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It’s important to know the opening times of your GP, pharmacy and dental surgeries over the Easter weekend in case you need medical assistance.
A lot of these services will have reduced hours or be closed, so it’s best to check in advance to ensure you have access to the care you need.
Find out more at NHS inform
Responding to the latest Emergency Department performance figures for Scotland for February 2023 (see below) Dr John-Paul Loughrey, Vice President of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine Scotland, said: “As the data show, the start of this year has continued to be difficult in Emergency Care.
“Patients continue to face long and dangerous waits as staff continue to be stretched to their limit. Ambulance queues, poor patient flow throughout our hospitals, exit block – where patients are stuck in the system in a ‘traffic jam’ – these remain prevalent across Emergency Departments in Scotland.
“We congratulate the First Minister for Scotland, Humza Yousaf MSP, on his appointment to his new role, and we welcome Michael Matheson MSP (above) to the role of Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care.
“We hope to continue and increase our engagement with the Scottish Government to improve patient care and staff conditions in Emergency Medicine and the wider health service.
“We urge the new Cabinet Secretary to build on the constructive engagement of his predecessor and increase focus on investing in adequate and sufficient social care to discharge patients in a timely way to free up beds.
£Alongside this, we ask him to prioritise expanding acute bed capacity across Scotland and retaining existing staff. These are the short-term priorities for Emergency Care. It would be wrong to take measures to manage demand and reduce attendances on the front door – such measures do nothing to tackle the root causes of long-term problems.
“In the long-term, we urge the new Cabinet Secretary to look at workforce planning and sustained and continued funding and investment in health and social care to ensure we do not reach the troughs of performance and patient care that we saw in 2022.
“We must reduce and eliminate dangerous and unacceptable delays to patient care that we know are associated with patient harm and patient deaths. We would welcome an opportunity to meet with the new Cabinet Secretary to discuss our Five Priorities for UK Governments for #ResuscitatingEmergencyCare.”
The latest performance figures for February 2023 for Emergency Departments across Scotland show:
A trial community contact project is running in Gorgie Dalry to make it easier for local people to reach the services and support that the Council offers.
Citizen Space at Tynecastle Community Wing is a test site that enables residents to access Council services in a convenient local setting.
The new trial team has been specially trained to help people there and then with Council services like ordering a new wheelie bin or informing of problems with local street lights. They can also link residents to the right community groups and other places they can get support.
If people would like help and advice with other things – such as housing, neighbourhood disputes or debt – the team will invite them for a longer discussion about how they can help.
The Council’s customer teams provide an important point of contact for residents looking to access Council services. Locality offices continue to offer an essential route for those seeking help and support.
The need to deliver more proactive services closer to people across the city is part of the Council’s 20-minute neighbourhood strategy. This will allow everyone to live well locally and meet most of their daily needs from within their own community by walking, cycling, wheeling or taking public transport.
Council Leader Cammy Day met with the team and Citizens Advice Edinburgh colleagues involved in the project on Tuesday to see their work in action.
Council Leader Cammy Day, said: “We want to make sure that everyone living in Edinburgh can easily reach the services and support that the Council offers. We’re working with our local partners and communities to plan and deliver services that meet everyone’s needs in a better way.
“Citizen Space at Tynecastle Community Wing provides exactly that – a new convenient and welcoming space that’s making it easier for people to use our services and receive advice.
“This is all part of our plan to support everyone’s wellbeing and end poverty and isolation in Edinburgh. These local community hubs will bring daily services together for everyone to help create more social and liveable communities.”
The Citizen Space is a drop-in facility for residents to use as they need it, but the team is also regularly out and about in the area to speak with local people and see how they can help. Look out for them in their 20-Minute Neighbourhood team jackets.
Creating a home is an art form – choosing furniture can be an act of creative self-expression, but upcycling furniture can take that creativity to a whole new level. This is especially evident in a brand-new eco exhibition, Furniture Reimagined, open now in Edinburgh.
Taking place at The Leith Collective, Furniture Reimagined features the work of environmentally-conscious artists from all over Scotland, brought together by a shared vision to breathe new life into old household items.
All manner of furniture from a range of eras features in the exhibition – from re-upholstered vintage chairs to contemporary doors turned into mirrors.
Some items needed some simple TLC to bring them back to their former glory, whilst others have been recycled, repurposed and reworked into something completely original.
The timing of the exhibition is no coincidence. It is around this time of year that UK householders spring clean and send a host of household items straight to landfill. The artists behind this exhibition hope their work will encourage people to think twice before doing so, and keep furniture in use for longer to reduce waste.
Speaking ahead of the exhibition launch, The Leith Collective founder Sara Thomson commented: “The furniture featured in this exhibition was built to last. These items have all had a life, they have maybe had a few knocks along the way (haven’t we all?!) but that’s no reason to discard them and replace them with a modern MDF flatpack item.
“This exhibition shows that with a little imagination, many household items can be transformed – not just turned back into something functional, but into something truly beautiful.”
Furniture Reimagined is open now until 31st May 2023 and is free to view at all three Leith Collective stores – Edinburgh’s Ocean Terminal and Fort Kinnaird, as well as Glasgow’s St Enoch Centre.
Some exhibition items are available to purchase and delivery is available.
Newcraighall, Edinburgh, EH15 3RD
Opening hours: 10am – 8pm seven days a week
Charles Paul, 69, was found with serious injuries after officers were called to a property in Granton Crescent around 11.20pm on Saturday, 25 March, 2023. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
A 36-year-old woman was taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary with serious but not life-threatening injuries.
Charles Paul
A 28-year-old man was arrested and charged in connection with the incident. He appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Monday, 27 March, 2023.
NHS Lothian’s Western General Hospital has significantly reduced its carbon emissions thanks to a team of environmentally conscious anaesthetists.
By replacing the use of one medical gas alone with an eco-friendlier alternative, the Department of Anaesthetic’s carbon footprint has decreased by over 125 tonnes annually.
Anaesthetic gases have a significant impact on the environment and account for around 5% of the overall carbon footprint of health services.
Desflurane and Nitrous Oxide are two of the most environmentally harmful gases used in operating theatres, with Desflurane having a global warming potential 2,500 times greater than carbon dioxide.
The team at the Western stopped using Desflurane in April 2022, switching to eco-friendlier alternatives, which reduced the carbon emissions of their anaesthetic gases by 73%.
Dr Matthew Royds, Clinical Director of Anaesthetics & Theatres at the Western, said: “Operating theatres are significant contributors to the carbon emissions generated by healthcare. A lot of this is due to the gases and techniques which have long been used in anaesthesia.
“Our team feel that, as professionals, we have a moral obligation to find more sustainable alternatives, while continuing to deliver the same high level of patient care.
“It is incredibly rewarding to see the real and measurable reduction in our environmental impact, which has been achieved through a passionate team effort and a long-term commitment to more sustainable practices, which will ultimately benefit us all.”
Withdrawing desflurane is the first action of the Scottish Government’s National Green Theatres Programme, part of the NHS Scotland Climate Emergency and Sustainability strategy.
Carbon emissions due to Nitrous Oxide at the Western last year were also less than 25% of previous levels due to a change in the way this is used and delivered.
In the next two years, the aim is to reduce these emissions to zero at the Western, with piped Nitrous Oxide at two other Lothian hospitals awaiting decommissioning.
Jane Hopton, Programme Director and Sustainability Lead for NHS Lothian, said: “The changes being driven by Dr Royds and his colleagues are essential if we are to achieve our Net Zero goals.
“The support and commitment of the staff in anaesthetics and theatres has a had huge impact on making this work a success, as well as creating financial and environmental savings for NHS Lothian without compromising patient care.
“In the Royal Infirmary and St John’s hospitals, the teams have also been hard at work to safely reduce the environmental impact of these gases.
“In late 2021, St John’s became the first hospital in Scotland to use a new technology during labour which breaks down exhaled Nitrous Oxide into harmless Nitrogen and Oxygen.
“We are proud to support the increasing number of professionals across NHS Lothian who are taking action to reduce the impact of health care on the environment.”
Emily Kemp, 19, a member of the campaign says: “This is a setback in our strive for climate justice, but not one we will allow to stop us.
“Going plant-based is a step that must be taken; it is only a shame that it will not happen sooner,”
Another campaigner added: “If Edinburgh’s students are so far unconvinced that animal agriculture is wrecking our planet and would rather take the words of those with a vested interest in concealing the truth, then we will continue to work to change that.”
The latest IPCC report has highlighted the need for efficient use of land to tackle the climate and ecological crisis. This would prevent deforestation and allow rewilding to occur, drawing down vast amounts of carbon from the Earth’s atmosphere. According to a 2019 Harvard study, animal farming is the single biggest land user in the UK. The same study stated that better use of this land could make the UK carbon-negative.
The proposed motion was an effort to make progress on EUSA’s Sustainability and Action Plan, and was also intended to provide more inclusive and affordable options for all students amid the ongoing cost of living crisis. The campaigners express how the conversation Edinburgh’s campaign has sparked is a success in itself.
Among the numerous passed motions for plant-based campuses, including those at Stirling, Cambridge, Queen Mary’s, and Birmingham, Edinburgh’s campaign demonstrates how this conversation about animal agriculture and the climate crisis is still considered radical. The science promoting a plant-based food system is compelling, and our institutions need to follow suit, the student-led campaign advocates.
The Plant-Based Universities campaign is a nationwide initiative of students who are pushing for their universities and student unions to adopt 100% plant-based catering.
The group claims that universities have an obligation to follow the scientific research that they produce, detailing the environmental impacts of animal farming and fishing. The campaign is active in over 40 institutions, with the group encouraging interested students to sign up to run local campaigns.
The Plant-Based Universities campaign is supported by the well-known animal and climate justice group Animal Rebellion.
One million eligible claimant families receiving tax credits, and no other means-tested benefits, will get the first 2023-24 Cost of Living Payment from Tuesday 2 May 2023, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has confirmed.
The £301 UK Government payment will be paid automatically into most customers’ bank accounts between Tuesday 2 and Tuesday 9 May 2023 across the United Kingdom. Only eligible families who receive tax credits and no other means-tested benefits will receive the payment from HMRC.
This is the first of three payments totalling up to £900 for those eligible in 2023-24.
Chief Secretary to the Treasury, John Glen, said: “Higher prices make life difficult for everyone, which is why our priority is to halve inflation this year.
“But we are also going further to support those struggling most, with a total package of support worth an average of £3,300 per household this year and next – including up to £900 in direct cash payments starting next month for families receiving tax credits.”
Angela MacDonald, HMRC’s Deputy Chief Executive and Second Permanent Secretary, said: “The £301 Cost of Living Payment will deliver vital financial help to eligible tax credit customers across the UK. Further support will be paid in autumn 2023 and spring 2024 to those entitled to payment.
“HMRC will pay eligible tax credit customers automatically and with no action required from the customer, to make this as simple and helpful as it can possibly be.”
The payment will show as ‘HMRC COLS’ in customers’ bank and building society accounts, so that they know the money is cost of living support.
For tax credit-only customers to be eligible for the £301 Cost of Living Payment, they must have received a payment of tax credits in respect of any day in the period 26 January to 25 February 2023, or later be found to have been entitled to a payment for this period.
Eligible customers do not need to apply or contact HMRC to receive the payment.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) recently announced that eligible households receiving DWP means-tested benefits will receive their first 2023-24 payment between Tuesday 25 April and Wednesday 17 May. This includes tax credit claimants who also receive other income-related benefits from DWP.
The payments are part of a package of wider UK Government support announced to tackle the cost of living in 2023-24, including:
· a further £300 Cost of Living Payment for eligible families in autumn 2023, with a payment of £299 in Spring 2024
· a £150 Disability Cost of Living Payment for eligible disabled people to be paid during summer 2023
· a £300 Pensioner Cost of Living Payment to be paid during winter 2023-24.
This means that the most vulnerable can receive up to £1,350 in direct payments over the coming financial year if eligible.
Including both DWP and HMRC payments, the latest Cost of Living Payment will see more than 8 million households across the UK receive their £301 cash boost by mid-May 2023.
The UK Government is offering help for households. Customers should check GOV.UK to find out what support they could be eligible for.
Falklands and Gulf War veteran Graham Walker and his family are setting off on a new mission – to discover the hidden secrets of Edinburgh.
Graham, a Royal Navy veteran and retired college lecturer from Fife, and his wife, Marion, are taking up Poppyscotland’s challenge to complete the 10km Poppy Quest, while solving clues along the way.
Entries are now open for the Poppy Quest Edinburgh, a family-friendly fundraising challenge for all ages on Saturday 3rd June. A similar event will take place in Glasgow on Saturday 10th June.
The charity is encouraging groups and individuals to test their observation skills and ingenuity – as well as their legs – and rediscover their city, while supporting Scotland’s Armed Forces community.
Participants will be provided with a map and a series of questions to navigate a route around the city, with the chance to win prizes for raising funds. There will also be a special competition for youth group teams, with a trophy for the fastest time with all questions answered correctly.
Starting and finishing from Lady Haig’s Poppy Factory in Canonmills, they will also be invited to take a tour of the newly refurbished factory. The route will take in Calton Hill, Princes Street Gardens, the Water of Leith, and many famous and lesser-known landmarks. All funds raised will go to support Poppyscotland’s work, providing advice and support to former and current servicemen and women and their families.
Graham said: “Poppy Quest is a great day out and we’re really looking forward to doing it again. We thought we knew Edinburgh quite well, but this is a nice way to see the city and learn some more along the way.
“It’s important that veterans know that support is out there if they need it and Poppyscotland is always there for them.”
Gordon Michie, Poppyscotland’s Head of Fundraising, said: “Poppy Quest is a fantastic way to explore Edinburgh and discover the city’s hidden gems We’re encouraging families, groups, and individuals to challenge themselves, and stretch their minds and legs along the way!
“You don’t need to pass a military fitness test to take part – it’s suitable for all ages and abilities, with four-legged friends welcome as well. Starting from Lady Haig’s Poppy Factory, you can take your time, enjoy the scenery and architecture, and perhaps even have a picnic en-route.
“All funds will go to support our life-changing work with our Armed Forces community. We are seeing unprecedented demand for support now, as men, women, and families throughout Scotland struggle with the cost-of-living crisis.
“So why not put on your walking shoes, and join us for a unique day out for a great cause?”
Registration costs are £14 for adults, £6 for 10-17 year olds, while children aged 9 and under are free. All participants will receive a map, quiz and Poppy Quest pin badge, with medals and t-shirts for raising funds. Full support will be given prior to the walk, including a fundraising pack and preparation ideas.
Find out more and register here: www.poppyscotland.org.uk/poppy-quest
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society has announced the recipients of the ‘Keep it Fringe’ fund, a new initiative to support Fringe artists, led by Fringe Society President Phoebe Waller-Bridge.
The fund, supported by the Fleabag for Charity fund and donations to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society through individual donors and our partnership with Edinburgh Gin, is distributing bursaries of £2,000 to 50 artists and companies bringing work to the Fringe in 2023.
As part of the Fringe Society’s work to build a better and more accessible Fringe, the fund is intended to level the playing field for artists, providing the opportunity to reap the rewards of all the Fringe has to offer.
Since its announcement on Tuesday 07 March, 677 artists and companies have applied to the fund, and submissions were assessed by a diverse group of external assessors.
Each application was reviewed by two assessors, who were on the lookout for shows that capture the defiant spirit of the Fringe and can take advantage of the festival as a unique platform to tell untold stories at all stages of their career.
The successful award recipients represent the great breadth of variety and diversity that makes up the Fringe. Their work covers a range of subjects, from Climate Action and OCD to parenthood and migration; from love to death, and the realities of rural life.
There’s sketch comedy, musicals, stand-up, spoken word for children, plays, ventriloquist horror, immersive theatre for one audience-member at a time; drag, performance art, variety, solo work and pole dancing. These artists and companies will share 50 stories which talk to the very essence and spirit of the Fringe. We’ll be sharing more information on this eclectic range of recipients in the weeks to come.
From emerging artists and those presenting at the Fringe for the first time to more established acts returning to the festival, recipients reflect performers at every stage of their career. It was clear to the assessors that there were a diverse range of applicants from a wide variety of backgrounds looking to bring their work to the Fringe in 2023. Nearly one in two of those selected are disabled or have a health condition, with one in three coming from a working-class background.
Funding will be used to cover a variety of expenses, including childcare, transportation, media and PR support, help to meet living wage pay; supporting access costs for artists, and the production costs associated with performing. The successful recipients will present work across a range of spaces in Edinburgh and will offer a mix of paid-for and free shows.
In addition to the £2,000 financial grant support, the 50 Keep it Fringe recipients will receive an additional package of support to help them perform at this year’s festival. The leading destination for short-form video, TikTok, will also continue their support of Fringe artists and are kindly donating £50,000 worth of advertising credits to the Keep it Fringe fund recipients.
These credits can be used by artists to boost their account content and raise their profile in-app in the run up to, and during the Fringe.
Supporting the Fringe’s climate action development goals, electric rail provider sustainable rail network Lumo are generously donating 50 return tickets from any of their UK hubs, for travel to and from Edinburgh, for recipients of the fund.
Shona McCarthy, Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, said: ‘The number of applications received for the Keep it Fringe fund reflects the current economic climate, and a need for significant support for artists coming to the Fringe.
“The festival continues to be one of the most important cultural events in the world, and a platform for artists to gather, network and meet with industry partners as they explore future career possibilities.
“Our team continue to advocate for those across the Fringe ecology, and as we move at speed to this year’s Fringe, we encourage individuals and companies to reach out to our Artist Services team to see how we can provide further support.
“We are immensely grateful for Phoebe’s generous donation to this new fund, and would welcome conversations with partners, donors and organisations who would be open to supporting the development of this important initiative in the future.
“Our thanks to all the assessors who took the time to review hundreds of applications, and to TikTok and Lumo for their kind support package for the recipients.’
THE 50 SUCCESSFUL RECIPIENTS OF THE KEEP IT FRINGE FUND:
Full detail on the artists, companies, venues, and the shows themselves will be shared in the coming weeks as some shows are not yet on sale:
| Abby Vicky-Russell |
| Alex Gibbon |
| Alistair Hall |
| BBD Productions |
| Ben Macpherson |
| Ben Target |
| Best in Class CIC |
| Brigitte Aphrodite |
| Bristol Performance Movement |
| c21 Theatre Company Limited |
| Cerys Bradley |
| Clementine Bogg-Hargroves |
| Down the Lens |
| Edith Alibec |
| Elisabeth Gunawan / Saksi Bisou |
| Ella Lovelady |
| Emerge Production House |
| Fiona Ridgewell |
| Flat &the Curves |
| Gara in association with Jess Donn |
| Hey Thanks! Theatre Company |
| Jaimee Aislyn de Witt |
| Joe Leather |
| Journey to the East Productions |
| KlangHaus |
| Lachlan Werner |
| Lee Kyle |
| MarianaMalena Theatre Company |
| Martin Mor Comedy |
| Matt Hutchinson |
| Max Percy + Friends |
| Moon Loaf |
| Mr Brake Down |
| Mwansa Phiri/Visual Sauce |
| Olly Gully |
| Peyvand Sadeghian |
| Prentice Productions with Kit Sinclair |
| Rachel E. Thorn |
| Ready Cett Productions |
| Riss Obolensky and Eloise Poulton |
| RoguePlay Theatre |
| Sian Davies |
| Simona Vrabcova |
| Slade Wolfe Enterprises Limited |
| Social Convention |
| StammerMouth |
| Stephen John Catling |
| Suhaila Suhaimi |
| The Thelmas WMC |
| Tom Mayhew |
The Keep it Fringe fund is a pilot, and part of the Fringe Society’s wider fundraising campaign. The ambition is to provide direct financial support for Fringe artists every year, with widening eligibility where possible. The Fringe Society recognises that these funds won’t make or break a show but should provide a little bit of financial help to those who want to take part in the Fringe.
If you or your organisation can help contribute to the Keep it Fringe, or widen its reach, please contact support.us@edfringe.com.
