We are urging readers to Go Red for Heart Month this February to support the British Heart Foundation (BHF).
You can Go Red to raise money for pioneering research this Heart Month, and learn the lifesaving skill of CPR – helping to protect the hearts of your loved ones, your community and many others too.
By fundraising for the BHF this Heart Month, you can help get us closer than ever to a world free from the fear of heart and circulatory diseases.
Whether it’s a coffee morning, an office dress-up day or a heart-themed quiz, red is an easy theme to have some fun with and raise vital funds for research.
With heart and circulatory diseases affecting around twice as many people in the UK as Alzheimer’s and cancer combined, we urgently need your help to fund the cures of tomorrow.
You can also learn CPR for free in just 15 minutes using the BHF’s online training tool, RevivR. Using just a cushion and a phone, you could learn the skills to help save a loved one’s life in the event of a cardiac arrest.
For ideas on how to fundraise this Heart Month, or to learn lifesaving CPR through RevivR, visit bhf.org.uk/heartmonth
April Davidson
Scotland Regional Fundraising Manager – British Heart Foundation
Culture Minister responds to experts’ recommendations
The recommendations of an independent group set up to advise on how Scotland’s museums and galleries can better reflect the country’s role in empire, colonialism, and historic slavery have been fully accepted by the Scottish Government.
Established following a motion in the Scottish Parliament and commitment in the 2020 Programme for Government, the Empire, Slavery and Scotland’s Museums (ESSM) Steering Group published six recommendations in 2022, for the recognition of Scotland’s colonial and slavery history.
The recommendations include the creation of a dedicated space to address Scotland’s role in empire, colonialism and historic slavery, that museums involve the people of Scotland in shaping their work, and that the Scottish Government demonstrates support for restitution and repatriation of looted or unethically acquired items in Scottish collections.
Culture Minister Christina McKelvie said: “I warmly welcome the steering group’s report and recommendations, which we have considered very carefully.
“Following in-depth discussion with the steering group, I am pleased to confirm the Scottish Government fully accepts all six recommendations, including the creation of a dedicated space to address Scotland’s role in empire, colonialism and historic slavery.
“While budgetary pressures mean we are not currently able to commit to the group’s suggestion of £5 million for this work, the Scottish Government has provided funding of £200,000 in 2023/24 to enable the steering group and Museums Galleries Scotland to begin work addressing the recommendations, including scoping out the format of a new organisation to progress the creation of a dedicated space and national guidance around the repatriation of objects from Scottish institutions.
“The Scottish Government wants everyone to feel safe, welcome, and represented in our cultural spaces. Though we cannot change the past, it is within our power to learn from it and use that to improve the experience of all people who live, work in and visit Scotland, whilst celebrating the wide ranging and positive contributions that ethnic minority communities have made and continue to make to our society.”
Jatin Haria, elected Chair of the Steering Group and Executive Director at the Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights said: “The ESSM recommendations came from widespread stakeholder involvement, including the largest national study of attitudes to museums and racism undertaken in Scotland.
“We welcome the Scottish Government’s acceptance of all six of our recommendations, as well as the acknowledgement of all the previous work that has got us to where we are today.
“The Steering Group is determined to work with the wider museum sector to bring the recommendations to fruition.
“We understand that finances are tight, and although more will be needed, the money that the Scottish Government has committed will be useful to kick start a long term process that will finally allow Scotland to properly tell it’s story of involvement in empire, slavery and colonialism in a coherent way.
“We can’t expect to resolve the racial inequalities that persist today without a better understanding of the history which brought us to this point.”
Lucy Casot, CEO of Museums Galleries Scotland said: ““MGS welcomes this significant announcement by the Scottish Government and the recognition of the importance of undertaking the work recommended by the Empire, Slavery & Scotland’s Museums Steering Group.
“Since their publication in 2022, the recommendations have not just shaped MGS’s work, but how we work as an organisation to collectively support the sector to engage with, and tell the stories of, all of Scotland’s people.
“We are already seeing brilliant work by museums and galleries across the country collaborating with local communities impacted by the legacies of slavery and empire to create more inclusive heritage spaces.
“I am excited about the future of a museum sector that is truly inclusive, trusted and engaged with by all of Scotland’s people, and the role that MGS can play in supporting this work.”
MND Scotland has received £50,000 from My Name’5 Doddie Foundation to support people with MND across Scotland with the cost of living.
The money will be distributed by MND Scotland as a one-off cost of living support payment up to the value of £350.
Since 2018, the Foundation has committed a total of £480,000 to MND Scotland to further its work supporting people affected by the disease in Scotland.
Rachel Maitland, MND Scotland’s Chief Executive, said:“This one-off payment will be welcome news and we’re proud to partner with My Name’5 Doddie Foundation to deliver this additional financial support directly to the people who need it most.
“A diagnosis of MND can bring with it a financial strain so the current cost of living crisis may disproportionately impact those with the disease. This money will therefore provide extra help to people living with MND who may be struggling with household bills or the cost of food shopping at the current time.”
Jill Douglas, CEO of the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, said: “We’re acutely aware of the impact that MND has on those living with the disease and their families. For many, the rising cost of living will make an already terrible diagnosis even more distressing.
“One of My Name’5 Doddie Foundation’s core pillars is ‘support’ and we’re proud to work with our friends at MND Scotland to provide assistance to those living with MND. These grants are made possible because of our brilliant supporters and thanks must go to them for their efforts.”
Members of the public are being urged not to visit hospitals if they are displaying symptoms of vomiting or diarrhoea, or if they have been in contact with anyone who is unwell.
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) issued the advice to those who are planning to visit loved ones in hospital.
The health board said anyone with vomiting or diarrhoea symptoms, or anyone who has been in recent contact with someone with these symptoms, should not visit until they feel better.
It comes amid a rise in winter related illnesses including Norovirus, Gastroenteritis, COVID-19 and flu across Scotland.
Visitors are also reminded to practice good hygiene by ensuring they regularly wash their hands to prevent the spread of viruses.
Nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea are common symptoms of these illnesses, along with headaches, fever and muscle or limb pain.
Symptoms of Gastroenteritis include:
Suddenly feeling sick
Projectile vomiting
Watery diarrhoea
Slight fever
Headaches
Painful stomach cramps and aching limbs
Symptoms of COVID-19 include:
Continuous cough
High temperature, fever or chills
Loss of, or change in, your normal sense of taste or smell
Shortness of breath
Unexplained tiredness, lack of energy
Muscle aches or pains that are not due to exercise
Not wanting to eat or not feeling hungry
Headache that’s unusual or longer lasting than usual
Sore throat, stuffy or runny nose
Diarrhoea
Feeling sick or being sick
Symptoms of flu include:
A sudden fever
A dry, chesty cough
A headache
Tiredness and weakness
Chills
Aching muscles
Limb or joint pain
Diarrhoea or abdominal (tummy) pain
Nausea and vomiting
A sore throat
A runny or blocked nose
Sneezing
Loss of appetite
Difficulty sleeping
In recent years, taking precautions against viral infections have become part of our daily life and we can all continue to help each other by following guidance around slowing the spread of viruses and practicing good hygiene.
You can protect yourself and others by staying at home if you are unwell and by cleaning hands and surfaces regularly.
Dr Aleksandra Marek, Consultant Microbiologist and Infection Control Doctor, said: “We are asking anyone with symptoms including vomiting or diarrhoea, or anyone who has been in contact with someone who has these symptoms, not to visit our hospitals.
“During the winter months, illnesses such as Norovirus, Gastroenteritis, COVID-19 and flu, can add to the pressures that staff face across our sites.
“To help protect yourself, your loved ones and our services, we are asking members of the public not to visit our hospital sites if they are displaying symptoms of any of these viruses.
“We are also asking anyone who does attend a site to follow infection control guidance, such as washing your hands regularly.”
NHSGGC is urging people to only attend Emergency Departments (A&E) if their condition is very urgent or life-threatening.
Any patient unsure of who to turn to has a range of options available to them:
More than nine in 10 tradespeople say they or someone they know have been victims of theft
Research shows 88% of those surveyed are concerned about the ongoing issue
Almost a third of tradespeople admit the fear of theft contributes to negative mental health
60% in the industry do not believe mental health is spoken about openly
NFU Mutual is a proud supporter of Samaritans, whose volunteers offer emotional support to anyone who is struggling
More than nine in 10 tradespeople have been targeted by criminals as the fear of theft and violence puts a strain on the industry, alarming stats reveal.
New research* from commercial insurer NFU Mutual found that more than nine in 10 tradespeople (92%) say they or someone they know have been a victim of theft.
In the last 12 months alone, 53% of those surveyed said they had experienced tool or equipment theft, just shy of half had materials pinched, almost three in 10 had a vehicle stolen and 23% were victims of organised crime.
And those figures clearly weigh heavily on those in the industry, with almost a third of tradespeople (29%) admitting that the fear of theft and violence on their business contributes towards difficulties with mental health.
The rising cost of living (42%), financial worries (41%), stress of the job (39%), long hours (35%) and a lack of regular work (33%) were the other factors.
With almost nine in 10 tradespeople concerned about the threat of their equipment being stolen, NFU Mutual is urging workers to remain vigilant.
Zoe Knight, Commercial Specialist at NFU Mutual, said: “Theft of tradespeople’s tools or equipment continues to blight the industry and the fact 92% of people surveyed say they – or someone they know – have been a victim speaks volumes.
“Tradespeople rely on this equipment for their income and livelihood, with crime hitting not just their pocket but, as our research shows, also having a huge and negative impact on their mental health.
“To see a third of tradespeople fearing theft or violence in their day-to-day job is worrying and we would urge tradespeople to do all they can to offput the threat of that happening – via security measures and recording serial numbers of equipment.
“We want tradespeople to feel supported and protected should the worst happen and know there is also help available for those struggling.”
A report by Builders Merchants News* revealed in December that texts to a construction charity helpline had seen an increase of 105% after the launch of an initiative to take the mental health message across the UK.
That could pave the way for more open conversations, with NFU Mutual’s survey showing that more than half of respondents believe that mental health isn’t spoken about openly in the trades industry.
While more than three-quarters of tradespeople did say they were confident or fairly confident they would know where to go for support if they were struggling, worryingly, almost four in 10 (36%) said it is unlikely they would seek help if they had mental health problems.
Commercial insurer NFU Mutual is a proud supporter of Samaritans, a charity which offers round the clock emotional support to anyone struggling to cope.
Jason Jaspal, Assistant Director of Business Development at Samaritans, added: “Samaritans offers a listening ear and a safe space to share how you’re feeling 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
“It’s vital that tradespeople reach out for support when they are finding life tough, rather than letting things build up and potentially reaching a crisis point. It doesn’t matter what they’re finding challenging, Samaritans is here so they don’t have to face things alone.”
NFU Mutual Risk Management Services is sharing the following advice to tradespeople:
Minimise storage of tools and equipment in vans: a robust, lockable building is preferable. Consider intruder alarms for high value equipment.
If you have to leave tools and equipment in a van, make sure it’s alarmed and, as a minimum, park against a wall so that doors cannot be opened easily.
Don’t make it easy for thieves to guess that equipment is kept inside (a van or a building) e.g. by leaving items on display and leaving tools around which may assist an intruder.
Store portable items within a robust, lockable store that is fixed in place.
Restrict and control vehicular access to the work site.
Consider video security system (temporary systems and temporary intruder alarm systems are available for site use).
Security mark your tools and equipment (e.g. forensic, engraving or permanent marking) to deter thieves and aid recovery.
Don’t stockpile high value materials such as lead and copper or leave them around for longer than necessary.
For construction vehicles use CESAR marking, tracking and immobilisation to prevent and trace thieves.
Check all locks and security measures before leaving any site e.g. alarms switched on, cameras facing the right direction and security lights working.
Services in all UK nations face hit, Northern Ireland an existential threat
The British Dental Association has warned the European Parliament’s vote to ban dental amalgam from 1 January 2025, will send shockwaves across the UK’s already struggling dental services.
Silver amalgam is the most common material for NHS permanent fillings across the UK. Fillings represent around a quarter of all courses of NHS treatment delivered in England, with amalgam used in around in around a third of procedures.
BDA estimate treatment times and costs of alternative materials are over 50% higher than those of amalgam. [1]
On 14 July, the European Commission adopted a proposal to revise the Mercury Regulation, to introduce a total phase-out of the use of dental amalgam and prohibit the manufacture and export of dental amalgam from the EU from 1 January 2025 – 5 years earlier than expected.
The vote will hit all four UK nations but will have a disproportionate impact on services in Northern Ireland, which has the highest proportion of filled teeth of any UK nation. [2] Under post Brexit arrangements, Northern Ireland will be expected to phase out dental amalgam on the same basis as EU member states. Divergence means the rest of the UK faces disruption and higher costs given the impact on supply chains, but not a formal ban.
In an open letter to all four UK Chief Dental Officers, the BDA stress there are currently no alternative restorative materials that compete with amalgam on speed of placement or longevity, meaning the ban will eat into clinical time and resource that are in short supply, likely creating further access barriers.
There are no indications where the millions in additional funding required will come from nor the workforce to carry out the tens of thousands of extra clinical hours.
MEPs also backed amendments stating that Member States need to “ensure appropriate reimbursement is made available for mercury-free alternatives” to limit the socio-economic impact. The BDA say the same approach is need from all UK Governments.
The Nuffield Trust warned in December that NHS dentistry was at the most precarious moment in its 75-year history. The BDA warn that without decisive action, this ban will only hasten the service’s demise.
While the BDA has long supported a phase-down in dental amalgam, it believes this rapid phase-out is neither feasible nor justifiable. Dental amalgam has been in use and extensively studied for 150 years as a restorative material. Its safety and durability are well established, and it remains the most appropriate material for a range of clinical situations.
BDA Chair Eddie Crouch said:“When we are set to lose a key weapon in the treatment of tooth decay all four UK Governments appear asleep at the wheel.
“When alternative materials can’t compete, this will add new costs and new uncertainties to practices already on the brink.
“Without decisive action this could be the straw that breaks the back of NHS dentistry.”
[1] BDA research on treatment times and costs, 2023. Figures are derived from a comprehensive research study into NHS dental treatment times. A unit price per treatment has been generated using official figures for dental expenses, courses of treatment and dentist earnings (available through NHS digital), supplemented by further BDA research.
[2] Total number of Teeth Filled per 100,000 population by UK nations and Financial Year, From Family Practitioner Services General Dental Statistics for Northern Ireland 2022/23
In Northern Ireland’s Item of Service Claims 2022/23, amalgam was used as a material in 153,000 of the 353,000 claims for permanent fillings on adults and children, or 46% of the total.
While amalgam use is not centrally recorded in England, the BDA understands these represent around a third of fillings placed in England on the NHS.
Edinburgh International Festivalhas announced a new Principal Partner, single malt Scotch Whisky, The Macallan. Together, they will create a large-scale opening event to mark the start of August in Edinburgh.
Responding to this year’s International Festival theme, ‘Rituals That Unite Us’, the 2024 opening event is an outdoor event welcoming 10,000+ people to create a new ritual together for the International Festival and the city of Edinburgh.
The collaboration between The Macallan and the International Festival is a creative union between two iconic Scottish brands, which draws upon a combined heritage, a shared creativity and global reach, all firmly anchored in Scotland.
Ambitious in scope and storytelling, the opening event evokes the mythology, history and Scotland’s rich cultural heritage. It showcases a range of artforms and performers, inviting audiences to step into a transcendent world that explores our past, present and future, inspired by Edinburgh’s iconic landscape as a city built on layers.
The opening event is devised by an extraordinary creative team led by creative producer Katy Fuller at Pinwheel, whose track record includes projection festival “North of the Tyne, Under the Stars” which celebrated the landscape and legends of the region, “Land of Green Ginger” for Hull UK City of Culture which transformed all corners of the city through a series of Acts of Wanton Wonder, and a portfolio of projects with artists ranging from dreamthinkspeak to Antony Gormley.
Blending myths and reality, the International Festival’s collaboration with The Macallan enlivens a shared history of Scottish creativity and craftsmanship, in what is set to be a visually stunning opening event to mark festival season in Edinburgh.
Nicola Benedetti, Festival Director, Edinburgh International Festival,said: “This year’s Edinburgh International Festival will be a momentous celebration of the collective experiences that bind us closer together.
“We share The Macallan’s commitment to artistic innovation and collaboration, and to true mastery. This flourishing partnership will enable audiences to experience Festival traditions in new and extraordinary ways; our unmissable opening event will allow us to see ourselves and our history on the grandest of stages, and inspire us to think differently.”
Jaume Ferràs, Global Creative Director, The Macallan, added:“2024 marks The Macallan’s 200th anniversary through a celebration of time.
“As part of this milestone, we are delighted to be working with the Edinburgh International Festival and draw upon our combined heritage, creativity and artistic power.
“Edinburgh International Festival is renowned as the world’s leading arts festival bringing a rich tapestry of Scottish stories to the global stage. We look forward to combining our creative talents and connecting local and global audiences with the highest quality of Scottish storytelling through this exciting new opening event for Edinburgh International Festival.”
The full Edinburgh International Festival programme will be announced on 7 March 2024.
Tickets will be on sale on 21 March 2024, with priority booking for members. Sign up to the Edinburgh International Festival newsletter for up-to-date information at www.eif.co.uk.
Miracle match pair share their story to highlight extraordinary impact of living kidney donation
A man with chronic kidney disease underwent a life-saving transplant with a kidney donated by his friend, after tests showed the pair were a 100 per cent match.
Sixteen months on, Calum Mitchell, 45, from Dunfermline, and his donor Ian Cameron, 41, from Edinburgh, are sharing their story as part of a campaign to highlight the benefits of living kidney donation.
Living kidney donation plays a vital role in increasing donation and transplantation rates in Scotland, with a kidney from a living donor generally offering the best outcomes for patients in need of a transplant. Since 1960 there have been 1905 kidney transplants from living donors in Scotland, with 95 taking place in 2023.
Calum, who underwent his first transplant aged 21, spoke of how Ian’s gift has given him his life back after the function of his first donated kidney from a deceased donor began to decline. Following his second transplant, bloods show that his kidney function is better now than it was aged 16.
Calum’s first transplant lasted 22 years, nine months and six days. By 2022, he describes himself as being ‘deep into overtime’ with his donated kidney.
Calum said: “My first transplant went ahead in January 2000 and the difference it made to my life is very hard to describe. Within a year I was back to doing all the sports I loved and it was amazing being freed from dialysis, thanks to my donor and their family.
“Fifteen years post-surgery they told me my kidney function was gradually declining and by October 2021 a second transplant was raised. I knew this was ahead of me and never felt like the situation was out of control. I also felt hugely grateful my transplant had given me so many good years.”
Calum was listed for transplant and at that stage set up a WhatsApp group so his wife Kirsty could be supported by those close to her. This group included Ian’s wife Becky, which prompted Ian to email Calum in December 2021, broaching the subject of the donation.
Research conducted to support the living donation campaign shows almost half of those surveyed said they’d be likely to consider donating to a friend (48 per cent), but for Ian, the decision was made long before Calum’s first kidney transplant failed.
Ian said: “We were quite close and I had a good handle on the extent of Calum’s condition. I was always interested in how he was doing and years previously Calum mentioned he might need a new kidney.
“At that point, I spoke to my wife and we agreed we’d get tested as possible donors. So it was a kind of done deal at that point, in my head at least.
“I knew him well enough to know he wouldn’t be enthusiastic about the prospect. I’m a guy that likes to move quickly so I pushed him as I was resolute in my decision to donate. I think Calum thought I wouldn’t be a match so after a bit of back and forth, he eventually agreed to the initial tests.”
The testing started positively and went from strength to strength. Calum is a rare B negative blood type, as is Ian. At that point they had a serious discussion about Ian moving to the next stage of testing and whether Calum would accept the kidney. On Ian’s 40th birthday in April, the tests went ahead and everything was a match, with the pair being told they could be twins.
Calum said: “I’d left the ball in Ian’s court as I was grateful but that gratitude was tied up with concern and nervousness. I didn’t want to put any pressure on him, but when we got the test results it was hard to refuse as it definitely felt like it was meant to be.”
Calum went back on dialysis in June 2022 and the surgery was scheduled for September at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.
Ian said: “I was pumped going in for surgery, so excited. I’d never had surgery in my life. We drove into hospital together and it felt like a very unique experience.
“Post surgery I was sore but I felt great, and ravenously hungry about an hour later. I was up and about in a couple of hours and in for two days with the soreness getting better reasonably quickly.
“The highest point of joy for me was when I was out of surgery and Calum was in theatre having the transplant. The surgeon came to see me, my wife and Calum’s wife Kirsty and told us the kidney had started working straight away. I burst into tears and I’m not a crier. It was so joyful for the three of us, such a high point and a real special time.”
Calum added: “Coming round from surgery, I knew I was immediately better, my extremities were warm, my head was clear, I had no central line in my neck which made me realise it had gone well. Compared to the last transplant, the recovery was so much quicker. I was home four days after surgery and taking the boys to football three weeks later.
“It’s like being given your life back. At the end I began to feel the decline and then felt really ill starting dialysis and the next minute I was fully alive. Life got back to normal so quickly and that is the difference. You go from one extreme to normality and normality is very, very special. I can’t really put into words what Ian has done. It’s a gift like no other.”
Ian added: “We very much feel like this was providential. When we started out on this journey we had no idea if we’d get past the first stage, but our identical results showed it was meant to be.
“Kidney donation changes lives, life expectancy and there’s a knock on effect beyond the recipient. There is no personal gain other than seeing that person doing better. That’s what makes the purity of that gift is so unique.
“To anyone considering donating, I would say it’s one of the most profound ways of changing someone’s life and I’ve personally found the entire experience hugely rewarding.”
Jen Lumsdaine, Lead Nurse for Living Donation Scotland and Living Donor Transplant Co-ordinator for NHS Lothian, said: “For those with kidney failure who are facing treatment choices, we know that talking about living donation with family and friends can be challenging. The more we can raise awareness of living kidney donation the easier it is to talk about it.
We also know that living kidney donation transforms lives – and we thank the donors and their support networks for this exceptional gift.”
Public Health Minister Jenni Minto said: “Living kidney donation plays a vital role in saving and improving lives. Calum and Ian’s story demonstrates how living donation can transform the life of someone living with kidney failure.
“A person can lead a completely normal life with one kidney, and anyone who is interested in volunteering can find out more about donating from livingdonation.scot.”
1905 people in Scotland have helped others by donating a kidney since the first pioneering surgery took place in Edinburgh over 60 years ago.
There were 95 living kidney donor transplants in 2023.
Living donation can not only lead to better outcomes for patients, but one donor can trigger a ‘chain’ of transplants for up to three people. This is co-ordinated through the UK Living Kidney Sharing Scheme (UKLKSS), which is managed by NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT).
Over 400 people in Scotland are currently waiting for a kidney transplant.
Approximately 600 people in Scotland start kidney replacement treatment per year, with the majority starting dialysis.
Last year 247 people in Scotland received a kidney transplant. 57 of these people received their new kidney before it was necessary to start dialysis.
Since 2006, over 100 people in Scotland have altruistically donated a kidney.
A kidney transplant is a treatment, not a cure, however kidney transplants from living donor are very successful, with over 80% of transplants still functioning at 10 years.
Living donor transplantation offers the best short-and-long term outcome for recipients. It is also by far the most cost-effective treatment and a significantly more environmentally sustainable option than dialysis.
