People across Scotland are being encouraged to ask questions about their care and treatment so they can understand what is being recommended for them.
The campaign, ‘It’s OK to Ask’ is designed to support patients and healthcare professionals in creating positive conversations about care and treatment.
NHS 24’s Head of Pharmacy, Dr John McAnaw says: “It’s happened to us all – you come out of a healthcare appointment realising the questions you forgot to ask, or worrying over the questions you wanted to ask but didn’t.
“This new campaign encourages a little bit of forward planning around what you’d like to know about your care from your healthcare professional.
“Before an appointment or discussion, take some time to think about what you’d like to know about your treatment. Some handy questions are:
What are the benefits of my treatment?
What are the risks of my treatment? Are there other treatments I can try?
What if I do nothing?
“These kind of questions can help you feel more involved in decisions about your care, and give you confidence in following your healthcare plan.
“Your healthcare professional is happy to answer any questions you might have, as they know it’s better to have patients who are content and informed about their next steps, and simply by being more involved, you’ll be able to make better decisions for you about your own care.”
The campaign is supported by NHS Scotland and is supported by a radio and digital campaign.
… despite more than half admitting to breaking the 70mph limit
= Drivers prefer average speed cameras to fixed position ones
= 36% don’t stick to 20mph-limits
More than half of drivers (56%) admit to breaking the speed limit on motorways with a third (34%) of those confessing to having travelled at speeds in excess of 80mph, research from an RAC reveals.
Three per cent say their fastest speed on a motorway was over 100mph while 4% believe their top speed was 91-100mph. While the vast majority – two-thirds (66%) – state their highest speed on a motorway was 71-80mph, a quarter (27%) claim to have driven at 81-90mph.
When asked why they broke the speed limit on a motorway, most drivers (39%) said they were simply following the example set by other motorists, although three-in-10 (31%) say it was because they thought it was safe to travel faster than 70mph.
Other common reasons for speeding on a motorway were: nothing else being on the road (28%); the speed limit being inappropriate (27%) and feeling pressure from other drivers behind (26%).
In terms of what form of speed enforcement drivers think is best for ensuring speed limit compliance on high speed roads where the speed limit is 60mph and 70mph, 58% of the 3,000-plus motorists surveyed for the RAC Report on Motoring said they favoured ‘average speed cameras’ which measure speeds between cameras rather than at a single, fixed location like traditional speed cameras.
Nearly a fifth (18%) felt fixed position cameras are most effective while 12% said it was mobile speed traps, with a similar proportion not offering an opinion.
While average speed cameras are used on a number of A-roads, on motorways they are currently only used in sections of roadworks. More than half of drivers (54%), however, said they would like to see them used in general motorway conditions enforcing the 70mph-limit. Only a quarter (26%) disagreed with this idea, with 18% unsure.
Average speed cameras were also preferred by the majority of drivers for use on 40-50mph limit roads with 46% saying this, compared to 29% for fixed position cameras. On 20-30mph limit roads however, fixed position cameras came out top with 43% of drivers saying they were best and a quarter (25%) opting for average speed cameras, only just ahead of police officers operating mobile speed traps (21%).
While compliance on roads with lower speed limits is far better than the 54% who admit to exceeding the 70mph-limit, an alarming four-in-10 (39%) still admit to frequently disobeying 20mph limits. This rises to a third (33%) on 60mph country roads – statistically some of our least safe roads – and to 36% on 30mph urban roads.
Very worryingly, 11% of limit-breakers claim to have driven above 40mph in a 30mph zone while 10% have exceeded 30mph in a 20mph zone. In the case of the latter, 45% of those who speed at least occasionally say this is because they believe the limit is ‘inappropriate’ for the area or stretch of road in question.
RAC road safety spokesman Simon Williams said: “Despite more than half of drivers admitting to regularly exceeding the 70-mph speed limit, road safety statistics clearly show that motorways are our safest roads.
“With so many motorists admitting to driving much faster than they should on the motorway, it was interesting to see such strong support for average speed cameras to be used more widely to enforce the 70-mph limit as opposed to just in roadworks, as is currently the case.
“We believe drivers see these cameras as being very effective at reducing speeds over longer distances and controlling traffic flow as well as being fairer than fixed position ones as they aren’t instantly punished for a momentary transgression.
“Our research shows speed limit compliance on all types of road has improved on previous years, but as our study was carried out during the pandemic we suspect this has partly been brought about by the reduction in the number of journeys carried out for the purposes of commuting – or for other business purposes – where drivers feel greater time pressure and may be more tempted to break the law by speeding.”
Forth & Inverleith Voluntary Sector Forum reconvenes tomorrow (Tuesday 11 May) at 1pm via Zoom.
For information on how to join the meeting contact Kate Barrett, EVOC Community Planning Development Worker on 0131 555 9100 or email: kate.barrett@evoc.org.uk
Jim Paterson, the Glasgow born Marine Executive Consultant for Mercy Ships has announced that the Global Mercy ™ has now completed final deep water sea trials.
The Scot, who has served for more than 33 years with the charity described this as being one of the final milestones in the countdown towards the hospital ship’s delivery, equipping, maiden voyage and launch into service to sub-Saharan Africa by 2022.
Deep-water trials are designed to test the vessel during extended sailing time to ensure that all systems are fully operational and in line with strict standards and specifications. Tests include areas engine performance and fuel consumption, navigation and radio equipment, emergency systems, speed tests, maneuverability, engine, and thruster tests as well as safety evaluations.
Paterson, who studied Marine Engineering at Glasgow Caledonian University, said: “These deep-water trials represent a critical checklist before delivery of our new purpose-built ship to become the platform for service it is designed to be.
“Trials systematically test operational aspects by putting the vessel through paces for a week at sea. I am pleased to say that the Global Mercy successfully passed every test,” he continued, “We are then left with some finishing touches in the interior, particularly the hospital area before we take delivery”.
Rob Corley, Chief Operations Officer, confirmed that after Mercy Ships takes final delivery of the vessel, the ship will make its maiden voyage to Belgium as a guest of the Port of Antwerp.
While docked, the Global Mercy will complete several months of final outfitting and crewing. This includes installation of medical equipment and IT systems as well as stocking the vessel with supplies through the Mercy Ships European Distribution Center in the Netherlands.
The visit to Europe will culminate in a final send-off from Rotterdam for the ship’s first voyage to Africa. Mercy Ships also plans to hold an Africa commissioning event for the arrival of the Global Mercy in Dakar in early 2022, at the start of the ship’s first field service in Senegal.
The purpose-designed hospital decks represent the unique heart of the ship, consisting of six operating theatres and hospital wards for 200 patients, laboratory, general outpatient, ophthalmology and dental clinics.
The ship has space for up to 950 persons in port including 641 crew, comprised of volunteers from around the globe. The Global Mercy will be especially equipped with first-class training facilities to allow Mercy Ships to contribute to the sustainable support of essential surgical and related skills for local healthcare professionals when docked.
Mercy Ships expects to more than double the charity’s current impact with both life-changing surgeries and training of healthcare professionals during the anticipated 50-year lifespan of the vessel.
The Global Mercy represents an international collaboration. With an overall length of 174-meters, a beam of 28.6 meters, and a Gross Tonnage of 37,000, the ship is a tailored Passenger Ship-class vessel.
As the first of its kind, the ship has undergone construction at Tianjin Xingang Shipyard, with project management by Stena RoRo AB of Gothenburg, Sweden, and construction design by Deltamarin of Turku, Finland.
The French ship brokerage company Barry Rogliano Salles (BRS) was instrumental in helping negotiate the contract. The new ship is classed by Lloyd’s Register in the UK who was in attendance to witness these important tests. It is flagged by Malta and will initially serve within Africa.
As the world’s largest purpose-built civilian hospital ship, the Global Mercy has received wide attention from all over the world from the very beginning of its construction in 2015.
The Global Mercy has a design draft of 6.15 meters and a service speed of 12 knots.
The new vessel is the first ship built from design to implementation by the charity as all previous ships were adapted from other purposes.
The Global Mercy will join the current Mercy Ship, Africa Mercy in service to sub-Saharan and Central Africa.
Local Government Information Unit comments on Holyrood results
KIM FELLOWS, Commissioning Editor, Local Government Information Unit Scotland, comments on the Holyrood elections:
The votes are counted and results declared for an unusual election following hot on the heels of an extraordinary year.
Local government has been at the heart of the response to the pandemic, working 24/7 for months and months. This year’s elections were a further example of how local government stepped up and delivered a safe election and protected democracy.
We must offer our thanks to staff that worked hard to deliver the results. Use of postal votes was at a record high and turnout in Scotland was also at a record high, leading some pundits to suggest that elements of this approach might be preserved. Also in Scotland, 16 year olds, refugees and asylum seekers were given the opportunity to vote, an inclusive approach.
SNP were declared as the winners with 64 seats out of a possible 129. 64 seats represents a workable majority for the SNP as from the remaining 65 seats a non voting presiding officer has to be elected.
This is a record fourth term and a strong showing for the ruling government. In Wales, Labour recorded a record sixth win with 30 seats out of a possible 60, also a working majority.
This now confirms what many suggest, Scotland and Wales with their respective Parliament and Assembly represent different nations within the UK, nations with different political mandates. Boris Johnson is suggesting talks with his counterparts; I wonder what they will talk about?
The new Scottish Parliament with 64 SNP MSPs and a record 8 Green MSPs might look from the outside to be similar to the last one.
However, some facts for you to consider, SP21 has the highest number of women MSPs elected in its history at 45%, that increase is largely due to SNP 53%, Greens 63%, Labour 45%.
As well as being more female, the MSPs are slightly younger. Also, voters returned women of colour and a permanent wheelchair user. These facts indicate a potential for Holyrood 2021 to be more representative of the people who voted for it and perhaps be more prepared to work together to deliver for Scotland.
It is always fascinating and a little amusing to watch and listen to London centric commentators describe the voting system for Scotland and Wales.
However, Krishnan Guru Murthy put it so well, “Judging the results by whether the SNP wins a majority seems rather a unionist prism.”
The Scottish Parliament system was designed to make getting a majority extremely difficult and that was a decision taken to encourage cross party, consensus political working to tackle the intractable policy issues faced by Scotland.
I know from personal experience that the delivery of a healthy school meals policy and legislation in the first Scottish Parliament was achieved by cross party consensus, not a single party majority. This was also the case for the smoking ban and more recently the groundbreaking period poverty private members bill.
Voters have spoken. The Alba project failed to gain a seat. George Galloway failed to gain a seat. These facts should not be forgotten when the London centric media try to comment on democracy and devolution in Scotland and Wales.
Scottish democracy is alive and well, the record turnout from people in Scotland has shown they are interested in who represents them and what their values are.
A number of councillors are now new MSPs and I have seen heartfelt pleas from colleagues to remember where they came from. In an election where local government barely got a mention, we at LGIU are waiting to hear what the new Scottish Government has planned. We will continue to bring you all the latest news.
After May 13th, when all MSPs take their pledges to the people of Scotland, we will want to know how the new government they put their trust in will deliver on the promises made and build a recovery for a fairer, just and inclusive Scotland.
The first meeting of the sixth session of the Scottish Parliament will take place on Thursday 13 May.
Writing to party leaders following the weekend election count, the Parliament’s Presiding Officer, the Rt Hon Ken Macintosh, has announced that newly elected MSPs will be sworn in on Thursday 13 May. The elections for the Parliament’s new Presiding Officer will also take place that day.
The Presiding Officer has the power to set the date under the Scottish General Election (Coronavirus) Act 2021. In deciding on the date the Parliament will first sit, the Presiding Officer consulted with both the Electoral Commission and Electoral Management Board.
Further details of the Parliament’s first days will be issued early this week.
TEXT OF LETTER FROM PRESIDING OFFICER TO PARTY LEADERS
I am writing in relation to my role under Section 9 of the Scottish General Election (Coronavirus) Act 2021 to “fix the day on which the Parliament is first to meet after the poll for the 2021 election”.
Following consultation with the Electoral Commission and Electoral Management Board, as required under the Act, I am pleased to announce that I am now able to fix the date of the first meeting of Parliament as Thursday 13 May, when newly elected Members will be sworn in and elect a new Presiding Officer.
Colleagues can expect to receive further information on the arrangements for both items of business from the Parliamentary Business Team in the coming days.
This date will now be made public and announced in the Business Bulletin.
I understand that this is a time of mixed emotions and fortunes for your parties and candidates. I would however like to take the opportunity to thank you for your support and co-operation throughout the last session and to also pass on my best wishes for whatever the next five years hold for you and your parties and for the Parliament.
Appeal to trace van driver who hit car on city bypass and drove off
Police are asking the driver of a white van which was involved in a minor crash with a black BMW on the A720, city bypass, just before the Old Craighall junction, to get in touch.
The incident happened at around 5.25pm on Thursday, 6 May as both vehicles were driving eastbound. The driver of a white Renault van has cut in from lane two to lane one and on doing so has hit the BMW, causing damage to vehicle and then continued on its journey east on the A720. The driver and his teenage passenger in the car were uninjured.
Anyone who was driving on the A720 on Thursday evening and could have dash cam footage of the incident, or who saw either vehicle prior too, or after the collision, if asked to contact officers.
The driver of the van is asked to contact police as soon as possible. Those who can help should contact Police Scotland via 101 and quote incident number 2417 of 6 May
Broadcaster and natural historian to work with the UK as host of COP26 to inspire action in the run up to the summit
Sir David will address world leaders and the public ahead of and at Glasgow in November
This appointment marks the pivotal moment of 6 months to go to COP26.
Sir David Attenborough becomes COP26 People’s Advocate for the UK’s Presidency of the UN climate change summit in Glasgow this November.
With six months to go before the UK brings world leaders together for key climate talks, the renowned natural historian and broadcaster will put forward the compelling case to global leaders, key decision makers and the public for why climate action matters, to evidence the progress underway, and to highlight the actions decision makers will need to take ahead of and at COP26.
He will address world leaders at major international events over the next six months, including the G7 Summit in Cornwall in June, to firmly put climate and the protection of nature at the top of their agenda, and he has also been invited to address world leaders and the public at the Glasgow Summit – the most important climate meeting since the signing of the Paris Agreement in 2015.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “Sir David Attenborough has already inspired millions of people in the UK and around the world with his passion and knowledge to act on climate change and protect the planet for future generations.
“There is no better person to build momentum for further change as we approach the COP26 climate summit in November. I am hugely grateful to Sir David for agreeing to be our People’s Advocate.”
On being appointed COP26 People’s Advocate, Sir David Attenborough said: “I am greatly honoured to be given the role of People’s Advocate. There could not be a more important moment that we should have international agreement.
“The epidemic has shown us how crucial it is to find agreement among nations if we are to solve such worldwide problems. But the problems that await us within the next 5 – 10 years are even greater.
“It is crucial that these meetings in Glasgow, COP26, have success, and that at last the nations will come together to solve the crippling problems that the world now faces.
Sir David has previously stressed the importance of COP26. Addressing the UN Security Council in February, on the invitation of Prime Minister Boris Johnson, he described COP26 as possibly “our last opportunity to make the necessary step-change” towards protecting the planet.
COP26 President-Designate, Alok Sharma, said: “Climate change is the greatest threat facing humanity and the stakes could not be higher for our planet. The next decade will be make, or break, for cutting global emissions sufficiently to avoid the worst effects of climate change.
“That is why I am delighted to be working with Sir David, a hero for our country and our planet, to inspire action ahead of COP26.”
The appointment comes as Alok Sharma is urging governments, international organisations, businesses, and civil society to accelerate bold pledges ahead of the summit, to put the world on a path to net zero emissions by mid-century.
Demystifying Death Week, 10 – 16 May, is about giving people knowledge, skills & opportunities to plan & support each other through death, dying, loss & care.
@StColumbas will be taking part in the Week’s activities.
St Columba’s Hospice Care is pleased to be supporting Demystifying Death Week (10-16 May), shining a light on death, dying and bereavement in Scotland.
Demystifying Death Week is about giving people knowledge, skills and opportunities to plan and support each other through death, dying, loss and care. Here in Scotland, the Week is organised by Good Life, Good Death, Good Grief as part of the Scottish Partnership for Palliative Care (SPPC) and it runs in parallel to Dying Matters week in England.
“If people know a bit more about death and dying, they’re in a better position to take control of their own situation, support others, make plans and have informed decisions about what they’d want when the time comes,” said Rebecca Patterson, Director of Good Life, Good Death, Good Grief.
At St Columba’s, our Supportive Care and Compassionate Communities teams and wider Hospice community will be engaging with Demystifying Death Week through supporting and taking part in the programme of activities. We wanted to share these with you in case you would like to sign up for any of the events too.
Here are some of the workshops and webinars available:
Unexpected Consequences: A Webinar on Bereavement: Tuesday 11 May, 13:30 to 15:15
Topics:
People dying at home during Covid (Dr Jan Savinc, Napier University)
How disenfranchised grief has been affected by Covid-19 (Paul Parsons, Adult Bereavement Coordinator for St Christopher’s Hospice)
Digital Accessibility and the impact on grief (Donna Hastings, Child and Families Worker for St Columba’s Hospice Care, Edinburgh)
Loss & the Creative Arts: Music, Poetry & other Arts as Expression of Grief: Thursday 13 May 2021, 13:00 to 15:00
This is an event for Dying Matters Week, chaired by Professor Lynne Gabriel and Dr John Wilson of York St John University Counselling and Mental Health Centre, who will introduce the work of (in alphabetical order):
Laura Fitton, Nursing sister and published poet who works with Covid19 on the NHS front line
Kev Fitzpatrick, singer songwriter,
Sioux Hill, bereaved by Covid, singer with the Alone Together Choir
Mick Jenkinson. singer songwriter and published poet
Liam Meyer NHS worker and founder of the Alone Together Choir, as seen on BBC News
Sarah Villeneau, ceramicist whose work is both beautiful and macabre
The event will be of interest to those who are grieving and anyone who works with death, dying, bereavement and grief, including counsellors, bereavement supporters and volunteers who are interested in working more creatively. The event will include a question and answer session.
You may also be interested in accesssing a series of free webinars offered by Child Bereavement UK for professionals working with children and young people in Scotland:
