Scotland is set to become the first country in the UK to publish a miscarriage patient charter, giving women clear information about the care and support they can expect from the NHS.
The charter, commissioned by the Scottish Government and developed in partnership with baby loss charities Tommy’s, Held In Our Hearts and the Miscarriage Association, sets out the rights and entitlements women should receive during and following a miscarriage.
It builds on the Scottish Government’s Delivery Framework for Miscarriage Care, which is changing the way in which NHS Boards support women — ensuring they are supported after a first miscarriage, rather than after three.
Women across Scotland should be able to access private spaces in hospitals, progesterone treatment where clinically appropriate, and compassionate, culturally competent bereavement support with additional improved information available online and in printed patient leaflets in 18 languages including BSL and audio formats.
Public Health and Women’s Health Minister Jenni Minto said: “Miscarriage is devastating, and for too long women have not had the care and support they deserve.
“That is changing. Scotland will become the first country in the UK to publish a miscarriage patient charter, meaning women know exactly how they will be supported by health services following their loss.
“This charter is a landmark moment — it tells women clearly what they should expect from their NHS, and it holds services to account for delivering it. Scotland is leading the way, and I am proud of the progress NHS Boards, and our charity partners have made together.”
Kath Abrahams, Chief Executive of Tommy’s, said: “The care and support offered to women after a miscarriage in the UK has for too long been inconsistent and inadequate.
“We welcome the commitment to change that for women in Scotland, and we’re delighted to have worked with the Scottish Government to create its charter for miscarriage care.
“We will continue to push for similar improvements across the UK and for the roll-out of Tommy’s Graded Model of Miscarriage Care, which promises women support and care from their first miscarriage rather than only after their third.”
Joint statement from the leaders of the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Japan, Canada, Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Denmark, Latvia, Slovenia, Estonia, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Czechia, Romania, Bahrain and Lithuania on the Strait of Hormuz:
We condemn in the strongest terms recent attacks by Iran on unarmed commercial vessels in the Gulf, attacks on civilian infrastructure including oil and gas installations, and the de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iranian forces.
We express our deep concern about the escalating conflict. We call on Iran to cease immediately its threats, laying of mines, drone and missile attacks and other attempts to block the Strait to commercial shipping, and to comply with UN Security Council Resolution 2817.
Freedom of navigation is a fundamental principle of international law, including under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
The effects of Iran’s actions will be felt by people in all parts of the world, especially the most vulnerable.
Consistent with UNSC Resolution 2817, we emphasise that such interference with international shipping and the disruption of global energy supply chains constitute a threat to international peace and security. In this regard, we call for an immediate comprehensive moratorium on attacks on civilian infrastructure, including oil and gas installations.
We express our readiness to contribute to appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage through the Strait. We welcome the commitment of nations who are engaging in preparatory planning.
We welcome the International Energy Agency decision to authorise a coordinated release of strategic petroleum reserves. We will take other steps to stabilise energy markets, including working with certain producing nations to increase output.
We will also work to provide support for the most affected nations, including through the United Nations and the IFIs.
Maritime security and freedom of navigation benefit all countries. We call on all states to respect international law and uphold the fundamental principles of international prosperity and security.
Following publication, Canada, Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Denmark, Latvia, Slovenia, Estonia, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Czechia, Romania, Bahrain and Lithuania confirmed they also joined this joint leaders’ statement.
Support worth up to £26,000 by a child’s 16th birthday
One parent families are being urged to check if they are eligible for social security support this National Single Parents Day (21 March 2026).
Lone parent families make up 24% of all families in Scotland with 87% headed by women. As one of the household types most vulnerable to financial pressures, they are disproportionately affected by the cost-of-living crisis, often cutting back on essentials. Research shows 70% have no or low savings and are more likely to be in debt or arrears.
Social Security Scotland’s package of support for families – including Scottish Child Payment, Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods, could make a difference to household budgets. Updated calculations for 2026/27 show they could be worth £11,000 by the time an eligible child turns six, and around £26,000 by the time a child turns 16. This compares to less than £2,000 for families in England and Wales, where support ends when an eligible child turns four.
Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville is urging all parents and carers — including single parents — to find out if they are eligible.
Ms Somerville said: “We know that families are struggling to make ends meet and National Single Parents Day is a timely reminder that lone parent families are particularly vulnerable, but help is available.
“The Scottish Government is providing families right across Scotland with the best cost-of-living support package in the UK. This financial support can boost household incomes and help families pay for everyday essentials such as nutritious food and clothes, helping to ensure a child’s circumstances doesn’t stop them getting the best start in life.”
Satwat Rehman, Chief Executive of One Parent Families Scotland, added: “Too many single parents are still facing the daily challenge of making ends meet. With four in ten children in single parent families living in poverty, financial support such as the Scottish Child Payment and Best Start Grants can make a real difference.
“These payments provide vital help directly to families who need it most, easing the pressure of rising living costs and helping ensure children have the essentials they need to thrive. One Parent Families Scotland is proud to continue working alongside Social Security Scotland to support single parents understand and access the support they are entitled to.”
Michelle Goldie, a single mum of three from Edinburgh said: “As a single parent, Scottish Child Payment has been a huge help to me. I have three young daughters, and the extra money allows us to do activities together and enables the girls to attend clubs.
“I feel that there is a stigma around being a single parent and around asking for help which is a shame as it may put people off from applying. I encourage all parents, including single parents, to check if they are eligible for support and get the help they are entitled to. It may make all the difference.”
National Single Parents Day is celebrated annually on 21 March to recognise the dedication of single parents and highlight available support.
Ben Macpherson MSP is urging the Scottish Government to open one of its newly announced walk‑in GP clinics at Ocean Terminal – a location very well placed to meet growing local demand for primary care. He has written to the First Minister and Health Secretary to make the case.
Five months ago, the Scottish Government confirmed plans for 15 new GP‑led walk‑in services, offering same‑day access to healthcare without the need for an appointment. The first clinic opened in February at the Wester Hailes Healthy Living Centre, marking a major step in strengthening primary care across Scotland. It is already delivering tangible benefits on that side of the city. The rest of the initial tranche of 15 walk-in clinics are currently being delivered across Scotland.
Building on this momentum, the First Minister, John Swinney MSP, announced on Saturday 14 March, at the SNP’s party conference that, should the SNP be re-elected in May, a total of 30 walk-in clinics will be delivered across the country, including a second clinic in Edinburgh.
Ben Macpherson, who has served as Leith’s MSP for a decade, argues that a walk‑in clinic at Ocean Terminal would deliver significant benefits for residents.
The centre has already hosted a successful NHS vaccination clinic for several years, and is very well‑connected by public transport, making it an ideal site for other NHS services, including primary care and a walk-in GP clinic.
This would provide services for local people in Leith and those across Northern and Eastern Edinburgh. Ocean Terminal is also rejuvenating generally, with modern and accessible facilities.
Establishing a GP clinic there would cost less to fit out than creating a new building.
Commenting, Ben Macpherson said: “The SNP Scottish Government’s new GP walk‑in clinics will help make sure people get the care they need at a time that suits them.
“Opening one of these in Ocean Terminal in Leith would be very accessible for a lot of people, ease local pressures on current GP clinics, help meet the demands of population growth in the area, and Lothian more widely, and positively enhance the healthcare facilities on offer in Northern and Eastern Edinburgh.
“I have long advocated for a GP clinic at Ocean Terminal, raising the suggestion in Parliament and writing to the Scottish Government in recent years.
“The existing vaccine clinic has been a clear success, and the site is very well located to host a new NHS facility and GP walk-in clinic. This would meaningfully boost healthcare provision in Leith and for the wider area.”
A 33-year-old man has been jailed for organised crime offences whilst on bail. Dale Cleeton was sentenced to three years in prison at the High Court in Glasgow today, Friday, 20 March, 2026.
At the same court on Wednesday, 11 March, he pleaded guilty to being involved in serious and organised crime.
Cleeton was stopped by officers on the M8 eastbound near junction 2 in August 2023. He was later arrested and charged in connection with serious and organised crime offences on 29 November, 2023.
Detective Inspector Kevin Tait said: “I hope this sentencing sends a message to those involved in serious and organised crime that you will be caught and you will face the consequences.
“There is no place for this type of criminality in our communities. Such operations underline our commitment to the Serious Organised Crime Taskforce and the country’s Serious Organised Crime Strategy. We will continue to work with partner agencies to tackle this issue and make our communities safer.
“Information from the public is absolutely crucial to our work and we would continue to urge anyone with knowledge or concerns about serious and organised crime in their area to contact Police Scotland on 101. Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”
On World Storytelling Day (Friday 20 March), TRACS (Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland) is delighted to announce the appointment of Daniel Abercrombie as the new Director of the Scottish International Storytelling Festival. An experienced creative arts producer deeply embedded within the storytelling community in Scotland, Daniel will take up his appointment from April 2026.
Daniel has been Associate Director of the Scottish International Storytelling Festival (SISF) for the past five years, and at the forefront of the much-loved Scottish Storytelling Centre since 2010.
He has been a key figure in driving and shaping the current resurgence of interest in traditional and contemporary storytelling, and his work, just like a traditional ceilidh is rooted in shared creativity, partnerships and collaboration.
Under Daniel’s guidance, the Scottish Storytelling Centre’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe programme has developed into a thriving platform for storytellers and trad-artists, becoming a must-see programme of first-class creativity each August.
In 2013 Daniel was also part of the team that led the creation of Edinburgh Tradfest.
Raised in Edinburgh, Daniel has a deep understanding of the city’s festivals, but also how the SISF reaches across Scotland and absorbs international friendships. As part of his appointment he will join the Directors of Festivals Edinburgh bringing with him a wealth of experience in working with a wide range of artists and cultural organisations and an educational background in cultural and literary tourism.
SISF was founded in 1989 by former director Donald Smith to promote storytelling, nurture new talent and celebrate community. Today, the festival welcomes audiences in excess of 40,000 participants and connects with new and well-known storytellers from all across Scotland and in other parts of the world.
SISF is the world’s largest annual celebration of storytelling and is organised by TRACS (Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland), the national network for traditional arts in Scotland. In 2026 the festival will run from 21 to 31 October.
Daniel Abercrombie, new Director of the Scottish International Storytelling Festival said: “It’s a great joy to be tasked with continuing the great work of the Scottish International Storytelling Festival.
“I have seen first hand the natural evolution of the festival into the thriving cultural community force it is now and I look forward to being a steward, celebrant and advocate for the great stories, storytellers and traditional artists that make our festival a light in a world in need of stories.”
Beverley Bryant, Chair of the Scottish Storytelling Forum said: “Daniel absolutely understands the importance of storytelling; both the tradition and culture we are preserving and the need for storytelling in contemporary settings.
“He is a passionate advocate of the art form and of the Scottish arts scene more broadly. It will be exciting to see the SISF develop in new ways under his direction.”
Steve Byrne, CEO of TRACS,who led the recruitment process, commented: “I am delighted to welcome Daniel to the TRACS team after many years of working alongside him in partnership, having long admired his innovative programming work at the Scottish Storytelling Centre.
“His track record speaks for itself – he is an outstanding candidate whose commitment to traditional arts is first rate. I look forward to seeing SISF flourish under his leadership.”
A new voluntary social care bargaining body will help improve pay and conditions for more than 110,000 workers.
It will provide a forum for trade unions and care providers to negotiate better wages and wider terms and conditions for workers delivering adult social care services commissioned by local government. Arrangements will be extended to other commissioned services, such as children’s social care, in line with the Scottish Government’s commitment to fair work.
It will be established by the Scottish Government and partners, in response to requests from trades unions, and will begin negotiating in 2026, with deals implemented from 2027-28.
In addition, the Scottish Government is taking immediate action to improve conditions for workers delivering commissioned services in the private, voluntary, and independent sector, including:
funding an increase in maternity and paternity entitlements to bring them in line with that of staff employed directly by local government; and
funding Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) checks for workers.
Minister for Social Care and Mental Wellbeing, Tom Arthur, said: “Social care workers provide essential, skilled support to the people we love, often in demanding and emotionally challenging circumstances. They deserve pay and conditions that reflect that.
“Fairer working conditions are essential to making social care the attractive and rewarding career which it should be. I thank trade unions and provider representatives for their positive engagement on this issue and look forward to close cooperation with them as we deliver sectoral bargaining.
“The steps we are taking today, with partners, deliver on our commitments and mark a major milestone in building a social care sector which we value, which we can be proud of – and that any of us may one day depend on.”
DEMENTIA-FRIENDLY FILM CLUB at NORTH EDINBURGH ARTS
Our Dementia Friendly Film Club is bringing yet another iconic musical comedy to the big screen in our theatre, Singin’ In the Rain. Join us on Thursday 26 March at 1.30pm.
This relaxed screening includes a short interval and light refreshments.
Entry is free and everyone’s welcome.
To book or discuss any accessible seating requirements, please call/text on 07493 876130 or email rehan@northedinburgharts.co.uk
UP TO £400 IN SHOPPING VOUCHERS AND FREE PRODUCTS UP FOR GRABS
Aldi has announced it is on the lookout for parents in Edinburgh and the Lothians to join its new Aldi Parent Panel – offering families the chance to bag up to £400 in shopping vouchers and free products, in return for their valuable input into future family focused products and initiatives.
Aldi, who was recently named as Supermarket of the Year at the 2026 Loved By Parents Awards, is inviting parents of children ranging from babies through to teenagers to apply, with successful applicants reflecting the diversity of family life across the UK.
Those selected will be asked to take part in short surveys and product reviews at key points throughout the year, helping to inform Aldi’s family-focused initiatives and wider customer experience. In return, parents will receive £100 in Aldi vouchers every time they complete a survey, alongside free Mamia products and selected Specialbuys.
In total, 10 parents from across the UK will be selected to take part in the panel.
Julie Ashfield, Chief Commercial Officer at Aldi UK, said: “Families rely on Aldi every day, and it’s important that we continue to listen to what really matters to them. The Aldi Parent Panel gives parents from across the UK the opportunity to play a role in shaping how we support families – from the products we offer to the experience we provide in-store and beyond.
“We want the panel to reflect families of all shapes, sizes and experiences, so we can continue delivering the quality and value Aldi is known for.”
Parents who would like to apply to join the Aldi Parent Panel are invited to submit either a short written application (up to 200 words) or a short video explaining why they would like to take part.
The launch of the Aldi Parent Panel follows the return of the Mamia New Parent Fund for 2026, which will see Aldi will give away £100 vouchers every week for 12 months – totalling £5,200 – to help parents cover the cost of essentials including nappies, wipes, baby food pouches and toiletries.
Efforts to ensure the UK healthcare system is resilient against future pandemics will be undermined if the capacity issues in emergency care systems that are already ‘struggling to cope year-round’ are not addressed, according to the Royal College of Emergency Medicine.
The Chair of the inquiry, Baroness Heather Hallett, investigated the impact of Covid-19 on healthcare systems across the four nations, including government response, how society responded, capacity of health care systems, and the impact on patients and healthcare workers.
Yesterday’s report concludes that healthcare systems “came close to collapse” and that ultimately, they “coped, but only just.”
The inquiry has made 10 recommendations, including the need to increase capacity in urgent and emergency care and ensure hospitals have the ability to implement surge capacity.
Dr Ian Higginson, President of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine said: “We welcome this thorough investigation by Baroness Heather Hallett and her team which has made a damning but honest assessment of how health systems around the UK coped with Covid-19.
“For our members and their colleagues, this report will make for sobering reading – it reflects the reality they lived through during the pandemic. They showed up when they were needed, and in many cases worked beyond their limits. They remain exhausted and burnt out because of a system that continues to run red hot.
“Covid-19 landed on an already fragile system. Our EDs were already experiencing overcrowding and long waits, which have only got worse since.
It’s really frustrating that the obvious lessons around investing in emergency care haven’t been learned, and that it is necessary for a public enquiry into COVID to point out what everyone who works in emergency care already knew, still knows, and have been loudly saying.
“Our EDs are struggling to cope year-round. There are doubts as to how well many would cope with a local major incident. How can they be regarded as prepared for the next pandemic or other potential crises?
“Last year, 1,688,555 people waited 12 hours or more to be admitted, discharged, or transferred from a major ED in England. Compare that to 2019, when 487,729 people endured this wait.
“We have patients receiving care on trolleys in corridors, on chairs in other non-clinical areas, waiting for an inpatient bed to become available for them to move into.
“As the report recommended, there need to be plans for surge capacity in urgent and emergency care during a pandemic. This is true and we whole heartedly agree. But we need capacity all year round.
“While we do have institutional knowledge of what a pandemic could bring, and the ability to isolate some patients with infectious illnesses due to infrastructural improvements, I haven’t seen anything to suggest that our emergency care systems are better prepared now than we were then.”
“The failure to prepare, which is an ongoing theme of the enquiry modules, put front line workers at risk due to inadequate PPE and outdated facilities compared to other countries that have chosen to invest in their emergency care systems and their ability to manage infectious disease outbreaks. Our patients and colleagues paid the price of this failure.
“This report is more evidence of the need to tackle systemic issues in urgent and emergency care. RCEM is pleased to have contributed to this important inquiry, and we will work with governments, across all four nations, to restore Emergency Departments to a state where they are fit for purpose and prepared for anything.”
The Royal College of Emergency Medicine provided evidence to the inquiry.
A witness statement was submitted by former President, Dr Katherine Henderson MBE, who held the post between October 2019 and October 2022.
Former RCEM President, Dr Katherine Henderson MBE said:“The Covid-19 pandemic was unprecedented.
“For our members and their colleagues working in Emergency Medicine, it was a time few of us have faced before and our health care system was Nnot adequately prepared for a pandemic to hit, and to hit with such force.
“Emergency care is a core service for the public that they should be able to trust can deliver the care they need. It must be adequately resourced to be able to respond.
“In the pandemic staff lacked appropriate personnel protective equipment (PPE). And we struggled to isolate people who had COVID-19 to minimise the risk and prevent transmission of the virus. And there were concerns over ventilators and oxygen supplies.
“Emergency medicine staff are incredibly pragmatic and resilient, but the toll this has taken on the workforce cannot be understated. And the goodwill of those who are working in Emergency Departments can’t be the sole reason to prop up the system that isn’t working as it should.
“The lessons contained in this report must bring about the urgent changes we need to futureproof our service – for both staff, and our patients.”
