Month: October 2024

Sight Loss Charities Demand Eye Hospital Closure Answers

‘Waiting Times Will Soar and Patient Care will Suffer’ 

Sight Scotland and Sight Scotland Veterans are urgently seeking answers from NHS Lothian regarding the temporary closure of the Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion in Edinburgh due to emergency repair works.

The sight loss charities are questioning the six-month closure timeline and are warning that it will result in longer waiting times and declining patient care, putting the eye health and mental wellbeing of thousands at heightened risk. 

During a recent round table discussion in the Scottish Parliament on Monday 30th September, Craig Spalding, Chief Executive of Sight Scotland, along with NHS Lothian’s Interim Chief Executive Jim Crombie, MSPs Sue Webber, Miles Briggs, and Sarah Boyack, and representatives from Visibility Scotland, RNIB Scotland, Sight Scotland’s Policy Group and the KEEP campaign, discussed the implications of the temporary closure. 

Key concerns raised included: 

  • Resilience and Contingency Plans: Clarity is needed on how NHS Lothian will handle patient reallocations, especially if moving patients to other locations becomes unviable, and what longer-term contingency plans exist if repairs exceed the 6-month timeframe. 
  • Relocation of Services: NHS Lothian must confirm where outpatient, inpatient, day care, and emergency services will be provided during the closure. 
  • Communication and Patient Support: Will NHS Lothian commit to timely, accessible updates and appointment information (e.g., large print, colour contrast, Braille, telephone calls) and ensure consistent patient support services throughout the disruption? 
  • Transport and Accessibility: What transport options will be available for patients, especially those struggling to reach new locations? Will NHS Lothian seek to secure additional funds from the Scottish Government for taxis and ambulances? 
  • Access to Medication: How will patients access medication from the specialist pharmacy, and will community pharmacies be an alternative? 
  • Patient Data: How will patient data records be secured and shared, and what system will ensure quick transfer of essential paperwork to prevent delays in CVI registration?  

Craig Spalding, Chief Executive of Sight Scotland and Sight Scotland Veterans, comments: “We are extremely concerned that the health and wellbeing of eye patients in Edinburgh and the Lothians is being overlooked once again.

“The temporary closure of the eye hospital raises serious questions about patient care, continuity of services, and access to essential treatments.

“This building has been deemed unfit for purpose for over a decade, yet NHS Lothian is set to pour millions into patching up a leaky roof, while the entire facility remains a disaster zone. 

“This is a significant blow to patients in a region where ophthalmology services are already severely strained. With waiting times at an all-time high, they are now expected to worsen, causing further delays to vital treatments and placing the eye health and mental wellbeing of thousands at serious risk.

“Since the building was declared unfit for purpose in 2014, outpatient waiting times have quadrupled. Now, less than a third of patients are seen within 12 weeks, compared to 90% ten years ago. Patients cannot afford to wait this long for critical treatments, and it’s only going to get worse. 

“There are so many urgent questions which need answered. What resilience plans are in place if some patient reallocations to alternative sites prove unviable?

“What contingency measures exist if the repairs extend beyond the planned six-month timeframe, will there be increased funding if the £1.8 million allocated for emergency repairs falls short? Where will those needing access to emergency eye care go?

“It is essential NHS Lothian works in partnership with third-sector organisations to support vulnerable patients during this difficult time, as many of them will be severely impacted.” 

“The recent roundtable made it clear that concerns are widespread, and there’s still no comprehensive plan to improve eye care in the capital. We must keep pushing NHS Lothian and the Scottish Government for answers, both for immediate solutions and long-term improvements.

“How many more lives must be disrupted before funding for a new eye hospital is finally secured?” 

For more information, visit sightscotland.org.uk    

Desperate times for arts organisations as funding uncertainty continues

NO DECISIONS BEFORE DECEMEBER?

CREATIVE SCOTLAND STATEMENT:

Following discussions with the Scottish Government throughout the Multi-Year process, we have now received confirmation that Creative Scotland’s budget to enable Multi-Year decisions will not be clarified until the overall Scottish Government draft budget announcement, scheduled for 04 December 2024.

As a result, the outcome from the Multi-Year Funding programme is being postponed until the end of January 2025. This is a revision to the published guidance.

281 applications to the programme, with an annual ask of £87.5m, are currently being assessed as part of Stage 2 of the published process. Final decisions on the level of support we will be able to provide to successful organisations will be made once we have budget clarity.

The National Lottery reserves that we hold, currently £11m, remain allocated to support Transition Funding from April 2025 for organisations currently in receipt of ongoing funding from Creative Scotland but are unsuccessful in their application for Multi-Year Funding.

Robert Wilson, Chair of Creative Scotland, said: “While we would have preferred to announce the outcome from this application process in October as planned and have been working collaboratively with Scottish Government to endeavour to do so, we also understand the extreme budget pressures that exist.

“These pressures mean we are required to postpone the outcome until such time as we have budget clarity. This will enable us to make final decisions in a context of budget confidence and to support as many organisations on a multi-year basis as we possibly can.”

Angus Robertson, Cabinet Secretary for Culture, said: “The cultural sector is an integral part of our identity as a country. This is why we’re working hard to help the sector to fulfil its potential in Scotland by assuring at least £100 million more annually in funding by 2028-29.

“We await the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s budget announcement on 30 October which has a hugely significant bearing on the Scottish budget. Following that we will be able to set detailed budgets for the coming financial year including for the culture sector.

“I will continue to work in collaboration with Creative Scotland and the sector over the coming months to ensure stability until Creative Scotland have sufficient clarity to be able to announce the recipients of their multi-year funding awards.”  

UK charters flight to leave Lebanon on Sunday as conflict escalates

Any remaining British nationals who want to leave are urged to register immediately

The UK has chartered a flight to leave Beirut tomorrow (Sunday 6 Oct) as tensions in the region escalate.

There are no more scheduled flights, due to a decrease in demand. However, the situation will be kept under constant review. 

Any remaining British nationals who want to leave Lebanon are urged to register with the Government immediately.

The Government has been advising British nationals to leave Lebanon since October last year due to a deteriorating security situation. So far three chartered flights organised by the Government have left Beirut, with a fourth to leave on Sunday. 

The Government added the extra capacity due to high demand for places on commercial flights and has enabled more than 250 additional people to leave in the last week.

The Government committed to charter flights as long as there was demand and the security situation allows. However, demand has now significantly reduced, and this Sunday’s flight is currently the only one scheduled.

Any British nationals who have not booked a place and still wish to secure a seat on the flight are advised to register immediately.

British nationals and their spouse or partner, and children under the age of 18 are eligible. All passengers must hold a valid travel document.

Dependants who are not British nationals will require a valid visa that has been granted for a period of stay in the UK of more than 6 months.  

UK government officials have been working round the clock in London, Beirut and the wider region to provide support to British nationals. A FCDO Rapid Deployment Team has also arrived in Lebanon to bolster the support offered by British Embassy officials.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy said: “The situation in Lebanon remains volatile, so I am glad that we have helped the many people who have heeded our advice to leave the country immediately.

“With demand falling, and the security situation deteriorating, there is no guarantee other options to leave quickly will become available. I urge anyone who wants to leave to register now.”

Sunday’s flight will depart from Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport and British nationals who have registered their presence with the Government will be sent details on how to request a seat.    

British nationals and their dependants should not travel to the airport unless they have a seat booked on a plane. 

The FCDO urges everyone to continue to follow the relevant travel advice, exercise caution, and monitor media in Lebanon for developments.     

The safety of British nationals is the top priority and around 700 troops and Foreign Office and Home Office staff, including Border Force officers, have been deployed to Cyprus for contingency planning.

https://twitter.com/i/status/1842097635412324705

The UK continues to call for a ceasefire between Lebanese Hizballah and Israel – although the UK continues to supply arms to Israel.

The UK Government says a ceasefire would provide the space necessary to find a political solution that enables civilians on both sides to return to their homes in safety. 

Given Israel leader Benjamin Netanyahu’s defiant comments, however, the chances of a ceasefire are slim.

If he won’t listen to the United States or the United Nations, will he really pay the slightest heed to Britain?

Princes Street robbery: Do you know this man?

Police Scotland have released images of a male they would like to speak to in connection with a robbery which occurred on Tuesday, 14 May 2024 at around 5pm on Princes Street.

Officers believe the male in the images could assist them in their ongoing enquiries and are appealing for the male himself or anyone who may recognise him, or has information about this incident, to get in touch.

The male (pictured) is described as a white male, aged between 30-40 years old, slim build, brown facial hair and spoke with a Glasgow accent.

The male was wearing a white hooded top, black trousers and a black beanie hat.

Anyone who recognises the male pictured or has any information is asked to contact Police Scotland via 101 quoting incident number 2725 of 14 May 2024.

Alternatively, please call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 where you can give information anonymously.

Groundbreaking research uncovers increasing rate of sexual violence against older people

Hourglass has teamed up with independent researcher Amanda Warburton-Wynn to publish her new research which reveals there were 274 allegations of staff sexually assaulting older patients recorded in just three years.

The research, which is available to read in full on the Hourglass website, follows a study produced in 2021, inspired by the case of Valerie Kneale who passed away due to injuries from a sexual assault in Blackpool Victoria Hospital.

It found that 75 cases of sexual abuse committed by staff were recorded from 2016 to 2021.

This new research, released today has revealed that in just three years, that number has more than tripled.

In comparison to findings from the previous period, even less cases were reported to police, with over a third not reported or closed as ‘No Further Action’.
 
The research also found that the majority of victims of this sexual violence were not referred to  a Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) or specialist services, with a total of 127 victims not referred for support following the abuse.

The perpetrators of this abuse were most frequently found to be nurses or nursing assistants, the majority of victims were female and 85% of alleged perpetrators being male.

The research recommends that better reporting practices would result in improved justice outcomes, alongside a need for specific safeguarding training for staff to spot the signs of abuse, particularly when it comes to older victims.

Hourglass is the only UK-wide charity supporting older victims-survivors of abuse and neglect, operating a 24/7 helpline, unique casework service and specialist local support. The charity warns that the findings of this report is emblematic of the rising epidemic of abuse, which affects a reported 1 in 6 older people in the UK. 

Independent researcher Amanda Warburton-Wynn said: “Whilst I knew this was happening, I didn’t expect to see such a high number of incidents.

“The most surprising thing was the number of incidents being so much higher than last time although over a shorter period. It is a shocking number of incidents against a likely near zero criminal justice response.” 

Veronica Gray, Deputy CEO and Director of Policy of Hourglass said: “The extent of abuse revealed in this research and the lack of response from NHS trusts is shocking and deeply concerning.

“The findings show numerous systemic failures to protect older individuals in hospitals in the first place and even more in the failure to act once the incidents have taken place.

“It is deeply concerning to see so many older victim-survivors not referred to specialist support. Specialist services are a lifeline for older people who have experienced abuse and it’s essential that these services are available and accessible to all those who need them.” 

The charity is urging those keen to support the charity to donate by visiting visiting www.wearehourglass.org.uk/donate or Text SAFER to 70460 to donate £10.

Texts cost £10 plus one standard rate message and you’ll be opting in to hear more about our work and fundraising via telephone and SMS.

If you’d like to give £10 but do not wish to receive marketing communications, text SAFERNOINFO to 70460.

Scottish Cycling launches Women & Girls Strategy

Scottish Cycling has launched its first Women & Girls Strategy to coincide with Scottish Women and Girls in Sport week.

The strategy, launched at West Lothian Cycle Circuit with the support of Sports Minister Ms. Maree Todd and double Paralympic champion Jenny Holl, aims to make a step change in female participation in cycle sport.

Despite making up over 50% of the population of Scotland, women are under-represented in cycling, a situation familiar to many sports, and whilst women’s participation is on the up, Scottish Cycling is determined to accelerate this process.

Whilst Scottish Cycling already implements a number of initiatives to make cycling a more female friendly sport, the strategy outlines how the whole organisation, and the Scottish Cycling community, can come together to make a tangible difference.

Speaking at the launch event, Ms Maree Todd, Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport, said: “Women & Girls in Sport Week is the highlight of my year every year, so to launch this strategy during this week is just fantastic.

“When we were discussing the UCI Cycling World Championships, which were held in Scotland last year, one of the opportunities we saw was to try and get more women cycling,

“Lots and lots of women would like to cycle, but very few of them do, and this strategy is about tackling that. I’m really keen that women and girls have the opportunity to participate in sport; that’s what this week is all about, and that’s what this strategy is about, and I’m absolutely certain it’ll have an impact.”

Scottish Cycling Chief Executive, Nick Rennie, commented: “The launch of our first Women & Girls Strategy is a huge moment for Scottish Cycling and our community, and follows on from our commitment last summer to shift the dial on female participation in our wonderful sport.

“Scottish Cycling already has a number of initiatives aimed at females, which are slowly starting to shift the gender balance, however that rate of progress isn’t quick enough for our liking, and so this strategy, and supporting action plan, aims to really accelerate our work in this area.”

Double Paralympic champion, Jenny Holl, added: “It’s really great to see Scottish Cycling stepping up and pushing for more diversity within the sport, particularly in the women and girl’s space.

“For me, now is the perfect time – having watched the Elite Women’s Road Race at the Glasgow ‘super worlds’ last year, it’s clear to see that there is the support and appetite for women’s cycling in Scotland, we just need to help people access it.”

After extensive consultation with the cycling community and key stakeholders earlier this year, Scottish Cycling refined its strategy to make its vision as clear as possible.

The strategy is broken down into five focus areas, the five Rs: Ride, Race, Role Models, Recognise and Relationships, which are all as important as the next if the organisations 2027 targets are to be achieved. These include a 30% increase in female members and event entries, a 10% increase in retention within the Performance Pathway, 20% more coaches, and a number of new partnerships with other organisations who can help support the fulfilment of these goals.

The strategy clearly outlines the vision, and steps that will be taken to get there, but sitting below this is an Action Plan, which goes into the detailed interventions, and sets annuals targets to keep Scottish Cycling on track to reach its 2027 goals.

You can read the Strategy here

Further detail can be found in the Action Plan here

Scottish Cycling can’t do this alone, so if you have thoughts on the strategy, action plan or want to show your support, please get in touch via: recreation@scottishcycling.org.uk

For partnership or commercial opportunities within the Women & Girls cycling space, please contact pete.matthews@scottischcycling.org.uk

Scots are far quicker to report a missing delivery than get possible cancer symptoms checked out

Radio presenter and resident ‘early bird’ Des Clarke took to Buchanan Street to share latest research from the Scottish Government with the people of Glasgow and get their thoughts.

People across Scotland are being urged to ‘Be the Early Bird’ as part of the Scottish Government’s awareness raising campaign to empower people with possible cancer symptoms to contact their GP practice.

In recent research conducted by the Scottish Government*, more than four in five people in Scotland (83%) said they would report an item missing from a delivery order within a day, but nearly a third (32%) of people in Scotland said they would wait days, weeks and even months to contact their GP practice about any unusual, persistent symptoms.

The research, which surveyed over 2,000 people in Scotland, also showed that 87% of people in Scotland say they would respond to an urgent text from a friend within an hour, as opposed to more than 2 in 5 (42%) who would take days, weeks or even months to contact their GP practice as soon as they experienced a persistent hoarse voice.

Another finding showed that nearly nine out of ten people in Scotland (86%) would contact their GP practice within two days if their child / a child in their care was ill, however, if they had a persistent cough that had lasted more than three weeks, just over one in five (21%) said they’d wait at least another week to get in touch with their GP practice.

The Scottish Government wants to tackle these issues with its ‘Be the Early Bird’ campaign, which aims to reinforce the benefits of finding cancer at an earlier stage when there’s more treatment options available, a greater likelihood of living well after treatment, and better news to tell the family.

Des Clarke, breakfast radio presenter, resident ‘early bird’ and advocate for the campaign, recently took to the streets of Glasgow to share the research with locals who confirmed the research’s findings – many people in Scotland would put off contacting their GP practice and are likely to help someone else before themselves.

Des Clarke, Radio Presenter said: “The Scottish Government’s ‘Be the Early Bird’ campaign is so important as cancer is something that affects many of us in some way. This research proves what we all know to be true anecdotally with many people placing greater importance on other things and allowing their health to slip down the priority list.

Video: https://we.tl/t-BteN4b4ZBo

“I encourage everyone in Scotland to make sure they contact their GP practice if they notice any persistent symptoms or issues that are out of the ordinary – your GP practice wants to know.”

Ross MacDuff, Joint National Clinical Lead for Earlier Cancer Diagnosis at the National Centre for Sustainable Delivery (CfSD), said: “Finding cancer in its earliest stages is really key to maximising treatment options.

“That’s why it’s so important that anyone who is experiencing persistent symptoms that are unusual for them contacts their GP practice so they can be assessed as soon as possible and referred, if appropriate, to the correct specialist.

“Whether it is you that has possible symptoms, a family member or friend, please don’t put off making an appointment with your GP practice.  If cancer is confirmed earlier, a much wider range of treatment options can be available, and the body can respond better to treatment.”

Health Secretary, Neil Gray said: “Early detection is crucial in cancer care. So, I urge everyone to prioritise their health and make sure you contact your GP practice about any unusual, persistent symptoms.

“The sooner we act, the better the chances for treatment and recovery. So, let’s be vigilant – if something doesn’t feel right, don’t wait, get checked early.”

To see the reactions of the Scottish public when Des Clarke shared the research stats, please see link here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Hyl_OL8a7g. 

For more information around how to be an ‘Early Bird’ and to use the symptom checker, please visit getcheckedearly.org.

* The research conducted included 2,001 respondents across Scotland (aged 16+).

Brave@Heart Awards: First Minister celebrates acts of courage

Brave@Heart Awards given to emergency service workers and members of the public

Brave@Heart Awards have been presented to 12 emergency service workers and six members of the public by First Minister John Swinney.

Among those recognised for acts of courage were two police officers who rescued a woman from a burning flat and an officer who dragged a woman to safety after she had been in the sea for more than an hour. Three other officers were recognised for swimming out to help someone trapped in a submerged vehicle 15 metres offshore.

Other winners included a six-year-old girl who alerted her father to the fact her younger brother was having a seizure and then kept watch for the ambulance arriving. Five members of the public received awards for helping people in burning buildings before firefighters arrived.

Constable James Henderson, Constable Steven Prentice and Winch Paramedic Norman MacLeod from the Stornoway Rescue Team were additionally awarded the St Andrew’s Award for acts of exceptional bravery.

Constables Henderson and Prentice entered an unsafe roof space and revived a man who had attempted to take his own life. Norman McLeod was lowered from a helicopter to a Spanish ship were he tended to and then evacuated two crew members who had sustained life-threatening injuries. 

Since 2010, the Brave@Heart Awards have recognised acts of bravery by staff of the blue-light services, voluntary sector rescue organisations and members of the public. The recipients each year are chosen by an independent validation panel.

First Minister John Swinney said: “Celebrating heroism and remarkable deeds that save lives is one of the greatest honours I have as First Minister.

“The Brave@Heart Awards recognise courage and demonstrate that it can be shown at any age and in different circumstances.

“Every one of this year’s winners chose to act with bravery when it mattered most. That was clear from what the validation panel shared with me, and it was clear from speaking to these inspiring members of the public and representatives of Scotland’s emergency services.”

Brave@Heart Validation Panel Chair David Garbutt said: “It has been an honour to hear of so many inspiring acts of courage and selflessness undertaken by citizens in Scotland and by members of the emergency services. 

“I am grateful to the First Minister for continuing to sponsor these awards and congratulate all of the award recipients for their achievement and for demonstrating the public spirited actions which help keep our society safe. Finally, I thank the members of the emergency services who worked with me as members of the validation panel.”

Public health levy needed to stop alcohol deaths, says Scottish Greens

A public health levy on alcohol and tobacco retailers is a crucial step to supporting frontline recovery services, says Scottish Green MSP Lorna Slater.  

Ms Slater’s comments come as new Scottish Government stats show that 1,277 people in Scotland died in 2023 from alcohol misuse, with 163 of those deaths in the City of Edinburgh. 

In the Scottish Parliament Lorna Slater pushed Scottish Government Minister Jenni Minto to reconsider the reintroduction of this levy as a surcharge on the non-domestic rates for large retailers selling alcohol and tobacco.  

Currently retailers keep the additional revenue raised from minimum unit pricing. A recent report by the Fraser of Allander Institute for Alcohol Focus Scotland showed that a levy on retailers with a licence to sell alcohol and tobacco, set at 13p per pound, could raise £57 million a year for support services.  

The majority of the funds raised would come from big national supermarket chains, who they say would make up 86% of all revenues.    

The Scottish Government has committed to exploring the potential for the introduction of a levy as a result of budget negotiations with the Scottish Greens.  

Ms Slater said: “Every one of these lost lives is a tragedy, and there will be people missing them and mourning them. We clearly need to change Scotland’s relationship with alcohol.  

“We urgently need to tackle the root causes of alcohol misuse and ensure that we are funding recovery services to support people and communities that need it.  

“Minimum unit pricing has been an important step forward, but the money made from it is staying with the supermarkets rather than being used to support people and families who are on the frontline of the crisis.  

“If retailers are profiting from the sale of products that are damaging public health, like alcohol and tobacco, then they should also pay towards mitigating the health and social costs that they cause.  

“This is something that I hope MSPs from all parties can agree on and work together to deliver. With a budget due later this year, I hope that the Scottish Government will apply a public health levy to ensure that we are supporting frontline recovery services.”