Minister says councils must have UK Government support
Migration and Refugees Minister Emma Roddick has urged the UK Government to provide financial support for local authorities as it presses ahead with plans to close asylum hotels.
In a letter to Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick, Ms Roddick welcomed measures to end the inappropriate use of hotels to accommodate people seeking asylum along with UK Government measures to tackle the backlog in asylum decisions.
However, she said the move was placing further pressure on local services and called for increased funding to enable councils to meet the needs of refugees when they receive a positive asylum decision.
Ms Roddick said: “The Scottish Government has long been clear in our view that hotels are not appropriate accommodation for people seeking asylum.
“While I welcome your recognition that the asylum decision backlog must be tackled, I want to make clear that it is completely unacceptable and reckless for the UK Government to shift a significant burden onto local authorities without providing financial support.
“The UK Government must provide funding to local authorities and work constructively with them to ensure that people receiving a positive asylum decision are supported to move-on from asylum accommodation, without creating unmanageable pressure on housing and homelessness services over a short space of time.
“It is UK Government mismanagement of asylum decision making which has created the backlog and the consequences of that cannot be passed to local authorities without any support to manage them.
“I request urgent provision of funding to local authorities to support move-on associated with the backlog clearance.”
A new mission announced by the Prime Minister will accelerate the use of AI in life sciences to tackle the biggest health challenges of our generation
Missed opportunity, say civil society organisations
A new mission announced by the Prime Minister will accelerate the use of AI in life sciences to tackle the biggest health challenges of our generation.
In a speech on Thursday, the Prime Minister announced that a £100 million in new government investment will be targeted towards areas where rapid deployment of AI has the greatest potential to create transformational breakthroughs in treatments for previously incurable diseases.
The AI Life Sciences Accelerator Mission will capitalise on the UK’s unique strengths in secure health data and cutting-edge AI.
The Life Sciences Vision encompasses 8 critical healthcare missions that government, industry, the NHS, academia and medical research charities will work together on at speed to solve – from cancer treatment to tackling dementia.
The £100 million will help drive forward this work by exploring how AI could address these conditions, which have some of the highest mortality and morbidity.
For example, AI could further the development of novel precision treatments for dementia. This new government funding for AI will help us harness the UK’s world-class health data to quickly identify those at risk of dementia and related conditions, ensure that the right patients are taking part in the right trials at the right time to develop new treatments effectively, and give us better data on how well new therapies work.
By using the power of AI to support the growing pipeline of new dementia therapies, we will ensure the best and most promising treatments are selected to go forwards, and that patients receive the right treatments that work best for them.
AI driven technologies are showing remarkable promise in being able to diagnose, and potentially treat, mental ill health. For example, leading companies are already using conversational AI that supports people with mental health challenges and guides them through proactive prevention routines, escalating cases to human therapists when needed – all of which reduces the strain on NHS waiting lists.
This funding will help us to invest in parts of the UK where the clinical needs are greatest to test and trial new technologies within the next 18 months. Over the next 5 years, we will transform mental health research through developing world-class data infrastructure to improve the lives of those living with mental health conditions.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunaksaid: “AI can help us solve some of the greatest social challenges of our time. AI could help find novel dementia treatments or develop vaccines for cancer.
“That’s why today we’re investing a further £100 million to accelerate the use of AI on the most transformational breakthroughs in treatments for previously incurable diseases.”
Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology Michelle Donelansaid: “This £100 million Mission will bring the UK’s unique strengths in secure health data and cutting-edge AI to bear on some of the most pressing health challenges facing the society.
“Safe, responsible AI will change the game for what it’s possible to do in healthcare, closing the gap between the discovery and application of innovative new therapies, diagnostic tools, and ways of working that will give clinicians more time with their patients.”
Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclaysaid: “Cutting-edge technology such as AI is the key to both improving patient care and supporting staff to do their jobs and we are seeing positive impacts across the NHS.
“This new accelerator fund will help us build on our efforts to harness the latest technology to unlock progress and drive economic growth.
“This is on top of the progress we have already made on AI deployment in the NHS, with AI tools now live in over 90% of stroke networks in England – halving the time for stroke victims to get the treatment in some cases, helping to cut waiting times.”
Building on the success of partnerships already using AI in areas like identifying eye diseases, industry, academia and clinicians will be brought together to drive forward novel AI research into earlier diagnosis and faster drug discovery.
The government will invite proposals bringing together academia, industry and clinicians to develop innovative solutions.
This funding will target opportunities to deploy AI in clinical settings and improve health outcomes across a range of conditions. It will also look to fund novel AI research which has the potential to create general purpose applications across a range of health challenges – freeing up clinicians to spend more time with their patients.
This supports work the government is already doing across key disease areas. Using AI to tackle dementia, for example, builds on our commitment to double dementia research funding by 2024, reaching a total of £160 million a year.
The Dame Barbara Windsor Dementia Mission is at the heart of this, enabling us to accelerate dementia research and give patients the access to the exciting new wave of medicines being developed.
Artificial Intelligence behind three times more daily tasks than we think
Most people believe they only use AI once a day when in fact it’s three times more
One in two of us (51%) feel nervous about the future of AI, with over a third concerned about privacy (36%) and that it will lead to mass unemployment (39%)
However, nearly half of people recognise its potential for manufacturing (46%), over a third see its role in improving healthcare (38%) and medical diagnosis (32%), and a quarter of people think it can help in tackling climate change (24%)
As the AI Safety Summit nears, over a third (36%) think the government needs to introduce more regulation as AI develops
The surge in Artificial Intelligence (AI) has left a third of us fearing the unknown, yet we have three times as many daily interactions with AI than most people realise, new research from the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) reveals.
On average, the UK public recognises AI plays a role in something we do at least once a day – whether that be in curating a personalised playlist, mapping out the quickest route from A to B, or simply to help write an email.
However, hidden touch points can be found in search engines (69%), social media (66%), and streaming services (51%), which all discretely use AI, as well as tools such as Google translate (31%) and autocorrect and grammar checkers (29%).
Despite its everyday use, over half of us (51%) admit nervousness about a future with AI – with nearly a third of people feeling anxious about what it could do in the future (31%). Over a third are concerned about privacy (36%) and feeling it will lead to mass unemployment (39%).
Those surveyed who felt nervous, do so because of not knowing who controls AI (42%) and not being able to tell what is real or true with AI generated fakes (40%). They also expressed concerns that AI will become autonomous and out of control (38%). And that it will surpass human intelligence (31%).
But people do recognise and welcome the role it will play in revolutionising key sectors, such as manufacturing (46%) and healthcare (39%) and specifically medical diagnosis (32%), as well as tackling issues such as climate change (24%).
Dr. Gopichand Katragadda, IET President and a globally recognised AI authority, said: “Artificial Intelligence holds the potential to drive innovation and enhance productivity across diverse sectors like construction, energy, healthcare, and manufacturing. Yet, it is imperative that we continually evolve ethical frameworks surrounding Data and AI applications to ensure their safe and responsible development and utilisation.
“It is natural for individuals to have concerns about AI, particularly given its recent proliferation in technical discussions and media coverage. However, it’s important to recognise that AI has a longstanding presence and already forms the foundation of many daily activities, such as facial recognition on social media, navigation on maps, and personalised entertainment recommendations.”
As the UK AI Safety Summit nears (1-2 November) – which will see global leaders gather to discuss the risks associated with AI and how they can be mitigated through coordinated action – the research reveals 36% of Brits think the government need to do more to regulate and manage AI development, with 30% of those who feel nervous about AI, feeling that Government regulations cannot keep pace with AI’s evolution.
Those surveyed also shared their concerns on the lack of information around AI and lack of skills and confidence to use the technology, with over a quarter of people saying they wished there was more information about how it works and how to use it (29%).
Gopi added: “What we need to see now is the UK government establishing firm rules on which data can and cannot be used to train AI systems – and ensure this is unbiased.
“This is necessary to ensure AI is used safely and to help prevent incidents from occurring – and it is fundamental to maintaining public trust, which underpins the economic and social benefits AI can bring.”
The research for the IET was carried out online by Opinion Matters from 16 October – 18 October 2023 amongst a panel resulting in 2,008 nationally representative consumers responding from across the UK.
AI Summit dominated by Big Tech and a “missed opportunity” say civil society organisations
More than 100 UK and international organisations, experts and campaigners sign open letter to Rishi Sunak
Groups warn that the “communities and workers most affected by AI have been marginalised by the Summit.”
“Closed door event” is dominated by Big Tech and overly focused on speculative risks instead of AI threats “in the here and now”- PM told
Signatories to letter include leading human rights organisations, trade union bodies, tech orgs, leading academics and experts on AI
More than 100 civil society organisations from across the UK and world have branded the government’s AI Summit as “a missed opportunity”.
In an open letter to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak the groups warn that the “communities and workers most affected by AI have been marginalised by the Summit” while a select few corporations seek to shape the rules.
The letter has been coordinated by the TUC, Connected by Data and Open Rights Group and is released ahead of the official AI Summit at Bletchley Park on 1 and 2 November. Signatories to the letter include:
Major and international trade union confederations – such as the TUC, AFL-CIO, European Trade Union Confederation, UNI Global, International Trade Union Confederation representing tens of millions of workers worldwide
International and UK human rights orgs – such as Amnesty International, Liberty, Article 19, Privacy International, Access Now
Domestic and international civil society organisations – such as Connected by Data, Open Rights Group, 5 Rights, Consumers International.
Tech community voices – such as Mozilla, AI Now Institute and individuals associated to the AI Council, Alan Turing Institute & British Computing Society
Leading international academics, experts, members of the House of Lords
Highlighting the exclusion of civil society from the Summit, the letter says: “Your ‘Global Summit on AI Safety’ seeks to tackle the transformational risks and benefits of AI, acknowledging that AI “will fundamentally alter the way we live, work, and relate to one another.
“Yet the communities and workers most affected by AI have been marginalised by the Summit. The involvement of civil society organisations that bring a diversity of expertise and perspectives has been selective and limited.
“This is a missed opportunity.”
Highlighting the Summit’s lack of focus on immediate threats of AI and dominance of Big Tech, the letter says: “As it stands, the Summit is a closed door event, overly focused on speculation about the remote ‘existential risks’ of ‘frontier’ AI systems – systems built by the very same corporations who now seek to shape the rules.
“For many millions of people in the UK and across the world, the risks and harms of AI are not distant – they are felt in the here and now.
“This is about being fired from your job by algorithm, or unfairly profiled for a loan based on your identity or postcode.
“People are being subject to authoritarian biometric surveillance, or to discredited predictive policing.
“Small businesses and artists are being squeezed out, and innovation smothered as a handful of big tech companies capture even more power and influence.
“To make AI truly safe we must tackle these and many other issues of huge individual and societal significance. Successfully doing so will lay the foundations for managing future risks.”
Calling for a more inclusive approach to managing the risks of AI, the letter concludes: “For the Summit itself and the work that has to follow, a wide range of expertise and the voices of communities most exposed to AI harms must have a powerful say and equal seat at the table. The inclusion of these voices will ensure that the public and policy makers get the full picture.
“In this way we can work towards ensuring the future of AI is as safe and beneficial as possible for communities in the UK and across the world.”
Senior Campaigns and Policy Officer for Connected by Data Adam Cantwell-Corn said: “AI must be shaped in the interests of the wider public. This means ensuring that a range of expertise, perspectives and communities have an equal seat at the table. The Summit demonstrates a failure to do this.
“The open letter is a powerful, diverse and international challenge to the unacceptable domination of AI policy by narrow interests.
“Beyond the Summit, AI policy making needs a re-think – domestically and internationally – to steer these transformative technologies in a democratic and socially useful direction.”
TUC Assistant General Secretary Kate Bell said: “It is hugely disappointing that unions and wider civil society have been denied proper representation at this Summit.AI is already making life-changing decisions – like how we work, how we’re hired and who gets fired.
“But working people have yet to be given a seat at the table.
“This event was an opportunity to bring together a wide range of voices to discuss how we deal with immediate threats and make sure AI benefits all.
“It shouldn’t just be tech bros and politicians who get to shape the future of AI.”
Open Rights Group Policy Manager for Data Rights and Privacy Abby Burke said: “The government has bungled what could have been an opportunity for real global AI leadership due to the Summit’s limited scope and invitees.
“The agenda’s focus on future, apocalyptic risks belies the fact that government bodies and institutions in the UK are already deploying AI and automated decision-making in ways that are exposing citizens to error and bias on a massive scale.
“It’s extremely concerning that the government has excluded those who are experiencing harms and other critical expert and activist voices from its Summit, allowing businesses who create and profit from AI systems to set the UK’s agenda.”
Laura Bond offers luxury jewellery piercings, pieces, and bespoke ear styling service in ‘the UK’s prettiest piercing parlour’
The Edinburgh-born luxury jewellery brand, Laura Bond, has announced the launch of its eagerly anticipated piercing services. Having just received its piercing licence, the flagship store on Thistle Street is thrilled to complete the brand experience.
Previously known for its exquisite online offerings, Laura Bond delighted customers when it opened its doors to the luxury piercing boutique on Saturday 9th September 2023. Customers can now indulge in Laura’s unique ear styling service and in the UK’s prettiest piercing parlour.
The store currently accommodates 21 appointments a day, with plans to increase to 40 soon. Appointments can be pre-booked, but walk-ins are also heartily welcomed, ensuring flexibility for all patrons.
Since launching in 2020, Laura Bond’s responsibly sourced gold jewellery pieces have gained recognition from customers and celebrities alike, including the likes of Florence Pugh, Michelle Visage, and Nathalie Emmanuel, who graced the 2022 Oscars adorned in Laura Bond’s elegant creations.
Founder and Creative Director, Laura Bond, said:“We are thrilled to finally have our licence and be able to offer piercings at our beautiful boutique!
“It’s what we’re all about – allowing people to express themselves through our luxury jewellery pieces. Jewellery shouldn’t just be for special occasions but should be enjoyed every day and mark life moments, milestones, friendships, and so much more.
“My team of stylists and I are always on hand, and love nothing more than when a customer comes in to get their ears styled or get a piercing to mark a special moment.”
Laura Bond Jewellery has also just announced a new ‘first lobes’ package for children aged eight and up. Priced at £150, the package includes 2 x 14k gold pretty studs with comfortable heart-shaped flat backs designed for delicate young ears, the professional piercing service, and an aftercare pack. All of this is delivered in the UK’s most picturesque piercing parlour.
For more information, or to book your appointment, please visit Laura Bond Jewellery’s website at www.laurabond.co.uk.
Or for an immediate ear-stack upgrade or to chat to one of the helpful team members, do just pop in at 52 Thistle Street.
Fireworks are fun when enjoyed safely – that’s the message from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), as the nation prepares for bonfire night celebrations.
RoSPA says that attending an organised display is the safest option, but with some people unable to get out and about and some local councils cancelling firework displays, there could be an uptick in people celebrating at home. And with every bonfire night witnessing serious injury cases, RoSPA recommends anyone hosting a display at home to read its firework safety advice.
Anyone planning on celebrating Bonfire Night should know:
It is illegal to set off fireworks in public places, including streets and parks.
It is illegal to buy, attempt to buy, give or in any way make a firework available to someone under the age of 18.
It is illegal to set fireworks off before 6pm and after 11pm. This extends to midnight on 5th November and 1am on Hogmanay, Chinese New Year and Diwali.
It’s safer to celebrate at an organised event if there’s one in your area, but if you’re planning a private display at home, make sure you know how to keep you and your loved ones safe.
Keep a safe distance.
Follow the Firework Code and read instructions before use.
Not all fireworks are suitable for private use, it depends on the size of your garden – so do your research before purchasing.
RoSPA’s 10 Point Firework Code:
Plan your firework display to make it safe and enjoyable, and check the time you can legally set off fireworks
In England, Scotland and Wales only buy fireworks which carry UKCA or CE marks. In the case of Northern Ireland look for the UKNI symbol along with the UKCA or CE mark. Keep your fireworks in a closed box, and use them one at a time
Read and follow the instructions on each firework using a torch if necessary
Light the firework at arm’s length with a taper and stand well back
Keep naked flames, including cigarettes, away from fireworks
Never return to a firework once it has been lit
Don’t put fireworks in pockets and never throw them
Direct any rocket fireworks well away from spectators
Never use paraffin or petrol on a bonfire
Make sure that the fire is out and surroundings are made safe before leaving.
Phil Le Shirley, Public Safety Advisor at RoSPA,said: “Bonfire night can be a magical time for families and communities, and we believe the safest way to enjoy fireworks is by going to an organised display where there will be the appropriate safety protocols in place.
“However, we do recognise that not everyone can attend organised displays and may wish to have their own at home. We therefore advise those people to only purchase fireworks from licensed sellers, follow the manufacturers guidelines and dispose of them safely.
“It’s also important to remember that sparklers are classed as fireworks and therefore are illegal to be sold to anyone under the age of 18, and sparklers should not be given to children under the age of five.”
The programme is run in partnership between ENABLE, ENU and EY
Enable. students with their awards at the Edinburgh Napier University graduation ceremony .
Students from a pioneering programme to help support young people with learning disabilities into higher education and work have played a part in Edinburgh Napier University’s graduation celebrations for the first time.
Breaking Barriers is a partnership between the charity ENABLE, ENU, and professional services firm EY, offering participants the opportunity to gain an accredited qualification.
Run by The Business School at the University, it helps support young people with learning disabilities make the transition to university and higher education through a combination of supportive study and work placements.
The latest cohort collected their qualification during Edinburgh Napier’s autumn graduations, crossing the stage during a ceremony at this city’s Usher Hall with friends and family watching on.
Professor Andrea Nolan, Principal & Vice Chancellor of Edinburgh Napier University, said: “It’s really important for our Breaking Barriers students to be a part of our graduations where we celebrate achievements from across the University.
“For these young people, their achievements have been fantastic. I feel proud of them. I’ve met them all and listened to their stories and it brought a tear to my eye.
“Programmes like Breaking Barriers show people what’s possible. They provide opportunity. It really brings to life what we mean by an inclusive community. One of our values at Edinburgh Napier University is inclusion and so I hope that others will see the types of programmes that we offer, the success of the students that come and the opportunities that are open to them in the future.”
Programme leader Dr Malcolm McGregor, Lecturer at Edinburgh Napier University’s Business School, said: “We are all just chuffed to bits to have the opportunity to work with this cohort.
“They are all wonderful people and we feel we are doing something very important to support their growth and development not only in terms of academic capability but more importantly perhaps, giving them confidence to make decisions they weren’t able to take a year ago.
“I am proud as punch to be supported by a highly experienced and knowledgeable team of academic staff who are all totally committed to making sure the programme is a huge success.”
Breaking Barriers is taught at ENU by Mike Sanderson, Malcolm McGregor, Joan McLatchie, Andy Moffat and Kyle Andrews. It also formed part of The Business School’s successful bid to gain AACSB accreditation.
Seven students took part in the 2022-23 programme, where they learned skills in areas, including accounting and finance, marketing hospitality and customer service, and human resource management. All elements of the ‘Applied Business Skills’ module are taught on ENU’s Craiglockhart campus, with students then applying their knowledge in a work setting at EY.
The programme, which ENABLE began running in 2018 at the University of Strathclyde, has seen 90% of graduates go on to secure employment or further education and training opportunities in recent years.
Tickets are now available for Starlight Walk at Holyrood Park on Sunday 19 November, in aid of Sands, the UK’s leading pregnancy and baby loss charity.
Starlight Walk follows a 6km route through the beautiful Holyrood Park and is an opportunity for anyone affected by pregnancy or baby loss, however recently or longer ago, to remember their much-loved babies by walking alongside other bereaved parents and families.
People taking part in the Starlight Walk have spoken about why they are doing this and what it means to them.
Bereaved mum, Rachel said: “We lost one of our twin girls, Nieve, at 26 weeks due to heart complications and it was the most difficult time of my life.
“Both our girls were delivered 5 weeks later. Nieve was born asleep first with a little helping hand from the amazing midwives and then her sister followed via an emergency c-section a few hours later. As we mourned for our girl, we also had her sister in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit fighting to survive.
“From the very first steps, Sands offered me a helping hand. They helped me find comfort through speaking to other parents and knowing they shared our pain. It was learning from them that helped me. I gained strength from other mums through their experience.
“I am walking to help ensure parents like me, can and do have an organisation such as Sands where they can get support, find comfort and even maybe a little hope just like I did.”
Bereaved sibling, Donna said: “For the last two years, I have taken part in this very special walk for my twin Rick, who died at 13 weeks’ gestation, and have thoroughly enjoyed it since it started in Edinburgh.
“It is a walk of camaraderie, reflection and a lot of love. It feels so good to belong to a group of like-minded people, passionate in raising money and awareness to prevent the pain we all feel, happening to others.
“I walk in memory of my twin brother but also for all ‘womb mates’ and their survivors. However, like many of us, I know so many people who have impacted by baby loss, so I walk for their loved ones too.”
Registration on the day opens at 3pm ready for the first wave of walkers to begin at 3.45pm. Walkers will meet at Edinburgh’s Dynamic Earth building before heading down to Holyrood Park and walking around Arthur’s Seat.
Once at 150 metres elevation, the walkers will be able to take in the incredible views of Edinburgh City Centre, looking out towards Duddington Loch, before heading back under magical starlight with their lanterns and torches shining brightly.
Tickets are £17.00 for adults, £12.00 for children (under 16) and free for children under 3 and are now available to purchase online.
Everyone that registers will receive two paper lanterns to carry on the walk, a walking memory card to wear with pride, a Starlight Walkmedal once they have crossed the finish line, and a well-earned tea or coffee and cake in reception with an opportunity to add to our wall of remembrance.
Sands’ Events Fundraising Manager, Florence Moffat said:“For those that are unable to attend the event in Bristol on 11 November, there is also a virtual Starlight Walk at Home taking place which can be completed anywhere in the UK on 2 December, on your own or with a loved one.
Sign up for free and stroll through the countryside, march through the town or simply let your feet lead the way as you walk either 5km or 10km for Sands. Like starlight itself, the love for our babies is endless, and together we will walk through the darkness and find the light.”
Every day 13 babies die before, during or shortly after birth. Sands works to understand where and why babies die and why some women and babies are more at risk than others.
Sands is determined to save every life it can and ensure the right care and support is there for every bereaved family, whenever and wherever they need it.
A Wheelchair Basketball coach from West Lothian has been shortlisted for the Community Coach of the Year for Children and Young People by UK Coaching, in recognition of their outstanding work coaching young people with disabilities.
The UK Coaching Awards is a national celebration event, regarded as the most prestigious within the coaching community and created to celebrate the remarkable contributions coaches make – from delivering high quality and technical coaching, to supporting participants both physically and mentally.
Tina Gordon has been passionate about coaching wheelchair basketball for over 30 years having coached at junior through to the senior competitive levels.
For the past eight years she has shifted her focus to coaching young people with physical disabilities under the age of 14.
Seeing how participation in wheelchair basketball brings out their confidence and helps the players become more independent outside of the basketball court, Tina reflected on her experience as “giving her great joy”.
Tina said: “I feel very humbled and proud to be nominated for the ‘Community Coach of the Year. Hearing that the young players (and their parents) at Lothian Phoenix had nominated me certainly was a surprize and one I’m very grateful for – normally it’s me nominating them for awards!
“I love coaching young people and to see them having fun with their pals, achieving their aspirations & dreams through playing wheelchair basketball, really energises me and fills me with such joy.
“Seeing young people with disabilities having fun with their pals, developing their confidence, and achieving their dreams, gives me such a buzz, I just love it!
“The most important thing for me as a coach is seeing how sport, and wheelchair basketball in particular, can positively enhance young people’s lives. To see so many smiling faces each week at training, and the pride on family members faces fills me with such joy – I feel I have an extended family myself!”
With previous award winners including Sarina Wiegman, Jane Figueiredo, Judy Murray, and Ben Stokes’ coaching chain, the awards celebrate the best of the UK’s Coaching workforce, the unforgettable moments they deliver, and the profound impact at every level of sport and activity.
UK Coaching’s CEO Mark Gannon congratulated Tina on the nomination, and reflected on the huge variety of coaching talent announced: “We are delighted to announce our finalists for the 2023 UK Coaching Awards.
“Across the board we have seen so much talent, passion and commitment amongst our amazing coaching workforce, and this year’s finalists represent the best of our nation’s coaches who do so much to support people through sport and physical activity.
“All of our finalists should be extremely proud of what they have been able to achieve and fully deserve this recognition. We are very much looking forward to celebrating together at our UK Coaching Awards ceremony, bringing together the coaches that are going above and beyond to deliver outstanding experiences and make a real difference in their community.”
The awards will be held on 5 December at the Queens Hotel in Leeds.
Find out more about this year’s finalists and the awards by heading to:
Gordon Macdonald MSP has welcomed the announcement that a one-off £2,000 payment from the SNP Scottish Government will be made available to young people who are leaving the care system across Edinburgh.
First Minister Humza Yousaf announced the payment following the Independent Care Review’s findings that those with care experience have an increased risk of poor mental health, addiction, homelessness, and exploitation.
The payment is co-designed with care experienced people to ensure that it meets their needs and helps to reduce some of the financial impediments in their way as they seek to live independently.
Commenting, Gordon Macdonald, SNP MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands said: “The SNP Scottish Government is committed to Keeping the Promise by 2030 to all children and young people leaving care, and part of that is ensuring that they are supported on their journey into adulthood.
“Living independently can be a huge adjustment and comes at a pivotal time for young people leaving care across Edinburgh, especially if they don’t have family support.
“The SNP Scottish Government is therefore providing support to care experienced young people across Scotland through the Care Leaver Payment, and this will make a real difference to the lives of young people across the city.”
Ahead of World Stroke Day (29 October) the Stroke Association is calling on Scotland’s 14 Health Boards to take immediate action on implementing the Stroke Improvement Plan1 to address the emotional and psychological needs of stroke survivors.
The charity’s concerns comes after they made a Freedom of Information (FOI) request and found:
Only 7.8 WTE Clinical/Neuropsychologists with protected time for stroke for the whole country.
In addition, the Scottish Stroke Care Audit2 revealed in June this year that:
Not one health board is delivering specialised psychological care.
This information has come to light, following the publication of our “Keeping Stroke Recoveries in Mind” report in October last year3, which highlighted the unacceptable level of support for people struggling with the psychological consequences of stroke.
From our survey last year, we know that 94% of stroke survivors experienced a mild impact on their psychological wellbeing. For 39% of stroke survivors, the impact on their psychological impact was severe.
Over two thirds of those (68%) did not believe they were receiving the support they needed. There are over 128,000 stroke survivors in Scotland and 10,000 strokes per year.
Jen Paton, 39, from Paisley, had her stroke last April. Despite recovering well physically, her emotions were unbearable at times. She said: “I felt scared that I might have another stroke. I was worried about my children, then seven and eight years old. I lay in my bed alone, crying and crying.”
Even when Jen returned home, she couldn’t get out of bed, wouldn’t socialise, and felt panic-stricken even to visit her dad in hospital: “I felt hopeless, and life felt pointless.”
Jen’s stroke physician noticed the crushing psychological impact of her stroke and referred her to a psychologist.
Jen continued: “My psychologist was a god send. To have a name assigned to the way I had been feeling was such a relief. I was taught strategies to help with my panic attacks, and the information and advice I was given has helped me to accept the stroke and its effects.
“I got on well with my psychologist. She listened to me, and I felt like I could talk about all my emotions to her without hiding anything. She was a safe person to be with.”
Anxiety, depression, memory and thinking problems can all be part of the psychological consequences of stroke. It can rob someone of their ability to go back to work, socialise and stay in a relationship – never mind stripping someone of their confidence. Some people describe the psychological effects of stroke as worse than the physical effects.
Last year we called on the Scottish Government to include in its Stroke Improvement Plan a commitment to treat the psychological effects of stroke and physical effects of stroke with parity.
The charity also called for the Stroke Improvement Plan to include the implementation of the National Model of Psychological Services (NMPCS)4 for stroke in Scotland.
The National Model highlights the need to involve all staff working with people affected by stroke across the pathway to support patients dealing with the psychological consequences of stroke.
John Watson, Associate Director Scotland at the Stroke Association said: “The progress Health Boards are making to improve psychological services is too slow.
“And there is no escaping the fact that delivering the necessary emotional support for people affected by stroke will involve more investment in the workforce, both in recruitment and training.
“The inclusion of psychological support the new Stroke Plan, is an important step, but that aspiration is still a long way from becoming reality.”
The Stroke Association is calling for:
Health Boards to deliver the National Model with dedicated support from the Scottish Government.
Health Boards to ensure there is an appropriately trained workforce to enable Clinical Psychologists to lead on the implementation of psychological care.
The development of an education and training programme for all staff involved in delivering stroke care.
John continued: “Stroke is a clinical priority in Scotland, and it needs to be treated as such. We will continue to champion the need for improvements in the way stroke psychological care is delivered in Scotland.
“We owe it to everyone affected by stroke to ensure they get the right support to rebuild their life after stroke.”
Laura Goodwin’s book is out a few days after collecting her degree at the Usher Hall
An Edinburgh Napier screenwriting student has had two reasons to celebrate her graduation – as it coincides with the publication of her debut novel.
Laura Goodwin began writing ‘One Last Mission’ in 2022 before beginning her course at ENU, where she was able to hone her storytelling craft.
The 28-year-old from Ayr says working on the book – which she describes as ‘James Bond meets Hamlet’ – gave her an extra creative outlet alongside her coursework.
Laura said: “I’ve always been writing stories and scripts since I was a young kid.I’m neurodiverse and my brain is constantly overthinking everything. I was hyperfixating during lockdown in 2020 when I came up with the idea for this book, fully-formed.
“I finally completed the novel, all 150,000 words and 425 pages of it, in April this year.”
After finishing the book, Laura had it published, and brought one of the first copies along to her graduation ceremony at Edinburgh’s Usher Hall.
As for her studies, Laura hopes the year-long MA Screenwriting programme will help give her a springboard into the production side of film and television.
Laura Goodwin Graduated in MA Screen Writing and is about to publish her first novel “One Last Mission’ at Edinburgh Napier University.
She added: “I sent in my application 12 hours before the deadline, two days after discovering the degree existed.The course was a lot of work but it was great. It solidified what I want to do and made me feel like I made the right choice.
“I can’t put into words how proud of myself I am that after everything I’ve managed to get to a place in my life where I’ve achieved this.
“Not only am I graduating with a masters degree, my debut novel will be published and available to the world five days later.”
One Last Mission is available to buy from 31 October – and Laura already has plans to write another novel!
