Police Scotland have released images of a man who may be able to assist them with their enquiries into an incident which occurred on Friday, 11 October, 2024, at around 9pm in the Stockbridge area.
The man (pictured) is described as white, heavy build, clean shaven and around 35 to 40 years old. He was seen to be wearing denim jeans, a dark baseball cap with writing on it and a black hooded top with ‘Hard Rock Café’ written on the front with further writing on the back.
The man pictured, anyone who may recognise him or anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact Police Scotland via 101 quoting incident number 3729 11 October 2024.
Alternatively, please call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 where you can give information anonymously.
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According to a new eye-opening survey from the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK)*, there is a worrying misconception among parents that a baby bath seat is a safety device.
The survey showed that almost three quarters of parents (72%) believe a baby bath seat is designed to keep a baby safe. This is not the case. Research published in RLSS UK’s Child Drowning Update (2019-2023) revealed that out of ten children under one that drowned in the bath, seven were using a baby bath seat.
Figures also revealed that 88% of parents have used a baby bath seat, and almost two-thirds (64%) of those with children under one currently do so. RLSS UK is therefore working to increase parents’ understanding of the purpose of baby bath seats to help promote safer bathtimes for all families.
Matt Croxall, Charity Director at RLSS UK, said: “We find it heartbreaking to learn that child drownings in the bath are continuing to take place – and it is concerning to learn that in many of these instances, there was a bath seat involved.
“Seeking to shed light on the major misconception that bath seats can be used as a safety device, we want to educate more families to be aware of the risks, so they are able to stay safe.
“Of ten infants that drowned in the bath in the last four years, seven were using a bath seat. Regardless of whether you are using a bath seat during bathtime, we always advise parents and carers to keep young children within arm’s reach in water. And if you do need to leave the bathroom at all, take the child with you. Whilst bath seats can provide support for your baby during bath time, bath seats are not a safety device.”
Splash Safety in Bath Seats forms part of RLSS UK’s brand-new campaign, Splash Safety at your Pad, which seeks to raise awareness among parents and carers of young children about the importance of water safety when at home, with a particular focus on bathtime.
Matt added: “In response to these tragic findings, we are pleased to introduce our educational Splash Safety at your Pad campaign, which aims to share important water safety messages with families across the UK and Ireland in a fun and engaging way.
“We hope this campaign has a positive impact on families with young ones and makes all the difference.”
Vital key safety advice when bathing your child:
Children should always be within arm’s reach – regardless of using a baby bath seat.
Get everything you need ready to go before filling the bath – from towels to pyjamas.
Avoid distractions and leave your phone outside the bathroom.
Check that the water has fully drained after emptying the water in the bath.
When not in use, keep the plug and toys out of reach and shut the bathroom door to limit children’s access without a grown-up.
*Consumer survey (September 2024), geographically representative sample of n=1,003 parents of children under five years from across the UK.
For more information around RLSS UK’s 2024 Child Drowning Update, please visit our website: www.rlss.org.uk/splash-safety
Thousands of people’s lives are being ruined every day in the UK by a hidden scam epidemic, according to a law firm that specialises in fraud recovery.
Richardson Hartley Law says that the country is in the grip of a ‘scamdemic’ and is calling for the Government, banks, tech giants and social media companies to do more to prevent fraud which it says is only going to get worse.
The law firm has set up a new specialist brand and website called NationalFraudHelpline.co.uk which, not only recovers scam victims’ money on a no win, no fee basis, but is developing anti-fraud technology, campaigning for better scam safeguards and raising awareness of the scale of the problem.
The website has the latest scam news and advises the public how they can protect themselves from fraud.
Calls for better protection comes after new rules were introduced last week(7.10.24) that mean that UK banks should reimburse fraud victims within five business days if they paid the scammer via authorised push payment (APP), which is when customers pay via their banking app or through logging in online.
Solicitor Martin Richardson, senior partner, at NationalFraudHelpline.co.uk, welcomed the new fraud regulations imposed by the Payment Services Regulator but said he was disappointed that the banks had recently pressured it to reduce the maximum that they had to pay out from £415,000 to £85,000.
Mr Richardson said: ‘There’s a hidden fraud pandemic in the UK that’s being hugely under-estimated. We’re describing it as a “scamdemic” and the impact is devastating. Many victims of fraud are having their lives ruined. We deal with people who have been left homeless, split up with their partners, been plunged into depression and forced to take on extra jobs.
‘Fraud is a multi-billion pound global business. Many victims in this country are falling victim to frauds that are perpetrated by people held in slave camps in South East Asia. where an estimated 200,000 people have been human trafficked and are forced to commit scams.
‘International criminals are harnessing the power of technology to commit increasingly sophisticated scams. With the advent of AI this is only going to get worse, and quickly.
‘We worry that reducing the maximum reimbursement threshold from £415,000 to £85,000 gives the banks less motivation to put in proper fraud prevention measures. There’s also a danger that this means some banks will cap the amount of compensation at £85,000 rather than compensate the full amount.
‘We’re determined, not just to get victims’ money back, but to create proper fraud prevention measures and raise awareness of how big this issue is. Millions of people are scammed in the UK each year.
‘Technology and the internet is in everyone’s lives and it’s been a gift to fraudsters. It’s unlocked the doors for scammers who use every opportunity to steal people’s money.
‘The Government, big tech giants and social media companies all need to do much more. So many of the scams we see come through Facebook, Instagram and Whatsapp as well as emails.’
NationalFraudHelpline.co.uk has joined forces with leading UK Artificial Intelligence company, Time Machine Capital Squared, to create innovative anti-fraud technology solutions.
A spokesperson for Time Machine Capital Squared said: ‘We are confident that Machine Learning and AI are vital tools in the fight against fraud. AI will be particularly effective in helping to quickly thwart new frauds as scammers change their tactics and targets.’
The law firm is also campaigning at a national level for better fraud prevention and is sponsoring a report into ‘Banks and APP fraud’ commissioned by the All Party Parliamentary Group for Fair Banking. The report will look at how the new APP fraud measure are working and what more can be done.
Mr Richardson said: ‘It is estimated that in 2024 one in ten people will fall victim to a scam which will total £7.5bn. That is an incredible number. The banks are suggesting people are being defrauded of around £400m a year through APP fraud alone. We believe that the true figure is between £3b to £4b.
‘The issue of fraud needs to be high up on everyone’s agenda
‘Fraud is particularly cruel. For victims of romance fraud, for example, they not only lose huge amounts of money but are simultaneously left heartbroken. The stories we hear each day are heartbreaking.’
A partnership between NHS 24, Police Scotland, and the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) ensures anyone who needs urgent mental health support will be directed to the most appropriate service for their needs.
Termed the ‘Mental Health Pathway,’ the collaboration between the three services means that people phoning 999 with non-emergency mental health concerns are now referred to NHS 24’s Mental Health Hub.
This is staffed by Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners and Mental Health Nurses who are highly trained to help patients in mental distress. The Mental Health Hub is designed to support people who need urgent mental health support, where emergency intervention is not required.
The Hub can also be accessed by phoning 111. As well as helping people with their immediate care needs, specialist staff can also refer people to local services. They’ll then get further assessment and treatment if needed. Although most people can be helped immediately and supported with self-care techniques.
Dr Ron Cook is NHS 24’s Medical Director. He details the aims of the Mental Health Pathway and why it became essential for NHS 24, Police Scotland, and Scottish Ambulance Service to work together to provide more effective urgent mental health support for patients:“It is imperative that anyone in mental health crisis or distress can quickly and easily connect with professionals who are experts in that field. Within office hours, patients seeking help with their mental health should contact their own GP.
“However, during the out of hours period, such as evenings and weekends, it is common for patients to be unsure of where to access mental health support. Many will often reach out for help by dialling 999, which may not be the most appropriate care route for them.
“The Mental Health Pathway was set up to streamline the process for anyone needing urgent assistance with their mental health, and aims to make all callers feel supported, understood, and cared for.
“This project has led to a better experience for individuals experiencing mental illness or distress, but also has the added impact of reducing the deployment of frontline services in non-emergencies and easing the demand on emergency services.”
The Mental Health Pathway was developed as a response to actions from the Scottish Government’s Mental Health Strategy 2017-2027, which aims to improve mental health services and outcomes for people in Scotland by providing a comprehensive and integrated approach to mental health.
NHS 24, Police Scotland, and SAS’ partnership went live operationally in 2020, and since then, the project has undergone various evaluation phases and gradual roll-out to thoroughly test processes to ensure patient safety.
2024 has marked a significant milestone for the Mental Health Pathway as over 91% of Police Scotland staff are now trained in the transfer process, with work ongoing to train 100% of applicable staff, secure the pathway as business as usual, and ensure all Police Scotland and SAS staff have awareness of and confidence in transferring mental health callers appropriately.
Anna is a Senior Charge Nurse in NHS 24’s Mental Health Hub, she explains the benefits to patients: “It is great that patients now come directly through to us if they need urgent assistance with their mental health, as it means that they are not waiting for lengthy periods at A&E which may not be the most suitable place for their needs at that time.
“It is so important that we are providing safe and effective care for all patients, and the development of the Mental Health Pathway means that people are getting the help they need at the right time by right person.”
The collaboration between NHS 24, Police Scotland, and SAS not only has a positive impact on patients. The Mental Health Pathway has also meant that police and ambulance staff are no longer deployed unnecessarily to calls regarding mental health unless there is an immediate threat to life.
This change has meant that staff from these services now have more time to perform their core roles.
Notably, Police Scotland data has recorded that 17,413 officer hours were saved over a ten-month period and 99% of their staff confirmed they felt confident making referrals and using the Mental Health Pathway following their training.
Chief Superintendent Matt Paden leads Police Scotland’s Mental Health Taskforce, he said: “Our work around policing’s response to mental health seeks to reset the parameters of policing’s contribution to a system wide response to ensure people get the compassion, help, and support they need and deserve from those best able to provide it.
“Our colleagues in the Mental Health Taskforce and C3 Division have worked closely with partners in NHS 24 and Scottish Ambulance Service to deliver the Mental Health Pathway over a period of years.
“Their important work demonstrates the benefits of referring those in mental health crisis to services best able to meet their needs. This can provide better outcomes for individuals and communities, better value to the public and enable officers to tackle threat, harm and risk and prevent crime.
“Further development and evaluation will continue, but I am grateful to all of those involved in the successful implementation and delivery of the Mental Health Pathway.”
Catherine Totten, Head of Service for Mental Health and Dementia at the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) said: “SAS supports people in mental health crisis and distress 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year, and we are committed to improving the outcomes and experience for these service users.
“The Mental Health Pathway allows us to directly transfer non-emergency callers to mental health trained clinicians in the NHS 24 mental health hub, ensuring those in crisis receive the right care at the right time.”
Edinburgh Multicultural Festival goes on tour! This fall we will be visiting libraries in the Edinburgh North neighbourhoods with our featured artists.
On Saturday, 19 October, Granton Library will be hosting ahalya Dance Academy who will bring a South Asian cultural dance performance and workshop for all ages.
Ahalya Dance Academy, an Edinburgh based dance school specialising in the ancient Indian art form of Bharatanatyam. Their vision is to bring the rich tradition of Bharatanatyam to diverse communities and provide a platform for aspiring dancers to learn and grow.
This event is free but ticketed, so make sure you register with us ahead of the event!
