– Supermarket will introduce new cleaning schedule, equipment and staff in all stores –
– Investment in next 12 months will create 2,240 jobs –
Morrisons is investing even more to increase its hygiene standards – as part of a new programme that will see every one of its 494 stores receive a three-week deep-clean, brand new equipment, and additional cleaning staff.
The latest investment is to make customers feel even safer in store. It follows the supermarket already spending £25 million to implement store safety measures – such as Perspex screens, PPE for colleagues and floor markings and visible signage during lockdown.
2,240 brand new cleaning roles will be created, including a new Market StreetHygiene Assistant in all stores – to clean food preparation areas across Market Street.
This will ensure Morrisons foodmakers can concentrate on making fresh quality products for its butcher, baker, fishmonger, deli, greengrocer and florist departments. Morrisons is unique in preparing and making more than half of the fresh food sold in its stores.
Additionally, nearly 30,000 more hours each week will be put into Morrisons existing Housekeepers and Core Cleaning roles. This will see more areas across its stores – such as toilets, shelving and ‘high touch’ areas – being cleaned even more frequently to protect colleagues and customers.
New Welcome Cleaning Stations are also being fitted at all store entrances providing antibacterial wipes for baskets and trolleys, as well as hand sanitiser.
Jayne Wall, Operations Director at Morrisons said: “The hygiene within our stores has become more important than ever due to the impact of Covid-19. We want to make sure our customers feel as safe as possible when doing their grocery shopping with us. So we’ve made this multi-million-pound investment to introduce first class hygiene procedures.”
Early pay rise of at least £2,000 to every NHS worker is needed
Health staff across the UK – including nurses, paramedics, cleaners, domestics and porters – have embarked on two days of campaigning to urge the government to give an early, significant pay rise of at least £2,000 to every worker in the NHS.
Staff in UNISON branches based in NHS hospitals, ambulance stations and clinics will be using social media and taking part in socially distanced events to press home the message that health workers deserve much more than applause for their efforts during the pandemic.
Health workers know the public backs an early NHS pay rise, but now want to see the government show its appreciation for staff by bringing forward the pay rise due in April.
UNISON’s pay claim – delivered to Downing Street last month – would see every NHS employee receive an increase of at least £2,000 by the end of the year.
This early wage increase – equivalent to around £1 an hour extra for all staff – could give ailing local economies a much-needed boost as workers spend the extra money in their pockets on the high street, says UNISON.
With the arrival of autumn, and the increasing rates of infection, UNISON believes now is the perfect time for the government to show the high regard in which ministers say they hold NHS staff.
UNISON head of health Sara Gorton said: “Infection rates are rising in care homes and out in the wider community, and hospital admissions are on the up.
“The pressure on staff is beginning to build again, as the NHS tries to open services shut earlier in the year and deal with the backlog of cancelled appointments and operations.
“That’s why now would be the perfect time for the Prime Minister and Chancellor to show they can do more than clap for NHS staff, and demonstrate their appreciation in a much more practical way.
“Boris Johnson’s pie in the sky plans for any time, any place, anywhere ‘moonshot’ testing would cost a mindboggling £100bn. An early pay rise for NHS staff would be a tiny fraction of that and would make a huge difference to individuals and the services they help provide.
“Investing in the NHS and its incredible workforce is a must for the government. It would help the health service tackle the mounting staff shortages that were already causing huge problems even before the virus hit.
“An early pay rise would also be the country’s best way of saying a heartfelt thank you to every single member of the NHS team.”
Spartans Alternative School have won an international award for a social enterprise created by their students.
Bethany Marshall (below left, pictured with Ashey Telford) explained: “At the Spartans Community Football Academy’s Alternative School we created artwork using paint and footballs.
“We then learnt how to use photoshop and to create digital drawings that became designs for our mugs. The mugs where then sold to raise money for UEvolve. This was our chosen charity for our social enterprise ‘Creative Collaborstions’.
“We have been working on this since February 2020 to raise awareness of young male mental health. Despite Covid-19 we continued to develop the social enterprise.
“As a result we won a social enterprise award and featured in the schools edition of the Big Issue. We have since sold a total of 100 mugs 50 Big Issues and we have 30 mugs still to sell. We’re proud to announce we have just received the Social Enterprise World Forum award 2020 for Health and Wellbeing.”
Spartans Alternative School manager Emma Easton added: “We still have more mugs to sell as sales were hampered by timing of Covid lockdown. Profits are going towards U-Evolve to support young men’s mental health – this was the charity our students chose.”
Parts of the North East of England escalated to an area of intervention
New restrictions introduced across the region to curb rising infection rates, agreed in collaboration with local leaders
Regulations and guidance came into force at midnight
Following further discussions with local leaders, the Health and Social Care Secretary, NHS Test and Trace, the Joint Biosecurity Centre (JBC), and the Chief Medical Officer for England have agreed to escalate parts of the North East – namely, Northumberland, North Tyneside, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Gateshead, South Tyneside, Sunderland and County Durham – to areas of national intervention.
From today – Friday 18 September – regulations have banned the following:
residents must not socialise with other people outside of their own households or support bubble in private homes and gardens
hospitality for food and drink will be restricted to table service only
late night restriction of operating hours will be introduced, with leisure and entertainment venues required to close between 10pm to 5am
Residents are also advised to adhere to the following guidance to further reduce rates of infection:
not to socialise with other people outside of their own households in all public venues.
only to use public transport for essential purposes, such as travelling to school or work
take holidays only within your own household or support bubble
avoid attending amateur and semi-professional sporting events as spectators
The changes come as cases in the North East have risen to the second highest in England, after the North West. The decision was made in close collaboration with local leaders.
Health and Social Care Secretary, Matt Hancock said: “After seeing cases in the North East rise to a concerning level, local authorities requested support for tighter restrictions and we have taken swift action to accept their recommendations.
“We do not take these decisions lightly but I know the people of the North East will work together and break the chains of transmission.
“I urge those from affected areas: please, get a test if you are symptomatic, stay at home if you are required to self-isolate, and think: hands, face, space. This is the only way for us to return to a more normal way of life and avoid further restrictions.”
These changes are in addition to the nationwide 6-person limit on social gatherings that came into force on Monday. This rule is in place across the country and will sit alongside additional restrictions in some local areas.
Public Health England, the JBC and NHS Test and Trace are constantly monitoring the levels of infection and other data on prevalence of the virus across the country. As has always been the case, measures are kept under constant review to reduce the spread of the virus and save lives.
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases across the world has now surpassed 30 million, according to latest figures from USA’s Johns Hopkins University.
More than 940,000 have died with Covid-19 since the outbreak began in China late last year.
The worst hit nations are the US, India and Brazil – but the infection is on the rise again across Europe, with some spikes close to home (above).
First ever Taiwan Film Festival Edinburgh kicks off digitally on 18 September with an ambitious programme of features, documentaries and shorts charting the fascinating history of Taiwanese cinema starting with the 60s plus Q&A sessions and panel discussion presented in collaboration with the Scottish Documentary Institute and Cinetopia.
With half of the programme UK premieres, access to the Festival is free (up to 400 users per film and limited to UK only).
The Festival presents 7 distinctive strands to guide the audiences through six decades of Taiwanese cinema.
Taiwanese Hokkien-Language Cinema presents three classic titles from the 60s, including The Bride Who Has Returned From Hell and Six Suspects.
A Borrowed Hong Kong, the Imagined China in Taiwan, and Trans-regional Cinema focuses on the 70s when Taiwan, then seen as Free China, gave Hong Kong filmmakers the financial support and creative freedom that Shaw Brothers, the most influential “right-wing studio” in British Hong Kong since mid-60s, could not offer. Drawing on the complicated cultural relationship between Taiwan, China and Hong Kong in the Cold War, this section presents the iconic Four Moods, an anthology film including an episode directed by legendary King Hu.
Melodrama Divas is devoted to films based on romance novels by Chiung Yao, possibly the most influential writer of this genre in the Chinese-speaking world.
Starting a new era, Taiwan New Cinema and Its Legacy offers a fascinating insight into the realism-based world of the new generation of filmmakers of the 80s and then post-2000, including such titles as The Sandwich Man – the hallmark of Taiwanese cinema.
Highlighting the contribution of immigrant filmmakers to Taiwanese cinema, Midi Z Selection presents work of the celebrated, Myanmar-born director whose both beautifully crafted and hard-hitting films gained him following all over the world.
Docs: Exploring Diversity in Pursuing the Taiwanese Identity gives voice to indigenous people and so-called New Immigrants as it examines Taiwanese identity. Lastly,
Shorts: The unusual usual presents a selection of short films from the last decade which have won praise for their keen examination of the ‘normal’ and fresh approach to dissecting issues in modern Taiwan society.
Extension of scheme could save thousands of jobs – but UK Governmentsays no
Extending the furlough scheme by eight months could save 61,000 jobs in Scotland, according to new research.
A Scottish Government report estimates that the direct cost of extending the furlough scheme in Scotland to June is around £850 million – and wider economic benefits, such as increasing GDP, mean that it could pay for itself.
It comes as the Business Impact of COVID-19 Statistics, also published today, found that of all Scottish firms surveyed, over two thirds were still furloughing their workforce to some extent. The new data also estimated 15% of the workforce were still on furlough.
Economy Secretary Fiona Hyslop said: “The UK Government must think again about withdrawing blanket support and they must urgently implement some form of extension which would continue to provide help for the sectors that have been most heavily affected.
“Extending the Job Retention Scheme for eight months would save 61,000 jobs in Scotland and help secure a stronger economic recovery from coronavirus (COVID-19). Unlike the Scottish Government, the UK Government has the borrowing powers necessary to fund the extension of the Job Retention Scheme and they must act now to protect jobs and livelihoods.
“New furlough statistics for Scotland published today show wide variation between different sectors of the economy. Even though in some sectors a significant number of people have gone back to work, the outlook is much bleaker in other sectors. In accommodation and food services an estimated 34.4% of staff were still on furlough, and this rises to 57.5% of staff in the arts, entertainment and recreation sector.
“Of course, the furlough scheme cannot continue indefinitely, but an extension would help keep people in jobs while sectors of the economy currently unable to fully open recover and will lead to sustained economic benefits at a relatively small cost.”
The Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh has said that in order to maintain patient safety in the NHS, Scotland’s healthcare workers must be protected.
The College is calling for the Scottish Government to set up a task force, to assess the short, medium and long term health and wellbeing impact of COVID-19 on healthcare workers.
The remit of the task force should include investigating whether adequate resources – especially time, staff and equipment – are available to maintain service activity, whether related to COVID-19 or not, taking into account the significant clinical demands of infection control, increased patient demand and different working practices during the pandemic.
The impact of the pandemic on The Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Act – which was passed in 2019 to ensure staffing levels that provide safe, high quality health and care services – must also be examined.
The College’s call comes on World Patient Safety Day (17 September), which has a slogan this year of “safe health workers, safe patients”. The campaign seeks to highlight and recognise health workers’ efforts to provide safe healthcare every day for their patients in the UK and around the world.
In October 2019, before the pandemic, 69% of the 8,656 doctors who responded to the UK annual physicians’ census that said that working conditions had affected their morale. Morale at work is a vital part of anybody’s wellbeing.
The College is also using World Patient Safety day to highlight the importance of nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs), which are actions, apart from getting vaccinated and taking medicine, that people and communities can take to help slow the spread of coronavirus. This includes ensuring that everyone keeps their hands clean, and using a tissue or one’s elbow to catch coughs and sneezes.
Professor Angela Thomas, Acting President of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, said:“The COVID-19 pandemic has been, and continues to be, a challenging period for healthcare workers.
“They have each played their vital part in helping the NHS manage the pandemic, sometimes at the expense of their own personal wellbeing and professional development.
“The College has helped support healthcare workers through our COVID-19 hub and webinars, which provide free access to online wellbeing and support, advice, guidelines, research and updates.
“But at this juncture, our thoughts must turn to how we can support the profession to continue the fight against COVID-19, while protecting their time to train, time to research and time to develop their knowledge and skills.
“There must be recognition from government that the people who care for the nation’s health – our healthcare workers – must themselves be cared for, in terms of their physical and emotional wellbeing.
“We’re also using World Patient Safety day to highlight the importance of personal and respiratory hygiene as measures to help stop the spread of coronavirus. This is vital particularly given the recent rise in COVID-19 infections over recent weeks.”
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has confirmed the support mortgage borrowers will receive if they continue to face payment difficulties due to coronavirus.
The FCA has published additional guidance for firms, to ensure that consumers who have benefitted from payment deferrals under the current guidance who still face financial difficulties, as well as those whose financial situation may be newly affected by coronavirus after the current guidance ends, continue to get the support they need.
The measures mean firms will offer further short and longer-term support reflecting the circumstances of their customers. This could include extending the repayment term or restructuring of the mortgage. Where consumers need further short-term support, firms can continue to offer arrangements for no or reduced payments for a specified period to give customers time to get back on track. This additional guidance will come into force on 16 September 2020.
Christopher Woolard, Interim Chief Executive at the FCA, said: “Some consumers will continue to be impacted by coronavirus in the coming months, or be impacted for the first time. Consumers in these situations will benefit from firms providing them with tailored support.
“However, it is very important that consumers who can afford to resume mortgage payments should do so for their own long-term interests and so that help can be targeted at those most in need.”
Under the guidance published today, firms will prioritise support for borrowers who are at most risk of harm, or who face the greatest financial difficulties. The new guidance reinforces the need for firms to deliver outcomes that are right for individual borrowers rather than adopting “one size fits all” solutions. The FCA will be monitoring firms to ensure borrowers are treated fairly having regard to their individual circumstances.
Firms will also signpost borrowers to the support they need in managing their finances, including through self-help and money guidance, or refer borrowers to organisations that can provide free debt advice if this meets their needs and circumstances.
Where borrowers have taken, or are taking, payment deferrals under our existing guidance and require further support from lenders these further arrangements can be reflected on credit files in accordance with normal reporting processes. This also applies to borrowers newly affected by coronavirus who receive support from their lender after 31 October.
This will help to ensure that lenders have an accurate picture of consumers’ financial circumstances and reduce the risk of unaffordable lending. Firms are required to be clear about the credit file implications of any forms of support offered to borrowers.
The FCA’s current guidance published in June will continue to provide support for those impacted by coronavirus until 31 October 2020 – with consumers able to take a first or second three-month payment deferral until this date.
The June guidance is due to expire on 31 October and we do not intend to extend this guidance. The guidance published today ensures consumers will still be able to obtain the support they need from their lenders after their payment holiday ends or they are newly affected by coronavirus after 31 October.
Gareth Shaw, Head of Money at Which?, said:“While the FCA has announced some support for certain customers who will struggle financially after the current support period ends, it is disappointing that payment deferrals will no longer be available in the same way.
“We are also concerned about the impact of allowing normal credit reference agency reporting to resume even where consumers fall into temporary difficulty. It is unfair that consumers who have not yet had a deferral but may need support after the furlough scheme ends will feel the effects longer-term.
“Lenders should ensure that people can easily access the support they need and not shy away from offering a range of support options. They must be clear with customers about how any arrangements, such as payment deferrals, will be marked on their credit file.”
The UK Government has declined to give evidence to the Scottish Parliament on its UK Internal Market Bill.
The UK Government says it regrets that Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Alok Sharma MP (above) will not be able to appear before Holyrood’s Finance and Constitution Committee on account of the “tight legislative timeline” for the Bill that is currently going through Westminster.
Finance & Constitution Committee Convener Bruce Crawford MSP says he is ‘dismayed’ by the declined invitation.
The UK Government acknowledges “all aspects” of the Internal Market Bill will require the legislative consent of the Scottish Parliament.
Finance & Constitution Committee Convener Bruce Crawford MSP said:“The UK Internal Market Bill will affect many people’s lives and livelihoods in Scotland. It will also have a profound impact on the devolution settlement and on the powers of the Scottish Parliament.
“The UK Government already recognises and accepts that all aspects of this Bill require the legislative consent of the Scottish Parliament.
“I am genuinely dismayed, therefore, that the Secretary of State for Business will not make time to give evidence to our committee, as we consider whether or not to recommend that consent be given to this UK Bill.
“Our report to the Scottish Parliament will not have the benefit of direct evidence from the UK Government and that is a matter of regret, as is the discourtesy that colleagues will infer from the UK Government’s response.”
Mr Crawford added: “Under my convenership, this committee has always set out to engage constructively with the UK Government. Indeed, we will hear from Mr Hands on the Trade Bill next week.
“It is implausible why a UK Minister is available for the relatively limited impact on devolution of that Bill, while not being available for the Internal Market Bill which has a potentially huge impact on the people of Scotland.”
The text of the email from Mr Sharma’s office is below.
The declined request cites the Bill’s “tight legislative timeline”, which was set by the UK Government.
Full text of email dated 15 September 2020:
Hi (Name of Clerk to Committee),
Apologies for the delay and thank you for your invitation for the SoS to give evidence to the committee. Given the tight legislative timeline for the Bill, it is with regret that the SoS will be unable to attend this committee session. We look forward to the findings of the Committee’s engagement on the UK internal market Bill.
Thanks, (Name of Private Secretary) Office of Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Alok Sharma MP
More on the Committee’s scrutiny of the Internal Market Bill can be found here.
Finance Ministers’ “deep concern” over UK Internal Market Bill
Spending proposals would “reverse devolution”.
Finance Ministers from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have met to discuss a range of fiscal matters and voiced their collective concerns about the financial implications the UK Internal Market Bill will have on devolved governments.
Kate Forbes, Rebecca Evans and Conor Murphy expressed their joint concerns on the spending powers set out in the Bill which override the existing devolution settlement.
The powers enable the UK Government to undertake spending in devolved areas, including for replacement of EU funding, without any engagement with the devolved nations.
Finance Ministers also voiced concerns about what this could mean for future consequential funding arrangements.
Scotland’s Finance Secretary, Kate Forbes said: “It is entirely unacceptable that – with no prior notice – the UK Government has written provisions into the Bill that presume Whitehall control over the delivery of replacements for the EU funding programme in Scotland – a programme that Scottish Ministers have delivered successfully for decades.
“This Bill would also allow the UK Government to dictate how money is spent in devolved areas without the consent of Scottish Ministers. It puts at risk funding for a whole host of capital programmes – schools, hospitals and infrastructure. It reverses the devolution process and we will oppose any attempt to bypass the Scottish Parliament and Government, which are elected by the people of Scotland.
“Not only is it in contravention of the devolution settlement, but it has the potential to create confusion, duplication and unnecessary additional bureaucracy at a time when economic recovery is paramount.”
Welsh Finance Minister Rebecca Evans said: “I am deeply concerned that the Bill gives UK Ministers, for the first time since devolution, powers to fund activity in areas which are clearly devolved to Wales.
“In Wales funding decisions are taken in partnership with local communities, to ensure that they reflect the needs of the people in Wales. The powers set out in the Bill completely undermine devolution and will see decisions currently taken in Wales, clawed back by the UK Government.”
Finance Minister for Northern Ireland, Conor Murphy said: “The Internal Market Bill will give the British Government wide ranging powers to make funding decisions in devolved areas.
“This is greatly concerning and could have huge implications for the Good Friday Agreement. The British Government should not interfere in funding matters which are currently the responsibility of the Devolved Administrations.
“It is also imperative that they provide details on the scope of the Shared Prosperity Fund. This will be a vital source of replacement funding for devolved areas and the lack of meaningful engagement to date is extremely disappointing.”
Marie Curie and the University of Glasgow are calling for action to improve the care and experience of dying people in hospitals.
Following a series of seminars with leading experts undertaken before the coronavirus pandemic, the organisations found that despite examples of good care, many hospitals are still not identifying enough patients who could benefit from palliative care, and who are unfairly missing out on the right care at the end of life. With hospital services under pressure due to coronavirus this situation is likely to have worsened over the last six months.
With the Scottish Government’s Strategic Framework for Action running to 2021, Marie Curie and the University of Glasgow have offered 12 themed recommendations for consideration by the next Scottish Government, NHS Boards and Integration Authorities.
Maria McGill former CHAS Chief Executive supports the recommendations as her father was cared for in hospital prior to dying at home from heart failure and did not receive any palliative care.
She shares: “Dad was admitted to hospital through the emergency department via 999 ambulance twice in 10 months. There were missed opportunities. Had conversations been started with him, and importantly including mum and me, instead of the rush to discharge him two weeks later, the second admission might have been avoided and they would have both been in a better position to understand what was happening to dad.
“Early discharge planning and engagement with community services is key, but those conversations should involve the family. Our experience was that dad was told he was being discharged and we weren’t involved in the discussion.
“Staff in all settings having the ability to listen, really listen, and I really do understand that for some staff this might cause them anxiety about what they might hear, that they might not know what to do, or have the time to do anything. However, it is so important this opportunity isn’t missed. Even during that second admission 8 weeks before dad died – there wasn’t a recognition of dad’s deterioration.”
Marie Curie and the University of Glasgow are also calling for the Scottish Government to set aside £15 million for a nationwide Change and Innovation Fund to test new models of integrated care involving acute settings. This could help ensure patients get better care, but also improve efficiencies in care across community and hospital settings.
Marie Curie Head of Policy and Public Affairs Scotland Richard Meade said: “Hospitals are absolutely the right place for some dying people to be, but we need definitive action to ensure people get the care they need when in a hospital. More and more people are likely to present with multi-morbidity and complex needs and by 2040 it is expected that up to 31,000 people could be dying in a Scottish hospital.
“While it’s clear that there are some excellent examples of care across Scottish hospitals, we found a worrying level of inconsistency and gaps in care. It’s particularly concerning that knowledge of palliative care among healthcare professionals was patchy with some not understanding that it can be provided alongside curative treatments.”
Professor David Clark and Welcome Trust investigator at the University of Glasgow said: “Over the last ten years our research has consistently shown that on any given day almost one third of patients in Scottish hospitals are in the last year of life and 10 percent will die on their current admission.
“We are not grasping the opportunity to identify these people and to have conversations about their end of life preferences. Covid-19 has revealed the shocking absence of advance care plans in many cases, making it even more difficult to give the right kind of care in pandemic conditions”.
The 12 recommendations from Marie Curie and the University of Glasgow are:
Scottish policy must actively support palliative care in acute settings and appoint clinical and executive leads in each NHS Board for palliative and end of life care.
Hospitals are supported to provide consistently high-quality care that improves patient outcomes and experience.
Everyone with a palliative care need should be identified if admitted to hospital or attending an outpatient appointment.
Hospitals should ensure they have joined-up working across multi-disciplinary teams and specialities to provide palliative and end of life care.
IT and technology must support patient centred care and enable those working with patients to have the most up-to-date information about that care and be able to provide appropriate input.
An increase in the number of palliative care consultants, doctors and specialist nurses.
Scotland should draw upon the power of volunteers to respond to the needs of communities and empower volunteers to support those with palliative needs and approaching the end of life in acute settings.
All acute staff should be given training to provide care and support for those living with a terminal condition, coming to the end of life and dying in hospitals, as well their families, friends and carers.
All hospital staff should have training and support in communication skills to support them in speaking with people with palliative care needs, and their families.
A review of the number of available specialist palliative care beds across Scotland is required.
Hospitals should also review the physical environment to ensure it is appropriate for dying people and their families.
There is a need for robust data and evidence on patient and carer experience, to allow greater scrutiny of care standards.
