TWO council-run care homes – Clovenstone and Ford’s Road – will close and third sector projects will see their funding cut by 10 per cent – £1.4 million – following yesterday’s Edinburgh Integration Joint Board meeting.
Board members were faced with a stark choice – accept the swingeing package of cuts tabled or leave the officers to do it themselves. The meeting heard there was no realistic alternative – no Plan B.
UNISON City of Edinburgh branch secretary David Harrold told EIJB board members: “Each and every one of you is presiding over the silent slaughter of Edinburgh’s essential care services. Yet each and every one of you has the ability to stop this by speaking out.”
But despite impassioned pleas from a succession of delegations urging a rethink, board members voted without dissent to accept officer recommendations to slash costs by almost £60 MILLION in an attempt to balance their books.
As ever, it’s the most vulnerable that will suffer most – the poorest communities, carers, older people … all will feel the effects of cuts of this magnitude.
The cuts will see projects cutting back the services they currently provide and in some cases will make redundancies inevitable.
Cuts to core funding will also limit match funding opportunities, and voluntary boards and management committees now face some dreadful decisions with the start of the new financial year less than two weeks away.
Other health and social care partnerships across the country are facing the same financial challenges:
hubCAP Gallery is delighted to present “Nancy’s House,” a new thought-provoking exhibition by artist Megan Rudden.
The show features work produced during and after Megan’s tenure as an artist in residence at Edinburgh College’s Granton Campus, exploring the intersection of site-specific art, spiritualism, and metaphysical research.
Megan’s deep engagement with the location of the college, built on the grounds where her great grandparents once lived and worked, has resulted in a unique and collaborative body of work which reflects not only on the physical site, but delves into the realms of the unseen. Many of the works in this exhibition have been made in collaboration, with Megan’s family, with her peers in psychic training at Glasgow Spiritual Centre and with the spirit of her great gran Nancy.
During this residency, Megan immersed herself in the history and atmosphere of her great-grandparents’ home. From conducting a séance in a meeting room to contacting spirits in the college library, she utilised a variety of methods to connect with the past. The exhibition showcases a range of works, including sculptures, drawings, film and writing, which together navigate the tangible and intangible aspects of the place.
Megan Rudden is an artist, writer and psychic medium in training. Through an interdisciplinary practice her work attempts to create non-linear, trans-historical narratives that use place as a focal point to connect stories across time. With a background in sculpture, Megan is interested in how language can evoke materiality, resulting in a captivating and immersive experience for the audience.
The public is invited to the opening event on Thursday, 21st March, from 5pm to 8pm at hubCAP Gallery. The exhibition will be open to the public from Monday to Friday, 11 am to 4 pm, until 27th March.
Join us in experiencing “Nancy’s House,” where art, history, and the metaphysical converge in a captivating exploration of past and present.
Event Details:
Exhibition Dates: Monday – Friday, 11 am – 4 pm, until 27th March
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is reminding working families to save money on their childcare costs in time for the school holidays
With the Easter break just weeks away, families yet to sign up for Tax-Free Childcare could be missing out on annual savings of up to £2,000 per child, or £4,000 if their child is disabled.
Tax-Free Childcare can help pay for approved childcare for children aged 11 or under, or up to 16 if the child has a disability. Parents can receive up to £500 (or £1,000 if their child is disabled) every 3 months, which means for every £8 paid into their online account, they will automatically receive an additional £2 top up from the UK Government.
It takes just 20 minutes to apply online for a Tax-Free Childcare account and can be used to help pay for a child’s nursery, childminder, breakfast or after school club or holiday activity club.
Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s Director General for Customer Services, said: “Springtime is a good opportunity to take a fresh look at family finances.
“A quick check online and you can find out how Tax-Free Childcare can help cut the cost of your childcare bills. Every bit of financial support helps – I would urge families to ’hop to it’ and search ‘Tax-Free Childcare’ on GOV.UK to find out how you could be better off and open your account today.”
Once an account is opened, parents can deposit money immediately, so it is ready to be used whenever it is needed; and unused money in the account can be withdrawn at any time.
Families could be eligible for Tax-Free Childcare if they:
have a child or children aged 11 or under. They stop being eligible on 1 September after their 11th birthday. If their child has a disability, they may get up to £4,000 a year until 1 September after their 16th birthday
earn, or expect to earn, at least the National Minimum Wage or Living Wage for 16 hours a week, on average
each earn no more than £100,000 per annum
do not receive tax credits, Universal Credit or childcare vouchers
Families can learn more about the childcare offers available to them and what could fit their family by visiting Childcare Choices.
The UK Government is offering help for households. Check GOV.UK to find out what cost of living support, including help with childcare costs, families could be eligible for.
Today the British Institute of Human Rights (BIHR) releases a new report produced with people with learning disabilities, their loved ones and supporters, detailing the need for big changes to the way do not attempt cardiopulmonary resuscitation (DNACPR) decisions are made in healthcare.
The report, published alongside England’s Health Ombudsman’s review, spotlights how these decisions are being made without people’s involvement, sometimes fuelled by discriminatory attitudes about disabled people rather than medical factors.
People with learning disabilities call for significant and urgent changes to DNACPR decision making, so that they and their loved ones can make informed decisions, where medical professionals meet their duties to uphold people’s human rights.
A Do Not Attempt Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation notice (commonly abbreviated to DNACPR) is a notice placed on a patient’s file saying that if their heart or breathing stops, doctors will not try to restart it.
As Rebecca, shares in BIHR’s report:“This is a sensitive and emotional subject that needs to be discussed openly. These honest conversations are important to us, we should always be involved in any conversation about our lives and should have our voices heard. We all have a right to make decisions about ourselves.’
The report was commissioned by England’s Health Ombudsman and sits alongside its review of end-of-life care, which was also released today and calls for improved DNACPR conversations for everyone.
The Ombudsman’s report notes that whilst DNACPR discussions are positive when done correctly, this is not always happening, and in some cases, doctors breached people’s human rights by not even informing them or their family that a DNCAPR notice was made.
Shaunie, a member of user-led advocacy organisation My Life My Choice, who contributed to BIHR’s report, shares his experiences supporting peers, saying that: “this always gets brought up as being wrong on so many different levels because doctors don’t consult with parents.
“Parents are then on the back foot and have to fight. The process is so bad, it really is.”
Similar experiences are echoed by family members and support workers, such as Certitude Care Manager Anthony. Anthony discusses the challenges of making complaints as a service provider and highlights that DNACPR decisions can be left off the NHS’s most widely used database system.
BIHR’s research report, published today, sets out clear recommendations from people with learning disabilities and those who support them, including that there is an urgent need for healthcare professionals, services and systems to provide accessible information on the decision-making process and to make it clear that people can challenge DNACPRs.
Alongside the written report, BIHR has produced a series of videos explaining the research and featuring commentary from participants, together with Easy Read translations, all available on BIHR’s website and YouTube channel.
BIHR’s CEO, Sanchita Hosali, says: “Poor decision-making around the use of DNACPR risks breaching people’s legally protected human rights.
“Whilst the Covid pandemic threw a spotlight onto the discriminatory and disproportionate use of DNACRP decisions for many groups, this is a long-standing human rights risk faced by many people with learning disabilities.
“Today’s report is directly driven by the experiences of people with learning disabilities, their loved ones and supporters. People have shared powerful stories of their experiences, and their fears should they ever need resuscitation.
“We should all stop, listen and take action on the recommendations, to ensure people with learning disabilities have equal respect for their human rights in healthcare, particularly when critical decisions like DNACRP are being made.
“As Lara, who took part in our research says “I just don’t want this to be something that gets shoved on a shelf and forgotten about.””
Nobody will be surprised to hear that Scotland experienced a very wet autumn and winter – but abstractors are being reminded they still need to plan ahead in case conditions change.
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) have published the first Water Situation Report of 2024, providing information on water stores in the ground, lochs and reservoirs.
Weather conditions over autumn and winter have a major influence on water resources and the risk of water scarcity in the following summer.
As reported last month, SEPA issued a record number of regional Flood Alerts and local Flood Warnings to the public this winter.
A total of 720 messages were sent between 1st September 2023 and 16th February 2024. The previous record of 714 was set over autumn and winter 2015/16.
Areas along the east coast of Scotland saw higher than average rainfall throughout autumn and winter, with some parts seeing 170% of the winter average.
Elsewhere rainfall totals have been within the normal range, and natural water storage in lochs and groundwater is between normal and high for this time of year.
However, if the country experiences particularly dry weather over spring and summer it could still lead to water scarcity.
Water users are urged to keep an eye on the situation and plan ahead to manage water supplies sustainably.
Stephen McGuire, Senior Hydrology Specialist at SEPA, said:“It would be easy to look at the amount of rain Scotland has seen over the last few months and think that water scarcity isn’t an issue.
“The risk is currently lower than normal as a result, but the reality is we can’t rule out a repeat of the water shortages businesses have experienced in previous years – if we have drier than average conditions over the next few months things can change quite quickly.
“Water abstractors licensed by SEPA need to make sure they are prepared to deal with water scarcity, so I would encourage them to consider how to improve their business resilience and manage water wisely during prolonged dry conditions. We can help by providing advice and guidance on ways to reduce pressure on the water environment.
“Taking the right steps now will lower the likelihood of resources reaching a critical level again this summer and SEPA having to suspend licences to protect the water environment.”
Scotland’s Changing Climate
Scotland’s climate is changing and businesses are experiencing the impacts of more frequent extreme weather events like water scarcity.
The number of serious drought events is projected to increase from an average of one every 20 years, to one every two years in the near future.
In 2023 the first area reached Alert level at the end of May, and five areas (Rivers Annan and Nith in the southwest, the Black Isle, the Outer Hebrides and the Loch Maree area of the Highlands) had reached significant water scarcity by the end of June.
Significant impacts from water scarcity were apparent during 2022, particularly in the east of the country. Groundwater levels in the region were their lowest since records began in 2009 and there was below average rainfall in eight out of the twelve months.
SEPA had to take steps to protect the environment from the effects of prolonged dry weather and suspensions were imposed on 175 water abstraction licences in four catchment areas.
From May, SEPA will publish a weekly Water Situation Report looking at the latest conditions across Scotland.
New scientific research reveals reduction in anxiety of almost 10% and improvements in mental wellbeing when taking part in the Big Butterfly Count
The first-of-its-kind study also shows citizen science activities can connect people with nature, a vital step towards conservation success and nature recovery
Leading wildlife charity, Butterfly Conservation, has today revealed that counting butterflies reduces anxiety by almost 10%, in new scientific research published in collaboration with the University of Derby.
The pioneering study involved surveying people taking part in Butterfly Conservation’s Big Butterfly Count in 2022. The results demonstrate that briefly tuning into nature to count butterflies reduces anxiety by 9% on average, while also enhancing mental wellbeing.
Researchers also found that spending just 15 minutes observing and counting butterflies boosted participants’ feeling of connectedness with nature. Noticing butterflies more often was sustained over 6-7 weeks after taking part.
How connected people feel to nature, known as nature connectedness, is directly correlated to how motivated they are to protect it. Therefore, the findings of this new study show that citizen science projects could play a vital role in nature’s recovery.
Dr Richard Fox, Head of Science at Butterfly Conservation, said: “While we have long known that there is a link between nature and human wellbeing, this study is the first to prove that the simple act of looking for and counting butterflies leads to a measurable decrease in anxiety.
“The results suggest that citizen science projects such as the Big Butterfly Count can play a part in improving people’s mental health, as well as gathering important data on how butterflies are faring to inform our conservation work.”
Dr Carly Butler, a Researcher in Nature Connectedness at the University of Derby and lead researcher on the study, said: “Our study showed that even small periods of time spent watching and counting butterflies are beneficial, with the benefits of reduced anxiety and stronger nature connectedness being the same whether people carried out just one 15-minute count or took part multiple times.
“This is key in proving that simple, small pockets of time connecting with wildlife and nature have a profound and beneficial effect on how we feel.”
Participants reported a range of positive and negative emotions, including joy, fascination, sadness, and concern; the latter driven by not seeing as many butterflies as they expected and fear over what is happening to our planet.
Carly added: “Interestingly, the more intensely participants felt these emotions, the more their feeling of closeness to nature and noticing wildlife increased afterwards, with participants reporting they felt motivated to help butterflies and nature more, by doing things such as transforming their gardens into butterfly-friendly havens.”
In conclusion, Dr Richard Fox said: “In order to save wildlife and ensure nature’s recovery we need people to care, and we know that being connected to nature sparks these caring feelings and a desire to do something positive.
“This study indisputably shows that citizen science activities, such as spending just a few minutes counting butterflies, makes people feel more connected to nature – a vital step in the battle to save wildlife.
“We’re at a tipping point, nature is in crisis, but we can all do something to help. Simple acts such as creating wild spaces to provide a haven for wildlife, or planting butterfly friendly plants in pots on a patio, terrace or balcony can have a positive impact.”
The Big Butterfly Count is Butterfly Conservation’s flagship citizen science activity, involving tens of thousands of participants across the UK spending 15 minutes in any sunny spot and recording the number and type of common butterflies and day-flying moths that they see.
This year’s Big Butterfly Count will take place from Friday 12 July – Sunday 4 August.
Scottish Labour’s Spokesperson for Culture, Foysol Choudhury MSP, has today emphasised the need for Scotland to re-focus on engaging with community culture organisations.
Mr Choudhury was speaking following a meeting of the Scottish Parliament’s Cross-Party Group (CPG) on Culture and Communities which he convened on Wednesday 28th February.
The CPG saw presentations from groups Science Ceilidh, Art27 and Development Trusts Association Scotland and focused on the matter of Cultural Democracy in light of the ongoing Local Governance Review and Democracy Matters conversations.
Key themes which emerged from the presentations and subsequent Q & A were the needs to encourage communities to participate in their local culture and use it to address current topics by transmitting the community’s standpoint on local, domestic and international affairs.
Mr Choudhury says this is something he will continue to support community cultural groups in doing: “Culture is so important-it is the means by which we can understand our history, preserve our languages and traditions, and share our diversity with others in a vibrant multi-cultural society.
“That’s why it’s so important that communities are encouraged to engage in cultural endeavours-both to explore and transmit their own culture and to socially engage with a multitude of issues from their own cultural perspective.
“However, we must prioritise cultural democracy and make it easy for communities to engage with cultural exploration – this was made clear from the CPG meeting this week.
“I will continue to work hard as Convener of this CPG to reach out to grassroots cultural community groups and progress words into action, to ensure that the discussions we have at Holyrood can be translated into actual opportunities for communities.”
MSP Choudhury, who is also chairperson of community organisation ELREC, says he looks forward to hosting more CPG meetings soon and will invite the Minister for Culture to give all cultural community organisations an opportunity to have their voice heard by those in Holyrood.
Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by the Health Promotion and Education Team at Heart Research UK
Healthy Heart Tip: Hydration and heart health
Hydration is an essential part of nutrition and can benefit or impact your heart’s ability to work effectively.
Studies have found that having adequate hydration is associated with reduced long-term risks for heart diseases.
Did you know that over 66% of the UK population doesn’t drink enough water? With Nutrition and Hydration Week coming up from 11th to 18th March, we are sharing some information on the importance of hydration and your cardiovascular system.
Importance of being hydrated
Water makes up over half (60%) of your body weight and fluids are critical for good health and heart health. Hydration is when you drink more fluids than your body loses.
Being hydrated helps your heart pump blood more easily through the blood vessels and to your muscles. This means that your muscles, including your heart, don’t have to work as hard to achieve the same results.
Risks of being dehydrated
Dehydration occurs when the body loses more water than it takes in. Fluids can be lost through sweat, urination, vomiting or diarrhoea. When these are not replaced your body may feel tired, you might feel thirsty, have a dry mouth, have dark-coloured urine and suffer from headaches.
Being dehydrated means that your heart needs to beat faster to pump your blood around the body.
This is because your blood reduces in volume and thickens which will impact your circulation, as well as increase your heart rate and blood pressure. This increases your risk of heart diseases.
Sources of hydration
On average an adult needs six to eight glasses or 1.5 to 2 litres of fluid a day. If it is a hot temperature or you carry out physical activity, you’ll need more.
Drinking water is the best way to remain hydrated however, other non-alcoholic drinks such as milk, juice and herbal teas can also hydrate you.
Food such as fruits and vegetables can also help to hydrate you, with around 20% of your body’s water intake per day coming from foods like these.
A women’s charity in Edinburgh has received a £2,000 donation from the Amazon Development Centre Scotland team in the city.
Smart Works Scotland provides unemployed women with clothing for interviews, coaching and confidence training to have a better opportunity of securing employment. Opening its doors in 2014, the charity has supported thousands of women into employment.
Stacy Lundquist, Software Development Engineer at Amazon Development Centre Scotland, nominated the charity for support because of its positive impact over the last decade. She said: “I nominated Smart Works for support due to the impactful work that they do.
“Not only does the charity operate in communities across Scotland, but it effectively and actively combats many issues that UN Women has frequently highlighted, such as women’s economic empowerment.
“The staff and volunteers at Smart Works ensure that no unemployed woman is left in the dark about the next steps to a career.”
Rachel Shields, from Smart Works Scotland, added: “Thank you to Stacy and the team at Amazon Development Centre Scotland for their support and recognition of our hard work.71% of our clients go on to get a job within one month of their time with us and, with donations like this, we can continue to help unemployed women reach their full potential.”
The donation forms part of Amazon’s Volunteer Cash Donation Programme, where Amazon employees nominate causes where they volunteer their time, to receive a cash donation. In collaboration with hundreds of community organisations around the world, Amazon employees are encouraged to volunteer and support causes they’re passionate about.
Community cash donations and employee volunteering are just two of the ways Amazon supports the communities where it operates.
In 2022, Amazon co-founded the Multibank initiative with former Prime Minister Gordon Brown to support families experinecing poverty. The first Multibank, ‘The Big Hoose’, opened in Lochgelly, Fife providing surplus essentials like nappies, toilet rolls, toothpaste and school uniforms, donated by businesses like Amazon and others, directly to those in need.
The initiative has gone on to donate more than 2 million goods to over 200,000 families across Scotland and Greater Manchester.
Amazon also helps community organisations transport meals and other essentials to families in need through its pro bono logistics programme, Amazon Local Good, including more than seven million healthy breakfasts to children at risk of hunger in partnership with Magic Breakfast.
Amazon partners with Comic Relief to help people tackle poverty and is the official home of the charity’s iconic Red Nose.
Last year, together with its employees, customers, and partners, Amazon raised over £2.7 million to fund projects that support people struggling with the cost-of-living crisis and tackle issues such as homelessness, mental health problems, and food insecurity across the UK, and around the world.
Amazon has supported more than 500,000 students across the UK with free computer science and STEM education programmes through Amazon Future Engineer.
Almost 4 in 5 of people in Scotland think that complacent attitudes pose a danger to those with allergies, new research from training provider High Speed Training reveals.
The survey, which forms part of the Safe to Serve report, polled over 2,000 UK adults to highlight levels of awareness and understanding of food allergies and hypersensitivities, and the impact that hypersensitivities have on daily life.
The survey shows that across the region, 79% of people are concerned about complacency around how food allergies are handled in eateries, and that 65% of respondents believe food businesses should do more to cater to people with food allergies. Based on the results, it’s evident that the reality of eating out for those with food allergies can be a stress-inducing and ostracising affair, and the public are calling for change.
As a leading provider of Food Allergen Awareness training, High Speed Training’s latest report aims to raise awareness of the importance of food businesses having the correct practices in place to help safeguard customers with food allergies.
Out of those surveyed, 88% of people in Scotland believe allergies are a serious issue, yet 49% of people think that people with allergies are often perceived as fussy or overstating the severity of their condition. This is a stigma that needs to be broken, as allergy safety is, for so many people, a matter of life and death.
The report also reveals that food allergies in the UK are a growing epidemic, with younger generations far more likely to develop a food allergy than ever. Over 2 million people in the UK have a diagnosed food allergy, and out of those 25% will at some point experience a severe anaphylactic reaction [1]. Furthermore, 1 in 5 live in fear of death by anaphylactic shock.
This fear is not unfounded, as evidenced by numerous deaths resulting from a lack of allergen awareness in eateries. Owen Carey tragically lost his life to an allergic reaction after dining out in 2017 due to a lack of clear allergen labelling and communication amongst restaurant staff.
Since Owen’s death, the Carey family have founded the Owen’s Law Campaign, which seeks to mandate allergen labelling on restaurant menus and advocates for proactive communication between restaurant staff and customers regarding potential allergens, alongside thorough staff training in allergen awareness.
Recently, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) have openly backed the measures called for by the Owen’s Law Campaign and have written to make this recommendation to Ministers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland who are responsible for taking this forward. Despite this progress, there’s still a long way to go as the danger for allergy sufferers eating out is still very real.
High Speed Training, whose Food Allergen Awareness course is the first to be endorsed by the Owen’s Law Campaign, offers key advice in their report for businesses to help ensure they’re following best practice when it comes to allergy safety.
A third of people surveyed had, or knew someone close to them with, a food allergy, meaning a large portion of group bookings will be dependent on restaurants safely catering for those with allergies.
While it may initially seem overwhelming to have appropriate safety precautions in place that manage food allergens effectively, High Speed Training emphasises that a number of small actions will have a big impact.
Dr. Richard Anderson, Head of Learning and Development at High Speed Training, says: “Food businesses have a responsibility to follow best practice when it comes to allergen safety, as ultimately lives are at risk.
“Despite recent development in allergy safety regulations such as Natasha’s Law, our report shows that there is still a long way to go in providing customers with food hypersensitivities with safety and confidence whilst dining.
“For food businesses, catering to all potential customers, regardless of dietary requirements, will be beneficial in increasing the amount of potential customers and the quality of service they receive. Regardless of the advantages to business, taking all possible measures to safeguard customers with hypersensitivities is the right thing to do given the potential consequences.
“Promoting effective communication amongst staff and with customers, completing thorough food allergen training, and displaying accurate allergen information are three key actions food businesses should take to ensure the safety of your customers and to comply with future changes expected in the industry.”
To view the report in full, and to learn more about the reality of eating out with a food allergy, please click here.
