Uncategorized – Page 199 – The NEN

Letters: Early cancer diagnosis is vital

Dear Editor,

Being diagnosed with cancer is hard enough, but imagine what it feels like if you are given this devastating news after an agonising wait of six months or even a year since you first went to see a doctor or nurse about something that did not feel right.

That’s the reality faced by countless numbers of people who are diagnosed with sarcoma cancer in the UK. These cancers of the bone and soft tissue are uncommon, and it is partly because of this that they are tearing apart people’s lives.

I lost my close friend and mentor Simon Mellows to sarcoma a number of years ago. One in three sarcoma patients in the UK waited at least six months after first speaking to a healthcare professional before receiving an accurate diagnosis.

As patron of Sarcoma UK, I know how important it is that someone with a suspicious lump or bone pain has it checked out, even during a pandemic.

Not only that, but we have to ensure that people are referred to the right place for treatment by experts at the right time. Late diagnosis or misdiagnosis has heart-breaking consequences.

Lives in the UK could ultimately be saved, which is why I am writing in support of the charity’s new report that focuses on the early diagnosis issues faced by sarcoma patients right now.

Richard Whitehead MBE,

London 2012 and Rio 2016 gold medallist, Paralympian and Sarcoma UK patron

Three youths arrested in connection with bike thefts

Police in Edinburgh have arrested three youths in connection with bike thefts in the city.

In the last few weeks, a number of bike thefts were reported to police, including three from the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh where NHS staff have been using bicycles to travel to and from work during the coronavirus pandemic.

To address these issues, officers teamed up with NHS Lothian to help support staff with appropriate crime prevention measures and have carried out bike marking events for staff at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, along with securing funding from NHS Lothian to implement permanent prevention systems.

George Curley, Director of Operations in NHS Lothian, said: “NHS Lothian would like to say a big thank you to police in Edinburgh for their hard work and liaising with us in this matter. We hope this helps to prevent further issues like this so our staff can cycle to and from work without concerns.”

Two of the youths, aged 17 and 19, will be subject of a report to the Procurator Fiscal and a 16-year-old youth will be reported to the Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration.

Through enquiry, officers have recovered three bikes, with a combined worth of approximately £4,000.

Inspector Norman Towler at Howdenhall Police Station said: “The theft of a bicycle at any time is depriving the owner of their property and potentially their method of exercise and commute.

“During these unprecedented times, the theft of bikes from staff working at the frontline of this crisis within the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary is beyond comprehension.

“Along with partners within NHS Lothian, we have worked together to take a long term prevention approach whilst also supporting them with bike marking events, which is something we will continue to do.

“A thorough investigation has led to three youths being identified, arrested and charged in connection with thefts and they will be reported in due course.”

Health Tips: Activity at home for older adults

Heart Research UK – Healthy Tip – Activity at home for older adults

Written by Dr Helen Flaherty, Head of Health Promotion at Heart Research UK

Physical activity for older adults (aged 65+) while staying at home

At a time when the population is being asked to stay at home, finding ways to keep active can be challenging. Regular physical activity is strongly associated with a reduction in chronic conditions, such as cardiovascular disease, obesity and type 2 diabetes as well as improving mental health.

For adults aged 65 years and over, it is particularly important to do strengthening activities to maintain physical function and slow down the decline in muscle mass while keeping bones strong. Even small increases in physical activity can positively impact on health. Heart Research UK have some tips to help you meet the recommended amount of physical activity at home.

How much physical activity is recommended?

The Government recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity each week for adults. This can be broken down into chunks of ten minutes or more. It is recommended that older adults also engage in activities that improve strength, balance and flexibility on two days each week. If you are not used to doing this amount of physical activity, you can start small and build up to the recommended amount over time.

Moderate Intensity Activities

(150 minutes weekly)

Your heart will beat faster, you will breathe harder, you will get warmer and you can maintain a conversation

E.g. Brisk Walking, dancing, gardening or cycling

Vigorous Intensity Activities

(75 minutes weekly)

Your heart will beat rapidly, you will breathe much harder, you will get warmer and it will be difficult to have a conversation

E.g. Running, riding a bike fast or on hills, hiking uphill or energetic dancing

Activities that improve strength, balance and flexibility

(to be done on 2 days each week)

E.g. Lifting light weights, push-ups, sit-ups, step-ups, heavy gardening and stretching.

Find hobbies that get you moving

If you tend to engage in hobbies that don’t require you to move very much, look for new hobbies that will get you moving, such as gardening, walking, weight-lifting or dancing.

Avoid long periods of inactivity

Set a timer to go off at specific times throughout the day to prompt you to do ten (or more) minutes of physical activity. Any activity is better than none. You can include a variety of light, moderate and vigorous activities. E.g. a brisk walk, sit-ups, weight-lifting, gardening or housework. You can use tins of baked beans, or similar objects, for weight-lifting.

Don’t be a couch potato

Rather than spending your evenings sitting on the sofa without moving much, why not try a few gentle exercises, such as leg raises, while watching your favourite TV show.

Examples of some exercises you can do from your sofa can be found on the NHS website, and you can find lots more healthy tips, advice and recipes at heartresearch.org.uk

MSP calls for community support to clamp down on ‘dumb dumpers’

Gordon MacDonald, MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, has called on the support of the local community to crackdown on illegal fly tipping in the area during lockdown.

Councils across Scotland have temporarily closed waste and recycling centres to help them prioritise the collection of general refuse and protect public health during the coronavirus outbreak – a course of action described as ‘necessary’ by Zero Waste Scotland.

However, while those maintaining essential waste services in Scotland work hard in difficult circumstances, reports of fly tipping across the country have increased. This has led to calls for local residents to keep a watchful eye out in Edinburgh and report anyone dumping rubbish illegally to the ‘Dumb Dumpers’ website online.

Responsibility for recycling centres lies with councils but the Scottish Government is working closely with COSLA and its partners in local authorities on the prioritisation of waste services and on what further guidance and practical steps may be required on recycling centres.

The MSP has also echoed calls from Zero Waste Scotland and SEPA for the public to act responsibly with their waste until recycling centres re-open – stressing that now is not the time for large-scale clear-outs.

Gordon MacDonald MSP, said: “This is a difficult time for all of us, but we owe a huge thank you to those in the waste industry who are working to keep as many services running as possible.

“The safety of these workers and the general public has to be the priority, and councils also need to consider staffing shortages and physical distancing before our local recycling centres can re-open.

“While these workers do their best for us, it’s important that we continue to do what we can to help them by pitching in to crack down on illegal fly tippers across Edinburgh.

“Now more than ever, we also have to responsibility for managing our waste during this period – that means keeping larger items at home until the centres re-open.”

Iain Gulland, chief executive of Zero Waste Scotland, said: “Refuse collectors are working in exceptional conditions to maintain as many essential services as they can. Now is a good time to avoid wasting so much as this is ultimately the best way to help councils cope.

“Zero Waste Scotland is working with key partners to communicate changes to householders and businesses in Scotland in the meantime. We’d encourage everyone to visit the campaign website to find out how they can best manage their waste.”

Lothian Conservative MSP Miles Briggs has called for local recycling facilities to be reopened as soon as possible. He said: “It’s clear households across Scotland have significant amounts of waste and recycling built up over the lockdown.

“After seven weeks of closed local dumps and greater levels of household waste, we are now seeing a perfect storm which is driving a fly-tipping surge.

“This week the UK Government outlined how recycling centres in England can reopen with social distancing measures in place.

“It is clear that we need to see progress to safely lift the restrictions on recycling centres in Scotland and for SNP Ministers to outline how this can be achieved as soon as is safely possible.”

CBIL boost helps recycling business support gardeners in lockdown

Bank of Scotland supports green waste recycling firm with six-figure CBILS loan
Forth Resource Management triples online compost and topsoil delivery sales as more people spend time in their gardens
Working capital injection comes as local authority clients stop garden waste collections and close local recycling centres

An East Lothian recycling business has seen its online sales more than triple and has stepped up its local delivery service with the support of Bank of Scotland. It is believed that the jump in sales is partly as a result COVID-19, with more people spending time at home and in their garden.

Forth Resource Management recycles more than 100,000 tonnes of organic waste for local councils and landscapers across Scotland each year, retailing subsequent product direct to local residents, builders merchants, garden centres and farmers.

With the UK now on lockdown, the business has increased the output of its online retail offer, supported by a six-figure loan from Bank of Scotland as part of the government-backed Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme.

The funding comes as a number of Forth Resource Management’s key local authority clients have stopped their garden waste collection services and closed their local recycling centres.

While the business has ultimately had to furlough a small number of its employees, the booming online delivery service – alongside the working capital injection from the bank – is expected to stand it in good stead for when normal trading resumes.

Tommy Dale, managing director at Forth Resource Management, said: “Local authority contracts have always been a key revenue pillar within our company but we’re fortunate that the nature of our business means we can adjust our focus and meet growing need elsewhere.

“Gardening and time spent outdoors is offering valuable respite up and down the country so it’s nice to know we’re positively contributing to keeping spirits up.

“The speed at which Bank of Scotland provided the funding has given us a great deal of confidence to trade through this challenging period and line up investment for growth in more certain times.”

Daniel Burns, relationship manager at Bank of Scotland, said: “Plotting a path against current headwinds is a challenge for almost every business at present.

“As such, we’re committed to being by the side of companies like Forth Resource Management – working with government to enable them to adapt their operations for the short-term.”

First Minister: ‘return to school might not be possible at all this side of the summer holidays’

Statement given by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at a media briefing in St Andrew’s House, Edinburgh on Tuesday 5 May:

Good afternoon, thank you for joining us today.

I want to start with the usual statistical update in relation to COVID-19.

As at 9 o’clock this morning, there have been 12,437 positive cases confirmed – which is an increase of 171 since yesterday.

A total of 1,656 patients are currently in hospital with either confirmed or suspected COVID-19 – that is a decrease of 64 since yesterday.

A total of 104 people last night were in intensive care with confirmed or suspected COVID-19, and that is an increase of five since yesterday.

I can also confirm that since 5 March, 2,847 patients who had tested positive and been hospitalised for the virus have now been able to leave hospital, and that of course is positive news

Sadly, though, in the last 24 hours, 44 deaths have been registered of patients who had been confirmed through a test as having the virus – which takes the total number of deaths, under that measurement, to 1,620.

Now, as I always say, we must never every think of these numbers as just statistics. They represent individuals whose loss is a source of sorrow to many, and I again want to send my deepest condolences to everyone who has lost a loved one to this virus. We are all thinking of you.

I also want to again thank our health and care workers for the extraordinary work that you continue to do for us in the most challenging and difficult of circumstances

Now I have one substantive issue that I want to discuss today. And forgive me if I do so at slightly greater length than normal.

This follows my update yesterday on our plans for “test, trace, and isolate”.

Today, I want to set out for you our latest data on the level of infection and the important R number that you have heard us talk about before, and I also want to describe the work that we are doing now to prepare for careful and gradual changes to the lockdown restrictions – I must stress only when we judge it is safe to make them, which I am afraid is not right now.

Now you’ll find more detail on what I am about to cover today in a new document that we have just published on the gov.scot website – it updates the one we published a couple of weeks ago and, again, I’m asking you please to have a look at that.

I also want to encourage you to use the new online tool that we are launching today, which gives you the chance to offer ideas on how we should move forward.

I’ve said before but it is worth repeating that the decisions on how we come out of lockdown will affect each and every one of us, perhaps for some considerable time to come, and so I am determined that I and the Scottish Government make those decisions as openly and as collaboratively as we possibly can.

Now, as I said yesterday, by Thursday this week, we have to formally assess whether any lockdown restrictions should be lifted at this stage. The other UK governments will also be making an assessment on or around that date.

As we move forward, we will continue to discuss and, where appropriate, reach decisions on a four nations – UK – basis. It remains my intention to have UK-wide alignment where the evidence supports it, though obviously my overarching responsibility is to reach evidence based decisions that are right for Scotland.

As I indicated yesterday, I think it is highly unlikely that the Scottish Government will be able to make any significant changes to the current restrictions on Thursday. And I think it’s important that I’m frank with you about that now.

Today’s paper sets out in detail the data that underpins that conclusion.

In short, we are seeing progress – real progress, particularly in the number of people admitted to intensive care – but that progress is still fragile.

That means any increase in the physical interactions we have with other people could quickly see transmission of the virus increase again.

We estimate that there are currently around 26,000 people with COVID-19 in Scotland. I stress these are estimates, but that is still too high a number to consider that the virus is under control.

I have also spoken before about the vital importance – the critical importance – of keeping the R number below 1.

Now we know the R number is higher in care homes, but our best estimate is that the R number in the community is currently between 0.7 and 1. But we cannot be sure that it’s not closer to 1 than 0.7.

There is also some evidence that the R number in Scotland might be slightly higher at this point than in the rest of the UK – although the modelling that is based on is subject to a high degree of uncertainty.

But in any event, the R number is not yet far enough below 1 to be confident that any changes to current restrictions wouldn’t quickly send it over 1 again – and if that happened, the virus would start to increase exponentially again.

That could overwhelm our health service; force us to re-impose restrictions; and it would lead to many more deaths.

Now as an illustration of this, we include in the paper a chart which is based on recent Danish data, and we are looking at experiences in other countries all the time. What this chart suggests is that that if we were to fully re-open nurseries and primary schools now, the most likely scenario would be a resurgence in the virus that would overwhelm our hospital capacity in a matter of weeks.

Now, the fact is that any easing of restrictions, whenever we introduce them, will have an impact on the R number. But if we get our baseline lower than it is now, we will have more headroom to cope with that – and be able to avoid outcomes like the one I’ve just highlighted.

So the hard fact is that we must see further reductions in new cases, hospital and ICU admissions and deaths to be sure that the overall level of infection and the R number are lower than they are now.

And that means, for the moment, we do need to stick with the current lockdown restrictions .

However I am acutely aware that the severity of restrictions we are living under now cannot continue indefinitely – we know that lockdown is doing its own damage.

So we also need to be preparing to make changes as soon as it is safe to do so.

The next three week period of lockdown, after this Thursday 7 May, is due to end on the 28 May.

Now, let me stress, that doesn’t necessarily mean we can’t make any changes before then if the evidence suggests it is safe to do so. If we can, we will.

For example, I’m particularly keen as soon as possible, for the sake of mental health and wellbeing, to enable people to be outdoors more. And obviously we are all keen to get the economy moving again as soon as we can.

So today’s paper sets out some options that we are working on – both in terms of assessing their impact and on the practicalities of implementation – so that we will be ready to make changes when the evidence tell us that it is safe to do so.

Now to be clear with you, because I have to make sure I am setting this out clearly, this is not a list of things we will definitely do by certain dates.

Indeed, we might not be able to take all of these steps even at the end of May.

This is going to be a long process with different phases along the way.

And we will only implement these changes when we are as certain as possible that it is safe to do so – and when we can also assure you of that.

In the meantime, it is vital that we stick rigorously to the current rules.

But as I said a moment ago it is important that we are preparing now.

So I want to briefly set out the options that we are working on. Though, again, I must stress that none of these are changes we are implementing as of right now.

But we are considering, firstly, if and how we could safely change our advice on spending time outdoors – to allow exercise outside to happen more than once a day, so long as we continue to stay apart from people outside our own households.

But second, we are also considering if a slight relaxation in the rules to allow meeting up with a small, defined group of people from other households – in a sort of bubble – might be possible, even if initially that was only possible out of doors and not indoors.

This is, of course, one way in which we could start to interact a bit more with family or friends – which I know is so important to all of us.

However, we also have to consider carefully the impact on the spread of the virus. And we have to think through how such an approach could be implemented in practice – and also how the limitations of it could be enforced if necessary.

It’s also not something that would be possible for those who are currently shielding – so we have to think also about the fairness of it.

The third area we are looking at is when and in what order we can resume some NHS and community care services.

As you know, we stopped some services – for example, screening programmes and non-urgent elective procedures – to ensure that the NHS could cope with the virus. But these postponements also have implications for health, so we must consider how services can be restarted as soon as possible – and that is what we are currently doing.

The fourth area relates to how we carefully, gradually and safely allow businesses to re-open. That is a major area of work, for obvious reasons.

We need to work with business and with trade unions to consider the practical arrangements for different work environments to start up safely – that’s changes to working practices, physical layouts of workplaces, the appropriate use of PPE and the operation of public transport. On this, we are looking carefully at the work the UK government is doing and consulting our own stakeholders on that.

Initially, we are giving particular consideration to businesses in the construction, retail and manufacturing sectors – and also to some outdoor and rural businesses.

However, where home working is possible, we are very likely to insist on that for the foreseeable future.

And I want to be very clear that as of now current guidance to business remains in place.

Finally, I have said before that one of the hardest decisions I have ever taken was the closure of schools. I know the impact this is having on young people – and I want to thank all of you watching today again for your patience – and it also has an impact on family routine.

The Deputy First Minister is chairing the Education Recovery Group, which is considering options for how pupils might gradually return to school.

Now, again, I need to be clear – a return to school might not be possible at all this side of the summer holidays.

But we are considering whether some groups of students – such as vulnerable children, children who are making the transition from primary to secondary school, or who are studying for national qualifications – could return to school ahead of others.

And any initial return to school – when it does happen – is of course likely to require a mixture of time in school and learning at home.

For example it’s possible that different groups could attend school part-time in blocks of a few days – or a week at a time – to enable physical distancing and deep cleaning schools between sessions. In all of this, we are trying to find the right balance between children’s educational and wider needs, and public health imperatives.

But I want to be crystal clear that while we will of course take the greatest care in all of this, that that is particularly the case with schools. We will not compromise the safety of your children.

Now as you will understand from the detail I have just given, and more so if you read the paper that has published today, none of these decisions are easy. There are no absolute certainties in any of this and complex judgments will have to be made.

As I’ve said before, ‘lifting the lockdown’ will not be like flicking a switch. It will be a gradual process which will happen in phases.

What we are seeking to do is find a path to a new normal – one which is less restrictive than the current lockdown, but which doesn’t risk the virus running rampant again.

Now we have not yet put definite dates on any of what I’ve just set out. But I will update you on an ongoing basis in the days ahead as our evidence, assessments and planning develops.

And as soon as we can start to attach even tentative dates, we will do that.

In parallel, we will continue to build the ‘test, trace, isolate’ capacity that I spoke about yesterday.

But let me end on this point – the most important task for all of us in the here and now is to get the virus under more control than it is right now. And I cannot stress that enough.

We really are at a critical stage, and what I’ve set out today about our assessment of the R number in particular tells us how critical this stage is and also how easy it would be to go in the wrong direction.

So that means asking you again to stick rigorously to the current rules. It means asking you to think hard about your own compliance – and tightening that if anything now, not easing up on it. If you have been going out a bit more than you should, please rectify that.

Please stay at home except for essential purposes – and remember, at this stage, essential purposes means only essential food supplies, medicines and daily exercise.

And you should ask yourself if, for example, going for a drive-through coffee is really an essential journey.

Stay two metres from others when you have to be out.

Don’t meet up with people from other households.

Isolate completely if you or anyone else in your household has symptoms.

Wash your hands regularly, and wear a face covering if you are in an enclosed space with other people – like a shop or public transport.

All of this is tough – it is really tough – and I know and understand that.

But I want to stress again – right now we are going in the right direction. If all we keep doing all of the right things, we will keep going in the right direction, and we will get there. Our light at the end of the tunnel that I keep talking about will get brighter as the days go on. And we will find a way through.

So please keep doing the right things, and thank you for everything that you are doing to comply.

Now I’m going to hand over to the Chief Medical Officer who is going to say a few more words about the evidence that is before us before I open up to questions.

New online support hub launched for people with post-COVID breathlessness

Asthma UK & British Lung Foundation have launched an online Post-COVID HUB and dedicated helpline to support people affected by breathing difficulties after COVID-19.

While evidence on the long-term health effects of COVID-19 is still emerging, a range of early studies have suggested that people hospitalised with severe symptoms from the virus are developing chronic respiratory symptoms.[1]

Post-Covid.org.uk, is a site for patients, healthcare professionals and researchers. It aims to bring experts together to lead ground-breaking research, to better understand the long-term effects of COVID-19 on respiratory health and provide a central point for health information and advice for patients.

Joseph, Head of Asthma UK & British Lung Foundation Scotland, said: “As a respiratory charity, we support the thousands of people across Scotland who have breathing difficulties. We understand the toll it can have on people’s lives and the concern many have about the long-term effects COVID-19 will have on their lung health.

“At a time when the NHS is under immense pressure, we want to ensure anyone who’s respiratory health is affected post-COVID can get the help and support they need. That is why we are proud to be launching our Post-COVID HUB.

“The HUB is the first of its kind in the UK. It brings together patients, researchers, and healthcare professionals to provide the latest information on the impact of COVID-19. We also want to ensure that research and clinical services develop so we can effectively treat any new chronic breathlessness emerging from this crisis.”

The hub is also supported by academics, professional bodies, and respiratory experts:

Professor Jon Bennett, Chair of the Board of Trustees at the British Thoracic Society, said: “We support the launch of the Post-COVID HUB, which will be critical in assessing what care people need post-COVID. Many people are suffering an acute severe lung injury with some ending up in intensive care, and we know that this can have an impact on people long term.

“We urgently need post-COVID care research and guidelines, to ensure we know what the best treatments are ongoing, and that people can access appropriate support and maximise their recovery.”

Carol Stonham MBE, Chair of the Primary Care Respiratory Society & Senior NHS Nurse Practitioner (respiratory) said: “We welcome the introduction of the Post-COVID HUB. These are times of rapid change with many people recovering from sudden episodes of severe illness requiring critical care, then returning to community or primary care for ongoing management.

“Some will sustain ongoing lung damage, others psychological trauma. The sharing of resources allows clinicians to care for people safely and effectively wherever care needs to be delivered.”

North Edinburgh charities unite to deliver over 11,000 free meals during lockdown

Charity and community groups in North Edinburgh have joined forces to deliver over 11,000 free, healthy meals, toiletries and cleaning supplies to vulnerable individuals and families during four weeks of lockdown.

More than a dozen organisations have come together to form the North Edinburgh Covid-19 Foodshare Group, supporting those in food poverty or experiencing hardship as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Despite launching only four weeks ago, the group has already coordinated community groups and volunteers to safely deliver a record number of healthy meals to those who need them most. It now aims to deliver over 15,000 meals each week, thanks to support from funders, donors and members of the public.

In just one week, more than 10,000 ready-meals and sandwich packs were delivered to residents in Muirhouse, Salvesen, Pilton, Granton, Drylaw and Telford, as well as more than 1,000 essential food, toiletry and cleaning supply kits.

A phoneline has also been launched to handle requests for assistance. Local residents in Muirhouse, Salvesen, Pilton, Granton, Drylaw and Telford can call 0131 356 0220, with the hotline open Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm.

Due to high demand, the group is asking funders and members of the public to help them reach more people living in food poverty by funds. All money raised will go towards supporting vulnerable people living in Edinburgh during the pandemic crisis.

To ensure deliveries were made safely, 100 charity and voluntary sector volunteers and keyworkers were trained in Covid-19 safety protocols by Scran Academy to ensure everyone adhered to government guidance on physical distancing.

Willie Black, Chair of West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre, said: “This is a truly remarkable effort. It’s a great demonstration of the power of communities pulling together, working in partnership to build a new future for north Edinburgh.

“It’s an extremely difficult time for vulnerable families and individuals across the city. They may have experienced homelessness, be elderly or socially isolated.

“Getting support out to them is our priority and we have been overwhelmed by the generous support of our funders and donors. But there is more to be done. We estimate that to meet the demand we need to deliver a minimum of 15,000 emergency packs per week.

“On the other hand, we are trying to manage our supplies to ensure we have enough to go around while this pandemic continues to affect us all.”

Residents who have already received packages from the Group have described the resource as vital for enabling them to feed their families:

Family from Muirhouse:

“My husband has lost his job, and we were 2093 in the queue to speak to someone at Universal credits, 14 hour wait, no money, no food. My health visitor referred us to Covid-19 Foodshare Group and they just appeared with food and packed lunches for us. I have never cried to see food to feed my kids, but I just have no money. They turn up every day with packed lunches and for the last three weeks a food parcel has appeared at our door.”

Muriel, elderly Drylaw resident. Husband in care facility:

“Many many thanks for your kind and considerate actions. To the staff, you have no idea, how your thoughts for older isolated people impacts on our daily life.

The comfort and solace it gives to us, when you are alone and can’t reach out to touch our loved ones is like winning the lottery, an absolute god send to me!

Thank you from the bottom of my Heart.”

Isolated resident from Pennywell:

“Please let the chef know that the mushroom soup was absolutely amazing and fandabbydozy!”

Family from Pilton:

“Both me and my partner are temporarily out of employment, with 2 kids at home. The first week we survived thanks to the kindness of a neighbour. I really appreciate the food packs and the different foods we are receiving now. It has saved us”.

Single parent from Granton:

“I want to send my appreciation first of all by sending you this message. You guys have helped my own household and my sons during this pandemic. I think we might have really struggled if it wasn’t for all the good work you guys are doing for the community, you are all amazing”.

Care Homes: Time for Action is NOW

What started as a sense of unease about the extent to which care homes are getting the Government help they need is turning rapidly to anger and real alarm (writes Age UK charity director CAROLINE ABRAHAMS).

Some 400,000 older people live in care homes in this country and the vast majority are vulnerable by any definition; most have dementia or other forms of cognitive decline, often in combination with serious long term physical health problems like diabetes and heart disease.

Existing problems

Even before the coronavirus crisis hit there were big worries about financial resilience and the capacity to deliver consistently good care across the care home sector. Although care homes are by no means all the same some problems are common to most: difficulty in recruiting and retaining enough good, trained staff being near or at the top of the list, leading to under-staffing and over reliance on expensive agency workers.

For those care homes that take any State funded clients there have also been big and growing problems making ends meet while delivering decent quality, since the State is an exceptionally mean paymaster, in apparent denial about just how much this costs.

Meanwhile, we have somehow got ourselves into a position in which care homes are operated for the most part by many small private providers on the one hand, and a number of corporate chains on the other, with the owners of the latter often based abroad and involved in complex financial arrangements, as a result of which it can be hard to see where accountability lies and what priority is really being placed on delivering good care to a highly vulnerable group as opposed to turning a buck.

From bad to worse

Then coronavirus arrived. Given how unwell most care home residents already are and the fact they are clustered together, plus the deficits in the care home workforce, it was always going to be very important to make sure everything reasonable was done and done quickly to help care homes keep the virus out and, if and when it got in, fight it effectively so it infected as few older people and staff as possible.

However, a month or so into this crisis now it is becoming apparent that many care home are struggling: in particular, they can’t get enough Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to keep staff and residents safe and they can’t get tests to see who has got the virus and who hasn’t.

In some cases it seems they are being told that it is their job to provide end of life care for residents who are sadly dying from the virus, without enough back up support from GP and community based palliative care services, and without the possibility of these older people being admitted to hospital.

Where are the funds?

In addition, while local authorities have been given extra funding from central Government to support social care, some care home providers are complaining they are yet to pass it onto them, while meanwhile their costs are rising due to an increased reliance on agency staff due to significant numbers of their usual staff being off sick or self-isolating, plus the rise in the national minimum wage.

That’s not the end of it though: tragically, the need to protect residents led to a ban on families visiting, though recently rescinded in exceptional circumstances such as when someone is dying: however, without there being enough PPE it is hard to see how this can really work. And finally, although it is quite clear that the virus has affected significant numbers of care homes and some residents are sadly dying, we do not know how many because official figures are not being collected.

A let down

In short, it’s a mess and one that means care home residents, their families and staff are all being badly let down. It would not be an exaggeration that some are paying with their lives. Why has this tragedy come about? Probably in part because there is simply not enough PPE and testing period, and what there is has gone to the NHS first, understandably. An additional problem is that the care home sector is so fragmented that delivering any kind of national response is very hard.

In addition, there was seemingly a degree of hesitation over the question of what responsibility the Government actually bears for this sector, given that it is largely privately rather than State owned.

Tragically, it seems all too easy for the care home sector to fall between two stools: neither genuinely in the community on the one hand, nor in the NHS on the other. This is not a new problem: for many years for example, some care homes have found it hard to get good GP support for their residents, despite the latter’s obvious vulnerability – something the NHS was in the process of addressing when the virus hit through its ‘Enhanced Care in Care Homes’ initiative. The fact this was even needed though shows up the strategic problem, which is, at heart, attitudinal as well as structural.

Care homes need support

In the short term it is imperative that the Governments acts now to give care homes the practical – testing and PPE – support they and their staff and residents are entitled to expect.

In some cases it may be appropriate for residents to stay where they are without being admitted in hospital but this should not be a blanket decision, nor should care homes be left to manage without proper GP and community health service support.

Action is needed to ensure the money that is supposed to support care homes actually does reach the front line – and more of it may be needed too. And a system is required to count the numbers who are sadly dying in care homes, to demonstrate they really do matter and to aid planning both now and in future.

Longer term the clear implication is that never again can we leave vulnerable older people, and the workers caring for them, so exposed as they have been to coronavirus. The care home sector – social care more generally – is too fragmented for what is in reality an essential public service on which hundreds of thousands of people depend.

The State’s responsibility must be made clear and this and future governments must accept it – but that’s for tomorrow. Today is first and foremost about saving lives.

CHARITIES wrote to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care yesterday. Their letter said:

Dear Secretary of State,

We are writing together as charity and care sector leaders on behalf of the hundreds of thousands of our most vulnerable people reliant on social care and the hundreds dying in care homes, supported by an army of incredible, often low paid and undervalued care workers who are not trained to deal with death on this scale.

We appreciate the time you and your Ministers have given us this week in seeking to determine a plan for social care during coronavirus. Like you, our priority is keeping people safe in the face of this terrible pandemic.

We are appalled by the devastation which coronavirus is causing in the care system and we have all been inundated with desperate calls from the people we support, so we are demanding a comprehensive care package to support social care through the pandemic.

As a first step we urgently need testing and protective equipment made available to care homes – as we’re seeing people in them being abandoned to the worst that coronavirus can do. Instead of being allowed hospital care, to see their loved ones and to have the reassurance that testing allows; and for the staff who care for them to have even the most basic of PPE, they are told they cannot go to hospital, routinely asked to sign Do Not Resuscitate orders, and cut off from their families when they need them most.

A lack of protective equipment means staff are putting their own lives at risk while also carrying the virus to highly vulnerable groups. Care professionals that have this equipment are using it in line with the guidelines – there’s just not enough getting through to the frontline. Care England estimates that there have been nearly a thousand deaths already, yet deaths from coronavirus in care homes are not being officially recorded or published, social care is the neglected frontline.

Older people’s lives are not worth less. Care home staff are not second class carers. The Government must step in and make it clear that no-one will be abandoned to this virus simply because of their age, condition or where they live.

A comprehensive care package must include:

PPE equipment readily available to care homes. Without it, all residents’ lives are at risk
Care home staff, and people being discharged from hospital into care homes, given priority testing, alongside critical NHS staff
Support to ensure contact can be maintained between care home residents and their families
Good palliative and end-of-life care for people dying in the care system
A daily update on coronavirus deaths in the care system, just like deaths in the NHS, so that as a society we can understand the scale of the challenge we face.

We know how hard you and your colleagues in Government are working to protect the country from the worst effects of the pandemic. We would like to reiterate our offer to provide support to develop the strategy for social care at this time of crisis. We will continue to do all that we can to make sure families reliant on social care get the protection that they need.

With best wishes,

Kate Lee, CEO Alzheimer’s Society

Matthew Reed, Chief Executive, Marie Curie

Caroline Abrahams, Charity Director, Age UK

Professor Martin Green OBE, Chief Executive, Care England

Deborah Alsina MBE, Chief Executive, Independent Age

Figures released this morning by the Office of National Statistics show that 217 coronavirus related deaths were recorded in care homes in the week ending 3rd April – a tenfold rise on the week before – Ed.

BBC unveils children’s iPlayer experience

Families and children can now easily discover a wide range of entertaining and educational shows and films, with the launch of a new children’s experience on BBC iPlayer.

Rolling out on internet-connected TVs, it brings together the best from CBBC and CBeebies, and other suitable BBC programming, all in one place.

When selecting who’s watching iPlayer, there’s now a monster shaped ‘children’ button, which opens a treasure trove of viewing – from hit shows like Hey Duggee and Bing to David Walliams classics such as The Boy In The Dress, Gangsta Granny and Mr Stink – which return to iPlayer.

Children can easily find something to watch thanks to more ‘child-friendly’ categories, that let them pick and browse between Trending, Drama, Funny and Cartoons – as well as giving easy access to the CBeebies and CBBC channels.

The children’s experience has been designed to give confidence to parents and carers that kids are watching suitable shows – with content curated from across CBeebies, CBBC and other suitable BBC programmes and brands.

To make the service even more special, it has been given a distinctive, bright and bold design – helping children understand that this is a dedicated experience just for them.

Alice Webb, Director BBC Children’s and Education, says: “Keeping children informed, educated and entertained at home during these unprecedented times is going to be even more important than ever.

“Whether it’s being a number detective with the Numberblocks, going on a global adventure with Go Jetters, or learning about the planet’s deadliest animals with Deadly 60 – this new experience gives children of all ages a place to go to do that.

“We can’t promise solving the sibling tiffs over what to watch – but we can make it even easier to bring families and kids an incredible choice of shows and films on iPlayer. Children and parents can be assured the BBC will be for them during these challenging times.”

Dan Taylor-Watt, Director of Product, BBC iPlayer and BBC Sounds, says: “We know more and more iPlayer viewing is happening on the biggest screen in the home.

“We’re now making that experience even better for children – so they have a safe place to enjoy their favourite shows, discover new ones – and learn more, especially at the moment. And over time, this experience will get even better, with recommendations increasingly tailored to them – making sure they get the best kids experience possible.”