Category: North Edinburgh News

Over 1,500 extra GPs recruited ‘to fix front door of the NHS’

  • New figures show over 1,503 extra GPs have been hired through new scheme since 1 October
  • Major recruitment boost comes after government removed red tape which made it difficult for surgeries to hire doctors
  • Increased GP capacity will help fix the front door of the NHS and increase appointments to bring back the family doctor
  • Milestone builds on Plan for Change’s progress, which has delivered two million appointments seven months early, and cut waiting lists by 193,000

New figures show an extra 1,503 GPs have been recruited since 1 October – thanks to government action.

The recruitment boost, part of the government’s Plan for Change will help to end the scandal of patients struggling to see a doctor – easing pressure on GPs and cutting waiting lists. Alongside changes to the GP contract for 2025-26, these additional GPs will help end the 8am scramble for appointments which so many patients currently endure every day.

When the government came into office, unnecessary red tape was preventing practices from hiring newly qualified GPs, meaning more than 1,000 were due to graduate into unemployment. At the same time, there were also 1,399 fewer fully qualified GPs than a decade prior, showing how years of underfunding and neglect had eroded GP services.

The government cut the red tape and invested an extra £82 million to allow networks of practices to hire the GPs, with the funding continuing past this year thanks to the extra funding announced at the Budget.

People in communities across England will be more readily able to receive the timely care they deserve, helping to shift healthcare from hospitals to the community.

Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting, said: “Rebuilding our broken NHS starts with fixing the front door. We inherited a ludicrous situation where patients couldn’t get a GP appointment, while GPs couldn’t get a job. By cutting red tape and investing more in our NHS, we have put an extra 1,503 GPs into general practice to deliver more appointments.

“The extra investment and reforms we have made will allow patients to book appointments more easily, to help bring back the family doctor and end the 8am scramble.

“It is only because of the necessary decisions we took to increase employer National Insurance that we are able to recruit more GPs and deliver better services for patients. The extra investment and reform this government is making, as part of its Plan for Change, will get the NHS back on its feet and make it fit for the future.”

Dr Amanda Doyle, National Director for Primary Care and Community Services, said: “I would like to thank the general practice teams that have employed significantly more than the 1,000 extra GPs promised to provide care for patients.

“Improving access to general practice is an NHS priority and GP teams are delivering 29 million appointments every month – up a fifth since before the pandemic.  

“But we have more to do to make it easier for patients to see their local GP, so practice teams should continue to use this funding to best effect by recruiting more GPs, so more patients can be seen more quickly.”

The recruitment of an additional 1,503 GPs was made possible by the ‘tough but fair’ decisions the Chancellor took at the Budget to fix the foundations of the NHS, enabling the government to provide almost £26 billion to get the NHS back on its feet and make it fit for the future.

Thanks to these decisions, the government has already delivered over two million extra appointments since July, meeting its target seven months early, and brought the waiting list down by 193,000.

Last year, the department added GPs to the additional roles reimbursement scheme (ARRS) and provided extra funding, meaning that GPs could be recruited more quickly by primary care networks (PCNs).

The government has since provided the biggest boost to GP funding in years – an extra £889 million on top of the existing budget for general practice in 2025-26.

The investment comes alongside new reforms to modernise general practice. GP surgeries must now allow patients to request appointments online throughout working hours from October, freeing up the phones for those who want to book over the phone, and making it easier for practices to triage patients based on medical need. More patients will also be able to book appointments with their regular doctor if they choose to, to bring back the family doctor.

Cutting waiting times and improving access to health care for patients is one of the government’s top priorities in its Plan for Change which is driving forward reform of the health service to rebuild our NHS and improve living standards, which are growing at their fastest rate in two years.

Gracemount High School pupils gain hands-on hospitality experience in partnership with The University of Edinburgh

The University of Edinburgh Hospitality Collection has partnered with Gracemount High School to give pupils hands-on hospitality experience through the Hospitality Connect programme.

The initiative aims to reshape perceptions of hospitality careers while providing students with real-world training in a professional hotel environment.

Since launching last November, the partnership has enabled 30 Gracemount students, aged 14 to 16, to explore daily operations at The Scholar, a 4-star hotel run by The University of Edinburgh, through four immersive workshops. Participants gained practical insight into core hospitality functions including housekeeping, reception services, kitchen operations, and food & beverage management.

Hospitality Connect, founded by UK Hospitality, delivers six bespoke career experiences annually, including workshops, employer-led events, and hands-on training. By connecting classroom learning with real-world industry expertise, the programme helps bridge the gap between education and employment, offering students a tangible pathway into hospitality careers.

The programme culminated on Thursday, 27th March, with a special event at the hotel’s restaurant The Brasserie, rebranded by the students as “The Mount” for the day. Students took full control of the lunch service, overseeing everything from menu design and marketing to food preparation and front-of-house service.

This hands-on experience not only contributed to their year-end assessments but also provided them with practical skills and a deeper understanding of the industry – an invaluable stepping stone toward future career opportunities.

Gavin MacLennan, Group General Manager for Operations at the University of Edinburgh Hospitality Collection, said: “We have loved opening our operations to support students who have already demonstrated a keen interest in the hospitality sector.

“By providing real-world insights and experiences, we’ve sought to equip them with the practical skills and knowledge required to excel in this field and to demonstrate the career opportunities it brings.”

Morven Langley, Teacher at Gracemount High School, added: “This initiative really brings classroom learning to life.

“It’s a fantastic opportunity for our students to see the inner workings of a busy Edinburgh hotel, enhancing their learning and preparing them for exciting career opportunities in this growing sector.”

This partnership marks the start of what is hoped to be a long-term collaboration, inspiring the next generation to view hospitality as an exciting and rewarding career choice.

To find out more about the University of Edinburgh Hospitality Collection, please visit: 

https://www.uoecollection.com/.

Husband and wife to cycle over 230 miles to raise funds for charity they credit with giving their baby life 

Paul and Meghan Godsman will take part in bp’s Coast 2 Coast cycle in aid of Simpsons Special Care Babies in Edinburgh 

A couple whose baby son was born nine weeks early are to take part in a Scottish cycling challenge to raise money for the charity which supported them after his premature arrival. 

Paul and Meghan Godsman, whose baby Blake, was born in May 2024, will be part of a 70 strong peloton for the bp Coast 2 Coast cycle in support of Simpsons Special Care Babies at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh (RIE). 

Paul, an offshore wind engineer at bp, based in Edinburgh, has completed the annual cycle twice before but Meghan is cycling for the first time. He said: “Although I’ve completed Coast 2 Coast a couple of times prior and seen the incredible amounts of money raised for charity,

I’ve never had that personal connection with the charity before but this year I’ll be cycling in a totally different headspace.” 

Meghan added: “When I first went into labour, Paul was with two members of the bp Coast 2 Coast committee cycling in Inverness so it seems fitting that we will now cycle together with Paul’s colleagues to help raise funds for the charity that saved Blake’s life.”  

After Blake was born, he was admitted to the Simpson Neonatal Unit at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh where he stayed for nine weeks. Facilities available in the unit meant the couple could also stay there for four weeks, allowing them to be close to their son whilst he was in a critical condition.  

The Neonatal Unit is supported by Simpsons Special Care Babies (SSCB), a charity that exists to enhance the support and advice provided by the NHS to families of babies admitted to the unit from across the country.  

Paul explained how critical SSCB’s support was for them as parents, as well as crediting bp with allowing him to have extended neonatal care leave while Blake was in hospital: “As much as the neonatal unit is there to care for the babies, there is a huge support need for parents who are navigating this terrifying experience,” he said. 

“We were so grateful to stay in one of two parent rooms on the neonatal ward for the first four weeks of Blake’s life when we really needed it. It meant we could wake up and walk along the corridor to be beside him.

“If we’d been driving home to Linlithgow every night, we’d have been an hour away from the hospital should anything happen. That would have put an even bigger strain on us. 

“Our goal is to raise money to help the unit improve its support for parents, refurbish family rooms and facilities and buy specialist equipment. 

“I was also extremely grateful to my employer bp, which allowed me to have extended leave so I could be with my wife and son while he was being cared for in hospital.” 

One in seven babies born in the UK are admitted to a neonatal unit each year due to being born prematurely (before 37 weeks) or full term (after 37 weeks) but requiring specialist lifesaving support.  

Meghan explained how the couple’s experience has changed their outlook and inspired them to support the charity that helped them: “We were naive to the reality of what it felt like to have a baby in the neonatal unit and we were shocked to learn how common this is for families.

“Before Blake was born, we hadn’t realised there are only three centres of excellence in Scotland for babies requiring complex specialist care and people from across the country must travel to come to these centres in Edinburgh, Glasgow or Aberdeen.  

“Now that Blake is out of hospital and doing well, we want to support the charity that gave him life and make sure other parents who find themselves in a similar position can receive the same support we did and go on to experience parenthood like we are now.” 

The 234-mile cycle will take place over three days from 6 June 2025. The endurance challenge, now in its 16th year, has raised more than £2million pounds for charity. 

The cycle which will pass through Aberfeldy, Grantown on Spey and the Lecht this June will raise funds for four charities including Russell Anderson Foundation, the Teddy Bear Development Playgroup and Murtle Market by Camphill School, as well as Simpsons Special Care Babies. 

The challenge is open to cyclists of all abilities with individuals covering their own accommodation and food costs. Each cyclist has a fundraising target of £1,000 and the total fundraising is split between the four charities. 

The group is mainly made up of bp employees as well as bp alumni, representatives from the chosen charities and local organisations. Any money raised by bp employees will be matched by the bp Foundation – doubling the value of their contributions.  

Emma Coffey, trustee at Simpsons Special Care Babies, said: “We can’t thank Paul and Meghan and the Coast 2 Coast team enough for selecting SSCB as one of the charities to benefit from this year’s fundraising. It’s thanks to supporters like them that our specialised staff can continue to provide care for the 750 families who attend the neonatal unit each year. 

“Voluntary donations and fundraising are crucial for SSCB and this donation will help us purchase new specialist equipment such as the latest video laryngoscopes, which allow our staff to better visualise the airways of extremely small babies when inserting breathing tubes. This improves time, comfort and safety and ultimately helps save lives. 

“We wish all the riders the best of luck and look forward to hearing how they get on.” 

To sponsor one of the four Coast 2 Coast charities, you can select your preferred cause and click the link below: 

Russell Anderson Foundation 

Murtle Market by Camphill Schools 

Simpsons Special Care Babies 

The Teddy Bear Development Playgroup

Appeal to help trace missing woman

**** UPDATE **** MARGARET HAS BEEN TRACED ****

HAVE YOU SEEN MARGARET?

Police Scotland is appealing for the public’s assistance to help trace a 35-year-old woman reported missing from Edinburgh.

Margaret Ross was last seen in the Moredun area in the early hours of Tuesday, 8 April, 2025, and is believed to have possibly travelled towards the Little Frances Crescent area of the city.

She has links to Craigmillar and Moredun, and is also known to frequent the city centre.

Margaret is described as white, around 5ft 4 in height, of medium build with long fair/blonde hair. When last seen, she was wearing a pink t-shirt, black jacket, jeans and black trainers.

Sergeant Craig Darling said: “We are concerned for Margaret’s welfare and we are appealing to anyone who may have seen her to please contact police immediately”.

If anyone has information which may assist, please phone 101 quoting incident number 0044 of 8 April, 2025.

Theft from vans: Police advice

We’ve recently received reports of vans being broken into and tools being stolen from within. Please consider additional security measure to secure your tools:

– When parking your van, think carefully about where you are stopping. Parking with the rear or side doors against a wall or sturdy railings will help ensure they can’t be prised open.

– Where possible, park in well-lit areas with foot traffic, and ideally with CCTV cameras or where you can see your vehicle from where you’re working.

– Fit a secure van vault in the rear for expensive tools. They come in a range of sizes and can be bolted to the cargo floor.

– Tools and other property can be registered on a Secured by Design (SBD) approved Tool and Asset database. These systems can assist the Police in tracing stolen property back to the owner and, importantly, prove it was stolen.

– Consider using a battery-operated GSM mobile alert system and camera which can alert you to anything suspicious.

– Advertise that you use a security system for your van and tools with a sticker on the vehicle.

– If possible, remove tools from your van when left overnight and store them in a safe place.

More info here ⤵️

https://orlo.uk/4bmFm

Secured by Design

Ian Murray: Benefits boost for Scots

An increase in working-age benefits like Universal Credit will put more money in the pockets of people across Scotland.

600,000 people who receive them are set to gain an extra £150 on average over the course of this year.

Scottish Secretary Ian Murray said: “This boost comes on top of an increase to the national minimum wage, bringing a well-deserved pay rise for up to 220,000 Scots, alongside the biggest improvements to workers’ rights in a generation through our Employment Rights Bill.”

Challenging times for Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home

Important news from the Home:

Due to the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, the rising costs of running the Home have outpaced the funds we’ve been able to raise, despite the continued generosity and support of our incredible community.

If we do not take immediate and decisive action, there is a genuine risk that the Home will no longer be able to continue in the years ahead. This is not an outcome we can accept, as we know how much the Home means to the many people and pets we support across the country.

As we face these unprecedented challenges, we have had to undertake a restructuring exercise to ensure we can continue to operate effectively and sustainably for the long term.

This means that we have made the difficult and unavoidable decision to become a smaller team as well as make a slight reduction to our opening hours.

We’re so grateful to all our team who have stood by the Home during this tough time, continuing to deliver exceptional care and support to pets and their owners, and thank them for their hard work and dedication to our important mission.

Our mission remains the same, as we project that the need for our services will only increase. We are fully committed to doing whatever is necessary to protect the future of Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home and the pets and pet owners we support.

Thank you for supporting our Home.

Housing Bill amendments lodged to strengthen tenants’ rights

Amendments to the Housing (Scotland) Bill have been lodged by the Scottish Government setting out how rents will be capped in rent control areas.

The proposed measures will help protect tenants facing cost of living pressures and rising energy prices, whilst providing appropriate protection for the property rights of landlords and supporting investment.

Rent increases in control areas would be limited to the CPI annual rate of inflation plus 1%, up to a maximum increase of 6%. If approved, the rent cap will apply both to rent increases during the term of a tenancy, and in between tenancies, in areas where rent control is applied.

Ministers will determine which areas should be subject to rent control in order to protect tenants. The amendments build on a package of renters’ rights already in the Bill including the right to keep pets and to decorate rented properties without having those unreasonably refused.

Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “Eradicating child poverty remains this government’s top priority and having a home can make a direct contribution to achieving this.

“Ensuring families can have secure and affordable homes that meet their needs is part of our approach to tackling the housing emergency. These measures will also help protect tenants against a backdrop of a continuing cost of living crisis and rising energy costs. We are doing what we can with the powers that we have as we know our policies are working to improve the lives of families in Scotland.

“Scotland already has some of the strongest rights in the UK for tenants, but we want to improve the renting experience even more to create an affordable, high-quality and fair rented sector.

“We have been working closely with tenants’ organisations to develop provisions in the Housing Bill to improve renters’ rights, including a system of long-term rent controls that is fair for tenants and encourages investment in the sector.

“Our rented sector is a crucial part of tackling the housing emergency and these measures provide important certainty for tenants.”

Man arrested in connection with wilful fireraisings in Edinburgh

A 24-year-old man has been arrested in relation to two wilful fireraisings in Edinburgh.

The incidents which took place on Thursday, 6 March, 2025 and Sunday, 16 March, 2025 in Albert Street and Milton Road East, respectively, are linked to the recent discharge of firearms and other fireraising incidents in the city.

The man has been arrested for wilful fireraising and reset of a stolen vehicle. Enquiries are ongoing.

Detective Superintendent Paul Grainger said: “I want to reassure the community that we are continuing to work on this investigation and this is just one of many arrests over the coming weeks.

“If you have any information that can assist our investigation, please get in touch.”