Evaluating the introduction of the Redesign of Urgent Care
Patients using a new service to direct people to the right urgent care service had a mostly positive experience, a new report has found.
An evaluation of the Redesign of Urgent Care, which was launched in December 2020, found that people given appointments at A&E or minor injuries via NHS 24 111 reported shorter waits than those who visited A&E without an appointment.
The report also found an increased use of NHS 24 111 service during weekday in-hours, reduced unplanned attendances to Emergency Departments and fewer ambulance callouts and trips to hospital, noting there are several factors that may have contributed to these changes.
The report recommends, supporting NHS 24 to reduce call waiting times calls, improving the availability and capacity of alternative services available via flow navigation centres– which direct people to the most appropriate service for their health and care needs- and continuing to provide public messaging on when to call 111.
The Scottish Government is working with boards to drive improvements in how health care services are accessed.
Health Secretary Neil Gray said: “I welcome this report which gives us some valuable insight into how we can improve the way the health service manages demand for urgent care services.
“We know there is still work to do, but it is encouraging that this evaluation found patient experience of the Redesign of Urgent Care was largely positive, and that people given appointments experienced shorter waits. I thank all the staff involved in this important piece of work.
“Work is already underway to implement the recommendations of this report, including increasing staff numbers at NHS 24. This winter there are a record number of NHS 24 call handlers available to direct people to the most appropriate care, helping reduce unnecessary A&E attendances.
“Our Right Care Right Place campaign, launched ahead of winter, is continuing to give guidance to the public on the best way to access services, and I thank everyone who is following that advice.
“The Scottish Government’s draft Budget, if passed by parliament, will provide a record £21 billion for health and social care, including £200 million to reduce waiting lists and improve capacity further.
“All of this will help to improve the flow of patients through hospital, and reduce pressures on urgent care. I urge parliament to back the Budget Bill.”
Travel Agents of Change project showcases stories of flight-free holidays from Edinburgh
Local sustainable transport project Porty Community Energy launches an exhibition this coming Saturday featuring the stories of local people who have bucked the holiday trend and opted not to take a cheap flight to their vacations from the capital, choosing to travel more slowly instead.
Porty Community Energy launched their ‘Travel Agents Of Change’ project last November as a competition for people in Edinburgh, asking to be sent the best stories of flight-free travel from the capital.
The project organisers were delighted to receive more than sixty entries. The best stories have now been published as a colourful Zine that will be sold in bookshops across the city.
And a smorgasboard of colourful photos, top slow travel tips, recommendations for the best places to go, and quotes from contributors explaining the highlights of their trips, has been made into a 21 panel outdoor exhibition that will tour the city.
While some contributors to the project found scenic adventures in Scotland and the UK, many more travelled further afield.
Competition entrants shared their slow travel adventures which included a trip to a monastery in Belgium, taking the Eurostar to a hotel in Venice, family Eurorail passes to go skiing in the Alps, and biking and sailing in the Friesian isles.
What’s more, contributors argued that, far from being a second-rate option, travel by bus, train and ferry is the very best way to go on holiday, offering a chance to wind down, enjoy the view, and is very sociable too.
The aim of the exhibition is to persuade people of the delights of a flight-free holiday and to help make it easy to plan such a holiday whether they have a small family, are looking for something more active, or really want a once in a lifetime experience.
The first exhibition opening will take place in Portobello and will feature presentations from two of the contributors. Councillor Jane Meagher, Head of Edinburgh City Council will officially open the exhibition.
Future destinations for the exhibition will include a couple of weeks at the Water of Leith visitor’s centre in February, and a Pancake Day launch in Bruntsfield organised by BANZAI – Bruntsfield Area Net Zero Action Initiative in March.
Project coordinator Hazel Darwin-Clements said: “‘Less than 20% of the global population has been on a plane. It’s time we stopped seeing it as either normal or aspirational to fly regularly for holidays.
“As someone who now considers it quite normal to plan a summer holiday with my family using trains, buses or a car share, I know what great holidays there are out there for people who no longer wish to burn the excessive carbon needed for a cheap flight abroad.
“Dark, cold January is apparently the most popular time for people to book their holidays away. So this exhibition is to inspire this year’s holiday-makers – because it’s easier than you think to choose a flight-free holiday and there are so many hidden gems out there.’
The UK and Ukraine will sign a historic partnership, as the Prime Minister travels to the country to meet President Zelenskyy
Treaty will bolster military collaboration on maritime security through a new framework to strengthen Baltic Sea, Black Sea, and Azov Sea security and deter ongoing Russian aggression
Will bring together experts to advance scientific and technology partnerships, in areas such as healthcare and disease, agri-tech, space and drones, and build lifelong friendships through classroom projects
New UK-built Grain Verification Scheme will also be launched to track stolen grain from occupied Ukrainian territories
The UK and Ukraine will sign a historic partnership, as the Prime Minister travels to the country to meet President Zelenskyy.
The unbreakable bonds between the UK and Ukraine will be formalised through the landmark new 100 Year Partnership between the two countries, broadening and deepening the relationship across defence and non-military areas and enabling closer community links.
From working together on the world stage to breaking down barriers to trade and growth and nurturing cultural links, the mutually beneficial partnership will see the UK and Ukraine advocate for each other to renew, rebuild and reform for generations to come.
The partnership underpins the Prime Minister’s steadfast leadership on Ukraine as his government continues to provide support. Spanning nine key pillars, it will harness the innovation, strength and resilience that Ukraine has shown in its defence against Russia’s illegal and barbaric invasion; and foster it to support long-term security and growth for both our countries. The Treaty and political declaration, which form the 100 Year Partnership, will be laid in Parliament in the coming weeks.
It is expected to bolster military collaboration on maritime security through a new framework to strengthen Baltic Sea, Black Sea, and Azov Sea security and deter ongoing Russian aggression, bring together experts to advance scientific and technology partnerships, in areas such as healthcare and disease, agri-tech, space and drones, and build lifelong friendships through classroom projects.
It also cements the UK as a preferred partner for Ukraine’s energy sector, critical minerals strategy and green steel production.
The 100 Year Partnership is a major step in supporting Ukraine’s long-term security – ensuring they are never again vulnerable to the kind of brutality inflicted on it by Russia – and committing to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with a sovereign Ukraine for the next century.
Ukraine has a highly trained military, and a thriving technology sector that is rapidly designing and deploying state of the art battle-ready equipment: a security partnership with Ukraine will make Britain stronger.
To mark the signing of the partnership today, the Prime Minister is expected to announce new UK support for Ukraine from lethal aid to economic resilience.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “Putin’s ambition to wrench Ukraine away from its closest partners has been a monumental strategic failure. Instead, we are closer than ever, and this partnership will take that friendship to the next level.
“This is not just about the here and now, it is also about an investment in our two countries for the next century, bringing together technology development, scientific advances and cultural exchanges, and harnessing the phenomenal innovation shown by Ukraine in recent years for generations to come.
“The power of our long-term friendships cannot be underestimated. Supporting Ukraine to defend itself from Russia’s barbaric invasion and rebuild a prosperous, sovereign future, is vital to this government’s foundation of security and our Plan for Change.
“Through this partnership, we are creating a strong economy that works for the British people, a safe country that protects our interests at home and abroad, and a prosperous society.”
The Prime Minister will join a Ukrainian class dialling into a primary school in Liverpool today, who will be joined by the Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson. He will hear from the next generation about how the partnership will deliver brighter futures for children in both countries, fostering cultural exchanges and learning for youngsters.
100 schools in the UK and Ukraine will be partnered over the coming months as part of a two-way programme built around reading for pleasure. Through sharing stories from their own cultures, they will explore the power of reading to overcome adversity – building links between the countries for generations to come.
The Prime Minister is also expected to see firsthand how UK aid is supporting Ukrainians living under bombardment through a visit to a Ukrainian hospital. He will meet patients and doctors and hear how £100m of UK humanitarian funding is supporting needs across Ukraine and specialist medical care for burn victims, including those maimed by Russian missiles raining down on neighbourhoods.
The hospital is being supported by specialist NHS doctors, who are upskilling Ukrainian medical teams and providing lifesaving opinions on treatment for severely injured patients, both virtually and through short deployments to the country. Many admitted to the hospital have burns to between 30% and 40% of their body surface.
The Prime Minister will also announce £40m for a new economic recovery programme to unlock hundreds of millions of pounds worth of private lending to bolster the growth and economic resilience of small and medium businesses in Ukraine, which form the backbone of the country’s economy.
The programme will create opportunities for UK companies by supporting key growth sectors in Ukraine, opening up enhanced trade and investment opportunities with one of our closest allies. The funding will be targeted at businesses supporting the green economy, and marginalised groups including women and veterans.
It is hoped over the long term, the programme, called TIGER (Triggering Investment Growth and Economic Resilience), will reduce reliance in Ukrainian communities on humanitarian support and help build economic resilience.
And as part of the partnership, a new Grain Verification Scheme will also be launched to track stolen grain from occupied Ukrainian territories. The UK developed the new scheme following an ask from Ukraine to the G7 to help trace snatched grain from Ukraine fields under Russian control, which is then relabelled and sold on.
Using cutting edge science to help determine where grain has been grown and harvested, the UK has developed a database to support Ukraine’s efforts to trace and stop theft of grain from occupied regions.
Ukraine, a country which remains a major supplier of agricultural produce, is crucial for global food security. The database will be handed over to Ukraine from the Environment Secretary in the coming weeks.
Today’s announcement builds on the £12.8 billion package of support the UK has given Ukraine, including £7.8bn of military assistance, a commitment for £3bn in military aid until as long as it takes, and ongoing energy infrastructure support to help hospitals and community facilities provide light and warmth to innocent civilians impacted by Putin’s invasion.
The UK and Ukraine will use an annual high-level Strategic Dialogue to ensure progress on the partnership for decades to come.
Drugs with an estimated value of £300,000 have been recovered at an address in South-East Edinburgh.
Around 9am on Monday, 13 January, 2025, officers attended at a flat in Ochiltree Gardens, The Inch.
Enquiries were carried out an as a result a cannabis cultivation was discovered. Around 500 cannabis plants, estimated to be worth around £300,000, were discovered.
A 25-year-old man and a 22-year old woman have been arrested and charged in connection and are due to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court today – Wednesday, 15 January, 2025.
Inspector Scott Casey said, “Serious and Organised Crime remains a priority and along with our partners and specialist resources, we are committed to detecting offences and disrupting criminal enterprises.
“We rely on the public to provide us with information to help us do so.”
If you see any suspicious activity, please contact Police Scotland on 101. Alternatively, if you wish to remain anonymous, you can contact the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or via their website.
Thousands of families will be helped as part of the Scottish Government’s plans to remove the two child benefit cap, First Minister John Swinney has said as he repeated calls for the UK Government to end the policy immediately.
The First Minister made clear that if the UK Government was to scrap the policy, the investment the Scottish Government intends to allocate to its mitigation would be used on other measures to tackle eradicate child poverty.
At an event in Stirling hosted by The Robertson Trust, Mr Swinney addressed representatives from community and third sector organisations across Scotland and set out his vision for a country in which no child lives in poverty.
The First Minister said: “The eradication of child poverty is my government’s number one priority, and I want it also to become our nation’s number one goal.
“The cornerstone of our approach is investment in more dignified and generous social security support.
“It includes the resources we need to build the systems that will allow us to effectively remove the two child cap for families in Scotland.
“I can offer two guarantees today. Firstly, if we are able to safely get the systems up and running in this coming year, the first payments will be made in this coming year – helping to lift thousands more children out of poverty.
“And secondly, if the UK government does the right thing and abolishes the two-child cap across the UK, the resources we have committed to this policy will continue to be used on measures to eradicate child poverty in Scotland.”
The Scottish Fiscal Commission has also published estimates of the number of children in Scotland impacted by the two-child limit this year, and who would benefit from mitigation were it to commence in 2026-27 (39,000 in 2025-26, rising to 42,000 in 2026-27.
The Council is proud to recognise the work of Social Bite’s Jobs First programme through our parking contractor NSL (part of Marston Holdings).
We’re also sharing the inspiring story of Patrick who has benefitted from this programme and is now employed as a Parking Attendant here in Edinburgh.
Jobs First was established by Social Bite in October 2021 as a pathway for homelessness experienced individuals to employment – and in that time they have helped over 90 people.
The programme guarantees living wage employment for each person and provides wrap-around support for both the employer and employee.
Each Jobs First employee is allocated a support worker from Social Bite who assists them throughout the programme and their employment contract, meeting weekly initially to offer practical support on bills and forms, as well as emotional guidance and confidence building to adapt to working life.
Social Bite also provides training to each employer to help them appropriately guide the employee while the support worker will help facilitate appraisal processes and employee progress.
Today we’re sharing Patrick’s story to highlight how the programme has had a positive impact on his life and in turn added value to the services we provide to the people of Edinburgh.
In October, the prestigious ‘Parking in the Community Award’ was also awarded to the Council, NSL and Social Bite at the British Parking Awards, recognising this important work.
Council Leader Jane Meagher said:“Homelessness is one of the key challenges that we face in our city and I’m incredibly proud of the work that is ongoing between our services and Social Bite on the Jobs First programme.
“Behind every case of homelessness is an individual story and Patrick’s shows what can be achieved when the right support is in place. Gainful employment is about so much more than simply earning a wage. It’s a route to rebuild a life with confidence, social relationships and other transferrable skills.
“I’m hopeful that this relationship with Social Bite will continue for many years to come and that we can help more individuals like Patrick to overcome these difficulties and lessen the impact of homelessness in Edinburgh as much as we can.”
Emma Colgan-Blair, Social Bite’s Jobs First Programme Coordinator, said:“Over the past three years, Social Bite’s partnership with NSL and the City of Edinburgh Council through the Jobs First programme has helped people affected by homelessness build brighter futures.
“With a shared ethos of creating pathways to employment, together we’ve been able to support many individuals like Patrick to achieve financial stability, career growth, and personal transformation. This collaboration shows the life-changing impact of offering people from all walks of life the right support and opportunities.”
Keith Hanshaw, Group Managing Director of NSL, said: “Marston Holdings have been supporting Social Bite since 2022. We work closely with them in Edinburgh and across the UK to support those who have experienced homelessness through meaningful permanent employment opportunities.
“Social Bite were also voted internally to be one of our two Christmas reward sponsors. We have employed numerous people like Patrick and look to continue to do so for many years to come. We are really proud of the impact this makes on our local communities.”
Please note there are no changes for CREATE – it’ll still be at PYCP as planned.
Our team members will be at both venues to help on the day. If you have any questions, please call NEA on 0131 315 2151, or email: admin@northedinburgharts.co.uk.
Thank you for your understanding, and please accept our apologies for any inconvenience.
We can’t wait to see you for a fun and creative morning this Saturday!
The Presiding Officer is visiting Sauchie and Alloa in the Mid Scotland and Fife region this month to meet local people to talk about their Scottish Parliament.
The visits continue a series of events in each of the eight Scottish parliamentary regions to mark the Scottish Parliament’s 25th anniversary. The events are to hear people’s reflections on the Parliament and to understand more about what they want from their Parliament in the future. They will also reflect on 25 years of devolution and the impact of the Parliament on local communities.
Taking place on Monday 20 January, the visits have been set up in collaboration with community partners Wimpy Park Community Group, Sauchie Community Group, Scottish Rural Action and Forth Valley & Lomond Youth Local Action.
The morning will see the Presiding Officer and Mid Scotland and Fife MSPs join the Chatty Latte Café at Sauchie Resource Centre, which started to encourage socialising after the pandemic and provide a free warm space for the community. MSPs will then get a tour of Wimpy Park in Alloa from volunteers and residents to hear more about their work to re-establish the space as a resource for the community, reinstating the gardens and play area.
In the afternoon, the Presiding Officer and MSPs will visit the Bowmar Centre in Alloa for a community conversation with local groups. There will be opportunities for MSPs to hear about local projects and for local people to share their views about the issues that matter to them about the role, purpose and future of the Scottish Parliament.
Speaking ahead of the visit, Presiding Officer Rt Hon Alison Johnstone MSP said:“I’m excited to continue our visits across Scotland to meet with local people and to hear their views on the Parliament and their aspirations for its future.
“I’ve so far visited four regions across the country from Shetland to Hawick and what has struck me with every visit is the passion and drive of the work that is going on the length and breadth of the country to improve the lives of those who live and work in our communities.
“I’m really pleased we’ve partnered with four local groups on this visit to Sauchie and Alloa and I’m looking forward to hearing more about how the Parliament can best represent people in Mid Scotland and Fife and to hear more about the exciting community projects that are taking place here.
“Scotland’s Parliament belongs to its people and it’s vital their voices are heard and help shape the Parliament’s future.”
Kate Turner, from Sauchie Community Group said:“Sauchie Community Group is delighted to have this opportunity for our members and users to speak to and get to know our Holyrood parliamentarians.
“Chatty Latte is a weekly coffee morning-style event, started to encourage socialising after lockdown and provide a free warm space for people to come and enjoy a cuppa and camaraderie.
“It’s one of our favourite events that has grown from strength to strength. It’s a great group of people to meet and learn about our group and community from.”
Mary Fox, from Wimpy Park said:“The Wimpy Park Community Group was established in 2017 with an aim to take over the wasted land within the walled garden. The community group secured a 19-year lease from the Council and have since reinstated the gardens and play area and host 4 community events each year in the park and local Bowmar Centre.
“Volunteers of the Wimpy Park Community Group alongside partners who have supported our work including members of Neils Hugs (supporting families affected by suicide), Play Alloa (supporting children and young people with additional support needs) and Community House (supporting local residents of all ages through group work sessions) all look forward to this event.”
Michaela Scott, member of Forth Valley and Lomond Youth Local Action Group, said:“Along with our fellow youth groups, the Youth Local Action Group is very excited to meet the Presiding Officer and our regional MSPs.
“We are looking forward to the two-way conversation between the Parliament teams and the young people we’ve invited along to this event, including the youth members and volunteers from the Clackmannanshire Council Youth Forum, the Stirling High School Climate Ambassadors, the Hawkhill Community Centre, Active 8 Sauchie, and The Gate, as well as our friends from the Fife Youth Local Action Group.
“We hope this is the start of a long-lasting collaboration between the Scottish Parliament and the youth voices in our region.”
Mia Lalanne, Rural Youth Action Network lead at Scottish Rural Action, said:“The enthusiasm from rural young people and community-led groups across the Mid Scotland and Fife region to participate in this event and engage directly with the Presiding Officer, the MSPs, and the Scottish Parliament teams has been remarkable.
“Rural and island areas are the worst hit by today’s cost of living, climate, biodiversity, and housing crises, and those residents innately understand the needs and opportunities to address those challenges.
“The run-up to this Community Conversation has clearly demonstrated that rural young people and their communities are keen to share and engage with decision-makers, and greatly welcome any opportunities to help shape the Scottish Parliament.”
The Mid Scotland and Fife visit is the fifth of eight planned events across Scotland for the Presiding Officer to meet communities to hear about the issues they care about and encourage more people to join in with the work of the Scottish Parliament, as it marks 25 years.
8,600 jobs fuelled across the UK by the Chancellor’s National Wealth Fund since July, with almost £1.6 billion of private investment unlocked, delivering on the Plan for Change.
Jobs and investment spread across UK’s growth sectors from clean energy to digital infrastructure, driving government’s number one mission to grow the economy
New deal also announced today for North Wales with £92 million committed to support crucial improvements to coastal flood defence barriers protecting business and homes.
Thousands of jobs have been fuelled by the Chancellor’s National Wealth Fund in the last six months, with almost £1.6 billion of investment unlocked, driving growth across all corners of the UK.
The Chancellor began work just days into office to establish a new National Wealth Fund (NWF) that would invest in the new industries of the future to create good jobs and opportunity across every part of the country. With £27.8 billion of firepower, the NWF will help drive the government’s Plan for Change and turbocharge growth across the country to raise living standards in every part of the United Kingdom.
The jobs that have been created will support the digital and clean energy sectors, including 6,500 expected to be created in the retrofit sector across the UK, with the NWF providing a financial guarantee that will see Lloyds and Barclays deliver £1 billion of funding to deliver improvements such as low carbon heating and insulation in social housing.
New figures reveal almost £1.6 billion of private investment has been leveraged into projects across the UK’s clean energy and growth sectors over the past six months. This includes to support faster broadband connections for thousands of businesses and households in Cornwall, Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and Cumbria, fuelling economic growth.
Millions of pounds have also been committed to help West Suffolk Council to decarbonise its buildings and transition its fleet to electric vehicles, alongside supporting the expansion of a successful rooftop solar scheme.
This innovative investment model has the potential to be replicated by other local authorities and means more businesses can benefit from low cost, low carbon electricity, supporting local businesses and the growth of the clean energy sector.
It comes as today, the NWF announces a loan of £92 million to support Denbighshire County Council’s crucial improvements to coastal flood defence barriers in Denbighshire, North Wales, protecting businesses and homes against the devastating impact of flooding, creating jobs and growth in the construction industry.
Chief Secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones said: “Growth is our national mission, and the cornerstone of our Plan for Change that will improve living standards and put more money in people’s pockets.
“And the National Wealth Fund is playing a vital part in delivering economic growth, securing over a billion of private investment since July in industries that turbocharge growth in our economy and create good quality jobs across the UK”.
The Chancellor announced in October how the NWF would drive long-term investment in Britain, working hand in hand with business to create new high skilled jobs right across the UK, helping make people better off.
To mobilise investment at pace, the NWF will expand on the UK Infrastructure Bank’s offer including additional financial instruments so it is more catalytic and will take on more risk to have a greater impact:
The NWF has more capital with £27.8 billion – inheriting UKIB’s £22 billion and having an additional £5.8 billion.
It has a renewed focus to support the delivery of the wider industrial strategy, and the Government’s clean energy and growth missions. At least £5.8bn of the NWF’s capital will focus on the five sectors announced in the manifesto: green hydrogen, carbon capture, ports, gigafactories and green steel.
The NWF will have increased resources and focus on conducting more outreach to identify expanded project pipelines and structure innovative transactions. It will have a strong regional mandate to unleash the full potential of our cities and regions.
Collaborating with creative minds, Scottish Ensemble have forged new paths over recent years blurring the boundaries between genres and artforms. In their latest cross-artform project Scottish Ensemble collaborate with Blind Summit to explore what puppetry can reveal about music.
Performing Arnold Schoenberg’s Verklärte Nacht (Transfigured Night) and Philip Glass’ Symphony No. 3 the musicians and puppeteers play together to blend sound and visuals in this experimental collaboration where puppetry and music lead each other in a fragile dance. Directed by Mark Down, this new work will defy the rules to reveal the unseen, unheard and unknown.
Performances take place on Thursday 13 February at Edinburgh’s Traverse Theatre (as part of Manipulate Festival), Friday 14 February at Dundee Rep and Saturday 15 February at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall’s New Auditorium.
Jonathan Morton, Artistic Director of Scottish Ensemble, said: “Collaborations which involve a different artform invite us to re-examine some of our habitual patterns of thought, behaviour and action.
“There is risk involved. And, more alluringly, the potential encounter with something special. At the start of this collaboration, I knew very little about puppetry, but I am drawn to the fact that puppeteers, like musicians, pick up inanimate objects and, somehow, breathe life into them. You can see this, and you can hear it in The Law of Gravity.”
Mark Down, Artistic Director of Blind Summit, said: “During the research and development sessions for this project it has been an absolute inspiration to be surrounded by live music all day, I wish I could have an ensemble at all our rehearsals.
“The puppeteers and musicians generated seemingly endless ideas, the challenge was how to edit and organise them to share with an audience. The Law of Gravity is of course what makes everything fall down, I hope we stay standing”
In another first for Scottish Ensemble the performances in Dundee and Glasgow will be audio described. Visually impaired audiences will be able to enjoy the production through a live verbal commentary describing the visual elements of the production, whilst being respectful to the music performed.
Tickets range from £11 – £22 and in Dundee and Glasgow are free for under 16s.
Tickets are available from https://scottishensemble.co.uk/programme/2024-25/the law-of-gravity/
