we have seen over the last twelve months, our basket of 58 festive items is cheaper than it was in 2022.” 

KEY DEALS ON CHRISTMAS FAVOURITESWASNOW
Morrisons Cocktail Prawns 300g£4.30£3.59
Morrisons Raspberry Sherry Trifle 900g£4.00£2.99
Winter Warmer Mulled Wine 75cl£3.00£2.50
Morrisons Cranberry Sauce 200g£1.09£0.59
Morrisons Mincemeat 822g£2.79£2.15
Morrisons Dry Roasted Peanuts 450g£2.50£1.59
Morrisons Yorkshire Wensleydale with Cranberries 200g£2.19£1.99
Morrisons Kitchen Foil 300 mm wide 10 Metres£1.80£1.45
Morrisons Sage & Onion Stuffing 170g£0.75£0.49
Morrisons Potatoes 1kg£1.25£0.95
Harveys Bristol Cream 1l£12.00£10.00
Morrisons Bucks Fizz £3.00£2.50

Holyrood’s Finance Committee calls for long-term planning to ensure fiscal sustainability

The Scottish Parliament’s Finance and Public Administration Committee is not convinced the Scottish Government is carrying out enough long-term financial planning to ensure Scotland’s fiscal sustainability.

On the Scottish Government’s public service reform programme, the committee says it has no overall strategic purpose with limited oversight and direction from government. 

Finance and Public Administration Committee Convener Kenneth Gibson MSP said: “As the Scottish Budget approaches, we’ve seen little evidence to suggest a shift away from the Scottish Government’s short-term approach towards financial planning; an approach hampered by reliance on one year UK financial settlements.  

“We therefore strongly recommend that the Scottish Government produces a full response to the Scottish Fiscal Commission’s sustainability report, setting out the actions it will take to address the longer-term challenges ahead. 

“We are also concerned that the UK Government’s decision not to inflation proof capital funding available to Scottish Ministers will mean a 16% reduction in 2028-29 compared to this financial year, at a time when governments need to invest in infrastructure to stimulate economic growth. 

“The creation of a Scottish Government advisory group on taxation is welcome. Given the financial challenges ahead, it is imperative that their work to create a clear taxation strategy for Scotland proceeds at pace.” 

On the government’s public service reform programme, Mr Gibson said: “We are concerned that the focus of the government’s reform programme has changed multiple times since May 2022, as have the timescales for publishing further detail on what it will entail.  

“Given the financial challenges facing the Scottish Budget, this represents a missed opportunity to be further along the path to delivering more effective and sustainable public services.  

“The recommendations in our report aim to bring much-needed impetus, focus and direction to the Scottish Government’s reform programme.” 

Read the full report:

Pre-Budget 2024-25 Report on the Sustainability of Scotland’s Finances

Wellbeing: Boyack takes the initiative with Members’ Bill

Scottish Labour’s Sarah Boyack MSP has today lodged her final proposal for her Wellbeing and Sustainable Development Members’ Bill.

Despite ’empty promises’ for action from the SNP-led Scottish Government to legislate in this area there have been no tangible results to date.

As a result Sarah Boyack MSP has taken the initiative and pursued this issue as a Members Bill.

The lodging of the members’ bill follows an extensive consultation process which confirmed overwhelming support from stakeholders and constituents for all aspects of Ms Boyack’s Bill.

Scottish Labour’s Sarah Boyack explained: “Over 100 organisations called for this action in the run up to the 2021 elections. My Members’ Bill will end short-termism in the Scottish Government, and commit to the long-term thinking and action that has Wellbeing and Sustainable Development at its heart.

“Successive Programmes for Government have promised a bill of this nature, but as always its warm words and little action from the SNP.

“After a long and comprehensive consultation process it is clear that there is overwhelming support for action and a new Future Generations Commissioner and I encourage all members to support my bill now that it has been lodged”.

Also commenting Sarah Davidson, Chief Executive of Carnegie UK, said: “New wellbeing laws in Scotland would help to hardwire long-term thinking into our political and governmental decision-making.

“Backed by a new Future Generations Commissioner, the legal framework would help our decision-makers to look toward the horizon as well as deal with current emergencies.

“We’d urge MSPs from across the political spectrum to back these moves to help us to tackle the biggest challenges of our time.”