Critically ill patients across Scotland are set to benefit as a project to upgrade defibrillators used in Scottish ambulances is completed.
The new devices, which have been installed in 528 Scottish Ambulance Service Accident and Emergency response vehicles and supplied by The Ortus Group, are more reliable and enable transfer of patient data from some of the most remote parts of Scotland to a receiving hospital.
The project – which was completed under budget and by the target completion date – involved the training of 3,029 staff, where 500 training sessions were held across 75 training locations.
Consultant paramedic Dave Bywater said: “I want to thank everyone who has been involved in fitting our ambulances with these new defibrillators, putting Scotland at the cutting edge of this new technology. We are delighted patients are going to benefit from it.
“This has been a great team effort from everyone involved – the project was delivered under budget and by its completed target date. This was done through what were very challenging circumstances and involved a great team effort.
“In addition to defibrillation for out of hospital cardiac arrest patients, they also automatically record a patient’s vital signs, freeing the ambulance crew from recording this data manually and enabling them to give more focus to patients.”
The new Corpuls3devices will automatically pass clinical information and data into the Electronic Patient Record, which can then be picked up and monitored by hospital clinicians ahead of the patient arriving – paramedics and technicians will also be able to easily record which drugs they have administered.
Project Manager Roslyn Scott said: “This was a very logistically challenging migration project, ensuring the staff training programme and vehicle installation plan were well aligned and executed whilst minimising impact on our frontline services.
“There was excellent team working between the project team, wider Scottish Ambulance Service colleagues and our supplier, The Ortus Group, to complete the project under very difficult circumstances.”
The Ortus Group Managing Director Craig Hall said: “To be involved with The Scottish Ambulance Service on a project of this importance has been fantastic. The entire Emergency Services world watched its progress and I am delighted how my team here at The Ortus Group worked with the Project team at SAS.
“We had a few issues to deal with in regard to Covid and the logistics around it but everyone stepped up and delivered when it counted, finally I hope all within SAS enjoy using the Corpuls3 and that the choice in selecting this product is rewarded by a clinically enhanced outcome for the people of Scotland.”
My name is Claire McKenzie, I am a staff nurse working in the NHS, Scotland. I love, love my job! It has taken me a long time to get here.
I have always wanted to be a nurse from a very young age, but I didn’t go into nursing until I retrained in my 30’S. My working career started when I was 16 as an office junior, living and working in Newcastle.
When I was 19 I moved to Scotland to work on a farm as Farm Secretary after attending agricultural collage. I have worked in various types of administrative roles, working up the ladder and my salary increased accordingly.
When I had my first child, I decided to retrain as a nurse, because I didn’t want to spend the next 40 years working in an office, regretting not fulfilling my dream of becoming a nurse. I spent the next 4 years in higher education to gain my degree in Nursing. I have worked up the banding levels and I am now at the top of my level, as are 47% of the nursing work force.
Working as a nurse is rewarding, but it can be punishing, both physically and mentally – I hear people comment: “you chose to become a nurse, why are you complaining?” I did choose this, but want to highlight that, in order to do my job, I need the support from other staff.
But these staff are non-existent as posts have not been filled – in Scotland, 5.6% of nursing and midwifery posts (3,607) remain vacant as per the figures provided in December 2019.
Wards cannot afford to pay for agency staff (I would like to say at this point agency staff should not be demonised! They have their heads screwed on, knowing their worth and getting paid for it!) unless the ward is running dangerously low on nurses and clinical support staff.
The Scottish Government’s Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Act, scheduled to come into force towards the end of 2020, will place a duty on NHS and social care providers to make sure that, at all times, there are suitably qualified and competent staff working in the right numbers looking after the most vulnerable groups in our society. My question is, how?
As a work force, we are running at full throttle, doing a job of two being paid at 2010 rates but living in a world of 2020 expense. As a work force, people are having to pick up extra hours, if you work on the bank you are taxed more because this is classed as luxury earnings – this extra money is not for luxury but for necessity! Where is the work life balance?
When the government announced a pay rise for public sector works, I thought “Yay” recognition at last, only to be very disappointed. Personally, I do not begrudge the pay rise announcement for others; they are entitled to it, I am however very embittered tha,t as a whole workforce, our efforts have been belittled – not by the public, as 77% support the NHS workers to get a pay rise.
As stated, we as a workforce are being paid at 2010 rates, living in 2020 being expected to be able to survive paying for the basics. That’s why as a workforce we are DEMANDING a pay rise, why would anybody take on further work but get paid for less? That’s right, we are the NHS! Enough is enough.
#NHSworkersayno #NHSpay15
To highlight the disappointment, Nurses have rallied together, creating a Facebook group attracting over 70,000 members from all sectors of the NHS (without official support from the unions) and have organised demonstrations across the UK.
So far approximately 33 have been organised to coincide at 11am this Saturday (8 August 2020).
The Edinburgh demonstration will take place outside the Scottish Parliament building in Holyrood.
Statement given by the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at the media briefing in St Andrew’s House, Edinburgh yesterday (Tuesday 4 August):
I’m going to turn in a moment to the usual statistical update about COVID, but before I do that I want to say a special word to all young people across the country who are receiving their SQA results today.
It’s a long time, a very long time, since I got my results, but I still remember it like it was yesterday. It is a really big moment in a young person’s life so I hope you got what you were hoping for, but if you didn’t it is really important to remember that there are lots of options open to you, not least, in the immediate sense, the option to appeal.
And whatever your results are, you should all be incredibly proud of the way you have coped with the challenges of the past few months.
At a moment’s notice you had to adapt to new forms of learning. Your contact with friends and family was restricted. Many of you have missed out on a proper end to your final year. You didn’t get to sit exams. And of course you are now having to think about your future at a time of real economic uncertainty.
All of that has been really tough and we don’t underestimate how tough it has been. And I know that, for some of you, there will be difficult decisions that lie ahead.
Later on in my remarks I am going to say a bit more about where you can get some advice and support if you need it and the Deputy First Minister will also say a bit more about the process of producing your results this year.
But the main thing I want to say at the outset is that you all deserve enormous credit for your patience, for the sacrifices you’ve made and for all the hard work you’ve put in. So well done to all of you.
Now, as usual, I’ll give the update on today’s COVID figures. An additional 23 positive cases were confirmed yesterday which represents 0.9% of the people who were newly tested yesterday and it takes the total number of cases in Scotland now to 18,717.
A full health board breakdown will be available later, as usual, but the provisional information I have is that 15 of the 23 cases are in the Grampian health board area. It is not yet clear how many are connected to the ongoing outbreak in Aberdeen and I will say a bit more about that outbreak shortly.
I can also report that a total of 270 patients are currently in hospital with confirmed COVID which is 5 more than yesterday.
And a total of 4 people last night were in intensive care with confirmed COVID-19 which is 1 more than yesterday.
Finally, I am very pleased to say that, yet again during the past 24 hours, no deaths were registered of a patient confirmed through a test in the past 28 days as having COVID. The total number of deaths under that measurement remains at 2,491.
We are of course reporting fewer deaths on a daily basis now, but the total reminds us of the impact this virus has had on too many families across the country so again I want to extend my thoughts to everyone who has lost a loved one.
And as always, let me say a big thank you to everyone working hard to help us keep COVID under control and also to deal with its many consequences.
There are a few items I want to briefly touch on today before I hand over to the Deputy First Minister.
Firstly, I want to provide a further update on that cluster of cases in Aberdeen which is linked to the Hawthorn Bar in the city. I can confirm that, as of now, 27 positive cases have been identified as part of the cluster though, let me be clear, I would expect that number to rise.
I can also confirm that, so far, 120 contacts have been traced through the Test and Protect system.
The Incident Management Team, which is led by NHS Grampian, will meet again this afternoon and they continue to take all necessary steps to try to minimise the risk of further transmission. And I am extremely grateful to them for their considerable efforts.
Investigations of course are ongoing and we will provide more details as and when they become available.
However, this particular cluster is another reminder that this virus is still out there and has not gone away. It remains extremely infectious and, of course, it remains extremely dangerous and all of us have a part to play in denying it the opportunity to spread.
I talked yesterday about the importance of our Test and Protect system in helping us to contain these kinds of incidents so I think it is worth me reminding you of one of the key elements of that system.
If you are contacted by a Test and Protect team and advised that you are a close contact of someone who has tested positive for COVID you must self-isolate for 14 days. That should be seen as non-negotiable. The team might ask you, or arrange for you, to take a test. If they don’t do that you should only book a test yourself if you have symptoms.
If you are a close contact of an identified case and you do get tested, and this bit is really important for me to convey very clearly to you, if you do get tested you must self-isolate for 14 days even if you test negative.
And that’s because, given what we know about the incubation of this virus, it is entirely possible that you have the virus in your system, but it hasn’t had time to develop so it doesn’t show up in the test. For example, on a Monday, you might test negative for the virus, but by the Tuesday you might have developed the virus without knowing it.
At that point, you might be infectious and yet it might not be until the Thursday or the Friday that you start to show any symptoms. In fact, you might never show any significant symptoms at all, but if you are not self-isolating, you could nevertheless still be spreading the virus.
That’s really tough to say to people that, even if you have tested negative for this virus, if you are a close contact you have to self-isolate for 14 days, but that is partly what makes this virus so difficult to deal with, but it is also why self-isolation is so important and so necessary.
And I want to give a special message to employers. Please don’t think that testing any of your staff who are deemed to be close contacts of a positive case is an alternative to them self-isolating. That is absolutely not the case and I must stress that. There are simply no shortcuts here when it comes to trying to contain the spread of this virus.
All of us need to comply with the requirements of Test and Protect otherwise it won’t work and that includes, and is possibly the most important element of this, self-isolation. If we do all comply we can help to contain these kinds of incidents when they do occur and we can ensure that, rather than going into reverse, we can continue our exit from lockdown.
That brings me to the second point I want to briefly touch on and that’s about how we are trying to track the course of the pandemic here in Scotland.
The daily statistics I share with you obviously provide us with really important information about the spread of the virus, but because of the time it takes COVID to incubate, some of these statistics only reflect what might have been happening in the community two or three weeks previously.
That’s one of the reasons why the lockdown restrictions are reviewed every three weeks because it gives us time to assess the impact of any changes that we make.
At this point, of course, as we come further out of lockdown, the risks are heightened and it becomes more important that we have early warning, as early as possible, of any new trends.
That’s why we are increasingly looking to use a form of modelling which helps to estimate changes in the epidemic and model and estimate those as early as possible before they come through the daily statistics that I report to you.
That modelling just now is carried out by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and it involves using online surveys to gather information about people’s social behaviour.
The surveys are run every two weeks and they ask about a range of different topics from people’s contact with others to recent travel to their use of face masks, for example.
At the moment, very few people from Scotland are included in those surveys so the modelling is of more limited value to us in assessing a particular situation here. So that’s why we intend to establish a Scottish version of the survey.
It will feed into the other modelling work that’s already carried out and it will help to produce results which are more relevant and therefore more applicable to Scotland.
We are looking for 3,000 members of the public to take part. As a starting point we’ll be sending invitations to those who have previously been involved in our population surveys.
But we will also need volunteers over and above that so I would urge anyone who is interested to find out more on the Scottish Government’s Twitter feed. I will make sure there is information there later today.
By volunteering, you’ll be helping us to improve our understanding of the epidemic and you’ll be helping to ensure that we can identify and respond quickly to any changes that threaten the progress we’ve made.
Finally today, before I conclude, I want to return to the issue of the SQA results.
138,000 learners from across the country should by now have received their results and I’m sure that for many of you and for your families the build up to this day has been very tense and I really do hope that you got the exams results that you wanted.
But if you didn’t and you’re feeling disappointed right now, please bear in mind that this is just the beginning. There will be many more opportunities ahead and you do have plenty of options.
It’s also important to note that there is advice and support there for you if you need it.
For example, if you have a question about your results or if you want to appeal the results you got today you should contact your school, college or training provider. The SQA is this year running a free appeal service.
There’s also an SQA Candidate Advice Line and I’m about to read out the number for that.
You should call the advice line if you have questions about your certificate, for example, if you need help understanding it, or you think there’s something missing from it. That line is now open and the number is 0345 279 1000.
Alternatively, if you want advice or information about what comes next you can call Skills Development Scotland’s dedicated helpline. Again, I’ll read out that number shortly.
That helpline offers free, impartial advice for young people, parents and carers. And it will help you to learn about your options for the future whether that’s staying on at school, going to college or university, taking on an apprenticeship or entering the world of work.
The number for the helpline is 0808 100 8000. And I would encourage you if you need a bit of advice to give it a call. Again you will find these numbers on the Scottish Government Twitter feed later.
All of you have faced huge challenges this year, challenges which previous generations like mine and the Deputy First Minister’s could never have imagined so we are determined to do everything we can to ensure you have the support and opportunities you need as you start to think about your future.
I will hand on to the Deputy First Minister, now but before I do I will end, as I usually do, by reminding you once again of the Facts advice.
Those are the five key things all of us should remember in everything we do:
Face coverings must be worn in enclosed spaces such as shops and public transport.
Avoid crowded places.
Clean your hands and hard surfaces regularly.
Two metre distancing remains the rule and
Self-isolate and book a test immediately if you have symptoms.
It’s vital that all of us continue to follow these rules because if we don’t, we risk allowing the virus to take grip again and the consequences of that we know are very clear.
We only need to look at what’s happening elsewhere in the world to see that countries can go into reverse and restrictions can require to be re-imposed. We don’t want to have to do that here, but we will have no choice if the virus gets out of control.
And all of us have the power, the agency, and indeed the responsibility to minimise the chance of that happening and that is why it is vital that we follow and abide by these five rules.
So my thanks to everyone who is doing so. It is hugely appreciated.
Today Underbelly has launched a fundraiser to support artists who were due to appear at Underbelly Fringe 2020.100% of all donations received will go straight to artistsfrom this year’s planned programme and who desperately need this help.
By donating the cost of a ticket, £12, you can help artists bridge the loss of actual ticket sales they hoped to receive this year and by donating more you can make a massive difference and access a ladder of rewards.
For the first time in twenty years Underbelly has had to close its doors to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The purple cow is deflated, the Cowgate remains a carpark and the venues have been silenced of the laughter and awe of performers and audiences alike.
Each year artists, performers, producers, technicians, stage managers, lighting, sound and set designers, to name but a few, spend months carefully cultivating exciting, innovative, ground-breaking and daring work to be performed tirelessly for 25 days in a row.
Often this gruelling month of blood sweat and tears launches careers, shines light on new stars and shakes up the cultural world as we know it.
For many of those working in this field the cancellation of the 2020 Edinburgh Festival Fringe and the restrictions placed around live performance will pose serious challenges financially and creatively and will no doubt force some to look elsewhere.
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is a place for everyone and everything, it’s important and necessary and it is vital we retain the artists that make it what it is.
220 Underbelly shows have been lost this year and countless numbers of artists and those working behind the scenes have been placed in dire financial situations, and that accounts for only a small percentage of the overall Fringe. Without their input into the creative world the cultural landscape for the future will change forever.
For those who can afford to donate a little more than the £12 cost of a ticket to the fundraiser there are lots of moo-vellous rewards on offer including a named thank you in the 2021 programme (£20 or more), Gold membership of Abattoir, the private artists bar in George Square (£50 or more), 10 tickets to the 10 hottest shows curated by the programming team (£70 or more), Backstage Meet and Greet with the artist of choice, tickets and fizz (£100 or more), Fleabag Poster from the first show performed in Edinburgh at Underbelly in 2013 signed by Phoebe Waller Bridge (£400 or more), Cocktail Party for 10 in Abattoir with mixologists Ed Bartlam and Charlie Wood (£400 or more), All expenses paid trip to Edinburgh for a Fringe weekend like no other (£800 or more), or for £1000 (or more) free tickets to any Underbelly shows at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe for the next two years.
Ed Bartlam and Charlie Wood, directors of Underbelly said: “Edinburgh is where it all started, in a dingy cave, twenty years ago. It’s our life blood, our home, a place where genuinely anything can happen and incredible memories have been made.
“To not be there this year is heart-breakingly devastating but it is also a time for reflection and understanding that for this year, we must step back and put the safety of others first.
“We would love to support and help everyone but what we feel we should do at this time is to support those artists that were due to perform at the Underbelly this year.
We are asking you to help us support these artists to get through this most difficult of all times and more importantly keep them working in an industry that needs and values them. Without them there is no Underbelly, there is no Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
“Our deepest sympathies go out to all of those have been affected by Covid 19 and our most heartfelt thank-yous to those on the frontline who have been working tirelessly to keep our country moving. We will be offering a special discount on all tickets to UK NHS staff at next year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe by way of thank you.”
Grace and Rach from Ugly Bucket said: “As a regional emerging theatre company, Fringe is a huge opportunity for our work to be seen on a huge international platform.
“Underbelly took the time to get to know us as a company, and understand how they can best support us and showcase our work. It is a bespoke, personal experience that is so valuable in a festival that can feel so intimidating! You would never find a techno filled clowning show about grief anywhere else but the Edinburgh Fringe.”
Jason Byrne added: “This is such a hard time for so many on the circuit, and the cancellation of the Fringe this year has been a massive blow to us all.
“This is a cracking fundraiser. Underbelly is making sure that 100% goes to the artists and there are some great rewards on offer. Who wouldn’t want to donate and secure all those tickets, backstage access and signed posters! Please do give what you can whether it is the price of a ticket, or a few pints too.”
On being told about the fundraiser, Gaby from Circus Abyssinia said:“We would love for Circus Abyssinia: Tulu to be included in the Underbelly relief fund.
“A huge thanks to Underbelly for setting this up, we’re very grateful especially as the cast doesn’t have a furlough scheme or any support back in Ethiopia.”
Cecilia Martin from Circa said: “Experiencing Edinburgh Festival Fringe under the umbrella of Underbelly has always been such a supportive, professional and hilariously fun experience.
he team is such a powerhouse and create an incredible atmosphere for us to thrive in as artists.”
Her Majesty The Queen, Patron, sends message of thanks to Red Cross volunteers and staff His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales, President of the British Red Cross, introduces new online exhibition ‘150 voices’: www.redcross.org.uk/150voices. Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge pens letter to 150 nominated Red Cross staff and volunteers, paying tribute to her own family ties to the Red Cross Her Royal Highness Princess Alexandra, Vice-President, telephones one of the charity’s longest-serving volunteers
The British Red Cross is 150 years old today. To mark the anniversary, members of the Royal Family have come together to recognise the work of the volunteers, staff, supporters and partners of the charity who have made a difference to the lives of millions of people who have faced crisis, both in the UK and overseas.
Today the Red Cross is responding to one of the most challenging humanitarian emergencies in modern history, showing the power of kindness as it supports the most vulnerable during the coronavirus pandemic.
Her Majesty the Queen, Patron of the Red Cross for 64 years, has sent a message to volunteers and staff to thank them for their dedicated work supporting some of the most vulnerable people here in the UK and overseas.
As the charity’s longest-serving Patron, The Queen has supported the British Red Cross across the decades; then Princess Elizabeth, one of her earliest visits was to a Red Cross hut caring for tuberculosis patients in 1951. On the 100th anniversary of the charity, Her Majesty hosted a Buckingham Palace Garden Party for Red Cross staff and volunteers.
As the charity’s President since 2003, The Prince of Wales has recorded an introduction to a new online exhibition, ‘150 voices’, as part of the anniversary.
The online exhibition showcases 150 objects from the British Red Cross museum and archives collection, which have been specially selected to highlight the role of the charity as it supported people during some of the darkest moments in the last century and a half.
Inspired by communities across the UK and supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the exhibition includes objects such as a letter from Florence Nightingale, a WWI ambulance drivers’ cap and a food parcel distributed by the Syrian Arab Red Crescent during the Syria crisis.
In the online introduction, The Prince of Wales says: “I am proud to say that my family has played its own part in supporting the work of the British Red Cross throughout its history.
“As President, I have felt it to be of great importance to continue this close association and to help in whatever small way I can to support the extraordinary work of the Red Cross.
“The work of the Red Cross is as essential today as it has ever been, helping those in need both in the United Kingdom and around the world, strengthening our communities and supporting people to face the challenges of an ever-changing and unpredictable world.”
In 2018, His Royal Highness met Red Cross volunteers in the aftermath of the devastating Grenfell Tower fire. At the beginning of this year, The Prince also met with staff and volunteers while visiting the flood hit town of Pontypridd, South Wales following Storm Dennis.
Most recently, HRH thanked Red Cross staff and volunteers through a video message, for their continued work during coronavirus.
As part of the 150th anniversary celebrations, The Duchess of Cambridge has penned a letter to 150 nominated Red Cross staff and volunteers, which will be sent alongside a commemorative coin from the Royal Mint.
The Duchess has a special connection to the charity, with her own great-grandmother and grandmother having volunteered as Red Cross nurses.
As Vice-President of the British Red Cross, Princess Alexandra spoke to a recipient of The Duchess’s letter and one of the charity’s longest serving volunteers, Anne Taylor, 87.
Anne has been volunteering for 80 years, having joined the British Red Cross on the 1st January 1940, when she was just seven years old at the height of WWII. More recently, Anne has helped to run the Red Cross mobility aids service in Truro, Cornwall.
Anne said of her conversation with Princess Alexandra: “It was a real honour to have royalty talking to me on the phone and to be able to share a lovely conversation about some of the things I’ve done over the years with the British Red Cross.
“I couldn’t believe that she mentioned meeting me before. It was a very normal conversation, we spoke about my time as a volunteer and about normal things, such as family and everyday life. A real privilege.”
The Royal Family has a long history of supporting the work of the British Red Cross, dating back to 1870 when Queen Victoria became the first official Patron of the charity.
Mike Adamson, Chief Executive of the British Red Cross said: “We are very grateful to the Royal Family for their committed support to the British Red Cross throughout our long history and today as we mark our 150th anniversary.
“The British Red Cross has been helping people in crisis for 150 years; through two World Wars, working hand in hand with the NHS since its creation in 1948 and today in communities across the UK and overseas during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Throughout our history it is the kindness of our volunteers, as well as the generosity of our supporters that has meant we can be there for people when they need us most, wherever they are and whomever they may be.”
The Covid-19 pandemic has revealed our benefits system to be unfit for purpose. It now needs a radical transformation
The failings of the UK’s social security system have been exposed as workers whose income has been hit by the Covid-19 crisis have sought to rely on the safety net, and in many cases promptly fallen through its holes (writes TUC’s ANJUM KLAIR).
This is the result of years of deliberate attacks on the social security system, with around £34 billion of cuts made to social security since 2010.
Over a decade of austerity, including benefit caps and freezes, a punitive sanctions regime and the introduction of the five-week wait in universal credit, has pushed working families into debt and poverty.
What has the current crisis exposed?
Claimants seeking financial support since the start of the pandemic are now experiencing the inadequacy of benefit rates: if you become unemployed, the basic rate of universal credit is £94 a week. This is around a sixth of average weekly pay.
The inability of the welfare system to cushion the financial fall for new claimants can be seen in the soaring demand on food banks during April: distribution of food parcels increased by 89 per cent compared to the same period in 2019 and for children there was a 107 per cent rise.
A survey on people’s experiences of the benefit system during the pandemic found 75 per cent of those claiming universal credit felt it would not stretch to cover their bills.
New universal credit claimants must wait five weeks for their first payment. Therefore, the system fails to support people when they are at their most vulnerable, and adds to the turbulence of their finances.
Advance loans are available, but these must be paid back out of future meagre benefit payments. People who have been reluctant to claim cite the fear of falling into debt.
Harsh and unfair rules
Callous rules have been introduced since 2010 to reduce eligibility and save money.
The benefit cap limits the sums that can be received in social security payments, without reference to household need. Analysis by the Child Poverty Action group, predicts that up to 40,000 households are likely to be affected by the benefit cap as a result of the pandemic, the vast majority of whom will be families with children.
Introducing the two-child limit for social security also breaks the fundamental link between need and what a family receives. A quarter of a million households containing 911,000 children have been affected by the policy since its introduction. It is estimated that 60,000 families could be affected as a result of the Covid-19 crisis.
Harsh and unfair rules on conditionality and sanctions have been justified to motivate people to engage with job centre support and take active steps to move closer to work. However, the evidence of the effectiveness of this policy is limited.
The UK government has ended a three-month pause on the requirement for people receiving universal credit to prove that they are looking for work. However, the job market has shrunk dramatically, and as the job retention scheme winds up the challenges of finding work will be enormous.
The current crisis has highlighted the unfortunate situation of those living in the UK under the ‘No Recourse to Public Funds’ policy (NRPF), introduced in 2012. It is not right that those with the legal right to live and work in the UK and pay taxes are not entitled to access the vast proportion of social security needed in times of crisis.
NRPF restrictions have pushed working families into poverty, forcing them into unsustainable debt and into homelessness or unsafe, overcrowded, insecure housing. Since the Covid-19 outbreak, their situation has worsened considerably; they have had to choose between their own health, public health, and the financial wellbeing of their household.
We need to transform and revitalise our safety net.
Many people need to rely on the social security system at some point in their lives. Illness and unemployment can strike anyone at any time, as the pandemic has shown. And when this happens we should be able to turn to social security to help us.
We urgently need a political commitment to protect the vulnerable.
The cost of adequately funding the social security budget is small compared to the cost of not acting, which includes both the deep social costs of inequality, and the impact of millions of families with less spending power.
Making our social security system fit for purpose requires fundamental changes, including scrapping universal credit.
The immediate priority, however, is for the government to devise an urgent plan to provide financial support and security to those who need it most.
Immediate steps to fix our social safety net
Universal credit and other benefits must be substantially reformed, by:
Raising the basic level of universal credit and legacy benefits, including jobs seekers allowance and employment and support allowance, to at least 80 per cent of the national living wage (£260 per week).
Ending the five-week wait for first payment of universal credit by converting emergency payment loans to grants.
Removing the savings rules in universal credit, allowing more people to access it.
Significantly increasing benefit payments to children and removing the two-child limit within universal credit and working tax credit.
Ensuring no-one loses out on any increases in social security by removing the arbitrary benefit cap. In addition, no one on legacy benefits should lose the protection of the managed transition to universal credit as part of this change.
The suspension on conditionality requirements for universal credit needs to remain.
Sick pay must cover the basic costs of living
Statutory sick pay must be sufficient to cover basic living costs. Weekly payments must rise from £95.85 to the equivalent of a week’s pay at the Real Living Wage – around £320 a week.
The lower earnings limit for qualification for sick pay must be removed to ensure everyone can access it, no matter how much they earn.
Wider package of financial support for households
The NPRF restrictions need to be removed permanently. Everyone living in the UK must have access to public funds.
Introduce a wider package of support for households, by increasing the hardship fund delivered by local authorities. A hardship fund should not just be there for the current crisis; government should put in place a fund that provides a permanent source of grants to support those facing hardship.
Police renewing their appeal for information in respect of an assault which occurred on Saturday, 4 January, 2020 at around 2.25am inside Garibaldis nightclub in Hanover Street.
Police have released new images of a male they would like to speak to as they believe he may have information that will assist their ongoing investigation.
The male in the image is described as white, in his early twenties, around 5ft 10ins tall, with mousey brown hair that is longer on the top and shorter at the sides. He is seen in the image to be wearing a light grey or blue top and a black coat.
Those with information can contact Police Scotland via 101, quoting incident number 0424 of 4 January, 2020. Alternatively, information can be reported anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Local charity, Held In Our Hearts has launched their latest awareness campaign focusing on acts of kindness for the month of August.
It is this attribute which the charity feels has helped them survive through the last 4 months – kindness to each other, kindness to the families they support, finding a way forward together. They are calling on the Edinburgh community to share their own kindness locally, encouraging people to join in by doing acts of kindness for a friend, family member, neighbour or colleague in August.
Since lockdown, pace of life has changed so much and has given people more time at home, with nothing but their thoughts and experiences to reflect on. The charity has been encouraged to see that more families have been coming forward for support (including those that are long ago bereaved) and are being more open to sharing about their loss and the trauma that they have experienced.
Through its specialist bereavement support, Held In Our Hearts know how essential it is to for families to be open and talk to one another and be met with kindness. Now more than ever, the charity feels that it is so important for everyone to be mindful of their mental health and they hope that the “K for Kindness” campaign will help share a wave of positivity in the community and encourage more kindness and more openness with each other.
Nicola Welsh, Chief Executive Officer says: “We witness the power of kindness and compassion every day in our work. When a baby dies, it is the kindness and compassion from our bereaved staff that holds families and helps when they feel alone in their grief.
“As we begin to step out of lockdown, we might feel a little fragile and vulnerable and although we cannot hug freely yet, we can give of ourselves and do acts of kindness to make others smile. Giving to others is good for the soul and you just never know how much someone else might need that kindness that day, especially at the moment.
“We hope that “K for Kindness” will help us raise awareness of our work and spread some much needed positivity through the community.”
The charity has run a series of popular and fun virtual challenges through April, May, June and July, helping to keep their community connected and raise essential funds for their work.
In July, the #PassTheK challenge was set for their running and cycling community, which has supporters take up the baton and ‘PassTheK’ to reach our neighbours down under in Brisbane, Australia, 16,313km away. In total they managed just over 20,000k!
To take part, you simply need to do an Act of Kindness, share with a picture on social media and tag a friend to do the same with #KforKindness.
A multi-million-pound scheme to ‘transform walking and cycling connections’ between Dalry and Fountainbridge will take a big step foward if plans are approved this week.
The associated benefits of this, alongside substantial enhancements to surrounding woodland, to the environment and also by encouraging travel choices, is set to contribute to our carbon neutral goals.
The council wants to create a ‘green corridor’ by planting nearly 5000 trees along the route, contributing to Edinburgh’s target of becoming a ‘Million Tree City’ by 2030.
As part of this they’ll be revamping open spaces along the route which are currently unusable or inaccessible for the use of the community and revitalising Dalry Community Park too.
On Thursday (6 August) members of the Policy and Sustainability Committee will consider the latest designs, which have been refined in response to feedback received during consultation with local residents, and proposals to begin enabling works to progress the project.
Transport and Environment Convener Councillor Lesley Macinnes said: This is an extremely exciting project which will deliver real benefits to the local community, and anyone travelling by foot or bike in the area, by providing an essential link in our walking and cycling network.
“Our plans to plant almost 5000 trees will have a significant impact, not only on the area’s amenity but by encouraging wildlife diversity, providing educational opportunities for local children and reducing the city’s carbon footprint as part of our wider tree-planting strategy.”
Transport and Environment Vice Convener Karen Doran said: “This project will breathe new life into these underused spots, which have the potential to become a haven for wildlife and a relaxing environment for residents and visitors.
“By both encouraging walking, cycling and wheeling and planting thousands of trees in the area, it’s helping drive us towards our carbon neutral goal.”
Proposals include:
Active travel route: Our proposed creation of a shared-use pedestrian and cycle path, including new bridge crossings over the Mid-Calder railway line and Dalry Road, would connect the North Edinburgh Path Network to Fountainbridge, where onwards travel to the Union Canal will be provided via a separate active travel project currently under development.
Green corridor: We are planning to overhaul existing areas alongside the route, including spaces adjacent to Russell Road/Sauchiebank and West Approach Road/Duff Street Lane, which have fallen into disuse. Our enabling works will result in the loss of some trees, though almost 60% of these are of low or extremely poor quality, and we’ve developed a long-term strategy for creating and managing a healthy and diverse tree population.
As part of this, we are proposing the planting of 4,795 woodland and semi-mature trees across the site, with landscaping and ecological issues managed to ensure the project results in a higher quality, more varied and better maintained woodland. As well as encouraging wildlife, the improved woodland will provide better access for amenity and education, including its potential use by Dalry Primary School for ‘forest schools’.
Dalry Community Park improvements: Redesigning the park to renew the existing playpark with equipment for all ages, resurfacing the sports pitch, installing lighting seating and wayfinding, improving landscaping and creating shared-use paths and better access points.
The latest project designs build on our consultation with the local community in 2015/16, when 95% of respondents expressed their support for the measures, and subsequent engagement carried out in 2019.
Amongst the changes we’ve made to the initial proposals as a result of feedback are the development of a tree protection strategy, improved access points and the increase of path widths to 4m, providing additional space for both pedestrians and cyclists.
If approved, enabling works are expected to start in September and will comprise of site clearance, ground investigation and excavations.
Alongside this a protected species/habitat survey will be carried out, and we will be working with contractors to explore ways of minimising the loss of trees as a result of the project.
The Executive Committee of the EIS has raised significant concerns over guidelines for the re-opening of Scotland’s schools.
With schools set to re-open next week, the EIS has written to Deputy First Minister John Swinney calling for a number of actions to be taken, as a matter of urgency, to protect pupils, staff and the wider community from the risk of COVID-19 infection.
In the letter, EIS General Secretary Larry Flanagan says, “I write to you in order to raise some significant concerns regarding the now published Guidelines for the reopening of schools.
“You will recall that I raised at the CERG (COVID Education Recovery Group) meeting of July 24th, the EIS view that whilst the Guidelines represented the generality of where agreement was possible, they nonetheless fell short from an EIS perspective in significant areas.”
The letter goes on to outline EIS concerns in a number of areas, including physical distancing and class sizes, procedures for testing for COVID in schools, contradictions between procedures for schools and other settings such as public transport and shops, and concerns over staff members who have been shielding.
On the issue of physical distancing, the letter highlights that the Scottish Government guidance includes an, “Exhortation to move to smaller classes to support physical distancing where possible, without specification as to how that was to be done. The inherent contradiction in urging such a significant mitigation but failing completely to instruct its implementation is a major concern.”
The letter also calls for: “The strongest mitigations possible in place and erring on the side of caution particularly where there is conflicting or emerging evidence in relation to the behaviour of the virus and its capacity for transmission among and by children and young people. These should include specific physical distancing guidelines for pupils.”
On testing, the EIS letter says, “We would urge that further consideration be given to a more proactive approach to supporting teacher and staff confidence that they are working in Covid-secure schools, by providing asymptomatic access to regular testing.”
And, on the issue of staff who have been shielding, the letter says, “Teachers who have been shielding for the past three or four months under Scottish Government direction, are now concerned that next week they could be back in front of a full class of pupils. This seems to be an enormous leap and one which does not sit well with the First Minister’s warning to those who had been shielding until August 1st, about continuing to be especially cautious.”
Calling for further action to ensure safety, the letter goes on to state, “The EIS welcomes the fact that Scotland appears to have successfully suppressed the virus at this point in time; however, we would not wish to see the reopening of schools act as a catalyst to a resurgence. That means we must ensure that school buildings are COVID-secure environments.
“Across the globe we are witnessing how quickly things can deteriorate. Teachers, pupils, and parents have every reason to be anxious about schools reopening. Addressing the concerns raised in this letter would go some way to offering reassurance.”
The EIS will open a new survey of its members in schools across Scotland to seek their views on these issues and on the steps that should be taken to ensure that schools are safe. The survey will run this week, and the results will inform further discussions with the Scottish Government and local authorities ahead of next week’s planned re-opening of schools.
A copy of the EIS letter to Mr Swinney is available for information.
Edinburgh’s pupils will return to school next week.
