Health and Social Care: Johnson bites the bullet

Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s statement at yesterday’s press conference on health and social care:

Good afternoon, I’m joined by the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, because today we’re setting out our plan to help our NHS recover from the pandemic and build back better by fixing the problems in health and social care that governments have avoided for decades.

We all know someone whose test, scan or hip replacement was delayed or who helped to protect the NHS amid the immense pressures of Covid by putting off treatment for a new medical condition.

And now, as people come forward again, we need to pay for those missed operations and treatments; we need to pay good wages for the 50,000 extra nurses we are recruiting, we need to go beyond the record funding we’ve already provided to the NHS, and that means going further than the 48 hospitals and 50 million more GP appointments.

So today, following the most successful vaccine programme in the world, we’re beginning the biggest catch-up programme in the history of the NHS, increasing hospital capacity by 110 per cent, and enabling 9 million more appointments, scans and operations.

I have to level with people – waiting lists will get worse before they get better, but compared with before Covid, by 2024/25 our plan will allow the NHS to aim to treat 30 per cent more patients who need elective care – like knee replacements or cancer screening.

A recovery on this scale cannot be delivered by cheese-paring budgets elsewhere and it would be irresponsible to cover a permanent increase in health and social care spending with higher day to day borrowing.

For more than 70 years, we’ve lived by the principle that everyone pays for the NHS through our taxes, so it’s there for all of us when we need it.

In that spirit, from April we will have a new UK-wide 1.25 per cent Health and Social Care Levy on earned income, with the money required by law to go directly to health and social care across the whole of our United Kingdom, and with dividends rates increasing by the same amount.

This will raise almost £36 billion over the next three years, not just funding more care but better care, including better screening equipment to diagnose cancer earlier and digital technologies allowing doctors to monitor patients in their homes.

The levy will share the cost as fairly as possible between people and businesses: because we all benefit from a well-supported NHS and all businesses benefit from a healthy workforce.

And those who earn more will pay more, including those who continue to work over the State Pension Age.

The highest earning 14 per cent of the population will pay around half of the revenue raised; no-one earning less than £9,568 will pay a penny, and most small businesses will be protected, with 40 per cent paying nothing extra at all.

And this new investment will go alongside vital reform, because we learned from the pandemic that we can’t fix the NHS unless we also fix social care.

When Covid struck, there were 30,000 hospital beds in England occupied by people who would have been better cared for elsewhere, and the inevitable consequence was that patients could not get the hip operations or cancer treatment or whatever other help they needed.

And those people were often in hospital because they feared the costs of care in a residential home.

If you suffer from cancer or heart disease, the NHS will cover the costs of your treatment in full.

But if you develop Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s, then you have to pay for everything above a very low threshold.

Today, 1 in 7 of us can expect to face care costs exceeding £100,000 in our later years, and millions more live in fear that they could be among that 1 in 7.

Suppose you have a house worth £250,000 and you’re in a care home for eight years, then once you’ve paid your bills, you could be left with just £14,000 after a lifetime of work, effort and saving – having sacrificed everything else – everything that you would otherwise have passed on to your children – simply to avoid the indignity of suffering.

So we are doing something that, frankly, should have been done a long time ago, and share the risk of these catastrophic care costs, so everyone is relieved of that fear of financial ruin.

We’re setting a limit to what people will ever have to pay, regardless of assets or income.

In England, from October 2023, no-one starting care will pay more than £86,000 over their lifetime.

Nobody with assets of less than £20,000 will have to pay anything at all, and anyone with assets between £20,000 and £100,000 will be eligible for means-tested support.

And we’ll also address the fear many have about how their parents or grandparents will be looked after.

We’ll invest in the quality of care, and in carers themselves, with £500 million going to hundreds of thousands of new training places, mental health support for carers and improved recruitment, making sure that caring is a properly respected profession in its own right.

And we’ll integrate health and social care in England so that all elderly and disabled people are looked after with the dignity they deserve.

No Conservative Government wants to raise taxes, but nor could we in good conscience meet the cost of this plan simply by borrowing the money and imposing the burden on future generations.

So I will be absolutely frank with you: this new levy will break our manifesto commitment, but a global pandemic wasn’t in our manifesto either, and everyone knows in their bones that after everything we’ve spent to protect people through that crisis, we cannot now shirk the challenge of putting the NHS back on its feet, which requires fixing the problem of social care, and investing the money needed.

So we will do what is right, reasonable and fair, we’ll make up the Covid backlogs, we’ll fund more nurses and, I hope, we will remove the anxiety of millions of families up and down the land by taking forward reforms that have been delayed for far too long.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s statement on health and social care, delivered on 7 September 2021

Good afternoon.

I want to address straight away the following question:

Why do we need to raise taxes?

Three reasons.

First, we need to properly fund the NHS as we recover from the pandemic.

Senior NHS leaders have made clear that without more funding we will not properly be able to address the significant backlog…

…in people’s cancelled operations, delayed treatments, or missed diagnoses.

To get everyone the care they need is going to take time – and it is going to take money.

The second reason is that social care plans announced today have created an expanded safety net.

Instead of individuals having to bear the financial risks of catastrophic care costs themselves, we as a country are deciding to share more of that risk collectively.

This is a permanent, new role for the Government.

And as such we need a permanent, new way to fund it.

The only alternative would be to borrow more indefinitely.

But that would be irresponsible at a time when our national debt is already the highest it has been in peacetime.

And it would be dishonest – borrowing more today just means higher taxes tomorrow.

The third reason we need to raise taxes is to fund the Government’s vision for the future of health and social care.

Properly funded, we can tackle not just the NHS backlog and expand the social care safety net, we can afford the nurses pay rise;

Invest in the newest, most modern equipment;

Prepare for the next pandemic;

And provide one of the largest investments ever to upskill social care workers.

In other words, we can build the modern, more efficient health and social care services the British public deserves.

To fund this vital spending, we will introduce a new UK-wide Health and Social Care Levy.

From next April, we will ask businesses, employees and the self-employed to pay an extra 1.25% on earnings.

All the money we raise will be legally ringfenced, which means every pound from the Levy will go directly to health and social care.

The Levy is the best way to raise the funds we need.

It is fair: the more you earn, the more you pay.

It is honest: it is not a stealth tax or borrowed – the Levy will be there in black and white on people’s payslips.

And it is UK-wide, so people in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will all pay the same amount.

To make sure everyone pays their fair share, we will also increase dividend tax rates by the same amount.

And, from 2023, people over the age of 66 will be asked to pay the Levy on their earnings too.

No Government wants to have to raise taxes.

But these are extraordinary times and we face extraordinary circumstances.

For more than 70 years, it has been an article of faith in this country that our national health service should be free at the point of use, funded by general taxation.

If we are serious about defending this principle in a post-Covid world …

… we have to be honest with ourselves about the costs that brings …

… and be prepared to take the difficult and responsible decisions to meet them.

Thank you.

PM Boris Johnson’s letter to the First Ministers of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland on the new health and social care reform:

National Insurance Contributions increase ‘adds insult to injury’ for families facing devastating cut to Universal Credit

New Joseph Rowntree Foundation analysis estimates that around 2 million families on low incomes who receive Universal Credit or Working Tax Credit will pay on average around an extra £100 per year in National Insurance contributions under the Government’s proposed changes.  

Peter Matejic, Deputy Director of Evidence & Impact at JRF said: “We are concerned that around two million families on low incomes who receive Universal Credit or Working Tax Credit will pay on average around an extra £100 per year in national insurance contributions under the Government’s proposal. 

“This extra cost adds insult to injury for these families who are facing a historic £1,040 cut to their annual incomes when Universal Credit and Working Tax Credit are reduced in less than a month on 6 October. If it presses ahead, this Government will be responsible for the single biggest overnight cut to social security ever.  

“With inflation rising, the cost of living going up and an energy price rise coming in October, many struggling families are wondering how on earth they will be expected to make ends meet from next month. 

“The Chancellor is in denial if he seriously believes this cut will not impose unnecessary hardship on millions of families – the majority of whom are in low-paid work. 

“Any MP who is concerned about families on low incomes must urge the Prime Minister and Chancellor to reverse this damaging cut, which will have an immediate and devastating impact on their constituents’ living standards in just a few weeks’ time.”

RCEM welcomes Government funding, but warns it won’t be enough

Responding to the announcement of an extra £5.4 billion of funding for the NHS, Dr Katherine Henderson, President of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, said: “The announcement of this additional funding for the NHS over the next six months is very welcome.

“It comes at a crucial time when the health service enters what will likely be its most challenging winter ever, as it exits the pandemic, seeks to recover the elective backlog and faces the worst ever levels of performance in the summer.

“It is particularly welcome to see the investment in improving infection prevention control measures in hospitals, as this will continue to be of the utmost importance in the coming months. It is also pleasing to see funding to continue to improve the timely discharge of hospital patients. It is vital for Emergency Care that there is good flow throughout the hospital, which includes making sure patients have a smooth discharge from the hospital.

“While this short-term funding is appreciated, there must also be an adequate response to the sharp increase in demand and equivalent deterioration in performance. It is unlikely that this funding will be enough to help enable longer term recovery.

“The challenges that our Emergency Departments face stem from workforce shortages and capacity issues. A shortage of beds can lead to crowding, corridor care and poor flow through the hospital. Workforce shortages spread existing staff thinly and put them under severe pressure.

“These are long term issues and the only way to tackle them will be via a long-term funding plan for the health service, including a workforce plan to recruit nurses and doctors by expanding student medical and nursing places and training places.”

Dr Katherine Henderson, commenting on the announcement of a three-year settlement for health and social care, continued: “The three-year funding settlement announced for health and social care is welcome.

“But the scale of the challenges faced across the health and social care service at a crucial time of recovery mean this will likely not be enough – and the government must be realistic in the colossal task ahead for the health and social care service. It is essential that a plan to address the workforce crisis is prioritised.

“It is also welcome to see the long overdue the first steps towards a plan for social care. There has been a crisis within social care for some time, so it will be good to see the government fulfil its pledge to reform and tackle the social care crisis.

“For that to happen, it is vital that an adequate proportion of the settlement is allocated to social care.”

Commenting on Tuesday’s social care announcement by the Prime Minister, TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said: “We need a social care system that delivers high-quality care and high-quality employment. 

“New funding for social care is long overdue. But today’s announcement will have been deeply disappointing both to those who use care, and to those who provide it. 

“The Prime Minister promised us a real plan for social care services, but what we got was vague promises of money tomorrow. 

“Care workers need to see more pay in their pockets now. Nothing today delivered that. Instead, the only difference it will make to low-paid care staff is to push up their taxes. 

“This is so disappointing after the dedication care workers have shown during this pandemic keeping services running and looking after our loved ones. 

“Proposals to tax dividends should have been just once piece in a plan to tax wealth, not an afterthought to a plan to tax the low-paid workers who’ve got us through the pandemic. 

“We know social care needs extra funding. But the prime minister is raiding the pockets of low-paid workers, while leaving the wealthy barely touched. 

“We need a genuine plan that will urgently tackle the endemic low pay and job insecurity that blights the social care sector – and is causing huge staff shortages and undermining the quality of care people receive.” 

The TUC published proposals on Sunday to fund social care and a pay rise for the workforce by increasing Capital Gains Tax. 

The union body says increasing tax on dividends is a welcome first step to reforming the way we tax wealth, but that it won’t generate the revenue needed to deliver a social care system this country deserves. 

Instead, by taxing wealth and assets at the same level as income tax, the government could raise up to £17bn a year to invest in services and give all care staff a minimum wage of £10 an hour. 

TUC analysis shows that seven in 10 social care workers earn less than £10 an hour and one in four are on zero-hours contracts. 

Polling published on Sunday by the TUC showed that eight in 10 working adults – including seven in 10 Conservative voters – support a £10 minimum wage for care workers. 

A Fairer, Greener Scotland?

First Minister lays out her Programme for Government 2021/22

Leading Scotland safely out of the pandemic, urgently confronting climate change, driving a green, fair economic recovery, and boosting opportunities for children and young people are among the core priorities in this year’s Programme for Government (PfG), published yesterday. Oh … and there’s a referendum in there, too …

The programme sets out plans for a record increase in frontline health spending, new legislation for a National Care Service, a system providing low-income families with free childcare before and after school and during holidays, and actions to drive forward Scotland’s national mission to end child poverty.

The programme also includes plans to help secure a just transition to net zero – creating opportunities for new, good and green jobs, making homes easier and greener to heat, and encouraging people to walk, wheel or cycle instead of driving.

Speaking in Parliament, the First Minister said: “This programme addresses the key challenges Scotland faces, and aims to shape a better future.

“It sets out how we will tackle the challenge of Covid, and rebuild from it. It outlines how we will address the deep-seated inequalities in our society. It shows how we will confront with urgency the climate emergency, in a way that captures maximum economic benefit. And it details the steps we will take to mitigate, as far as we can, the damaging consequences of Brexit while offering a better alternative.

“In the face of these challenges, our ambition must be bold. This programme sets out clear plans to lead Scotland out of the greatest health crisis in a century and transform our nation and the lives of those who live here.

“We will deliver a National Care Service; double the Scottish Child Payment; and invest in affordable, energy efficient homes and green travel. We will ensure that businesses have the support, and people have the skills, to succeed in the low carbon economy of the future. We will show global leadership in tackling the climate crisis. And we will offer people an informed choice on Scotland’s future.

“To that end, I can confirm that the Scottish Government will now restart work on the detailed prospectus that will guide the decision. The case for independence is a strong one and we will present it openly, frankly and with confidence and ambition.

“This programme addresses our current reality, but it also looks forward with confidence and ambition to a brighter future. It recognises that out of the many challenges we currently face, a better Scotland – as part of a better world – is waiting to be built.”

Building on the progress from the first 100 days of this government, with the co-operation agreement with the Scottish Green Party at its heart, the PfG sets the scene for the next five years.

Key commitments for over the course of this Parliament include:

  • increasing frontline health spending by 20%, leading to an increase of at least £2.5 billion by 2026-27
  • undertaking the biggest public service reform since the founding of the NHS – the creation of a National Care Service – with legislation brought forward by June next year
  • improving national wellbeing with increased direct mental health investment of at least 25%, with £120 million this year to support the recovery and transformation of services
  • investing £250 million to tackle the drugs deaths emergency over the next five years
  • expanding the Scottish Child Payment to under-16s by the end of next year and doubling it to £20 a week as soon as possible after that, with a £520 bridging payment given to every child in receipt of free school meals this year
  • investing a further £1 billion to tackle the poverty-related attainment gap and providing councils with funding to recruit 3,500 additional teachers and 500 classroom assistants
  • providing free childcare to low income families before and after school and during holidays, and expanding free early learning and childcare to one and two year olds
  • investing £100 million over the next three years to support frontline services for preventing violence against women and girls
  • providing £1.8 billion to make homes easier and greener to heat, as part of a commitment to decarbonise 1 million homes by 2030
  • ensuring that at least 10% of the total transport budget goes on active travel by 2024-25, helping more people to cycle, wheel or walk instead of drive
  • delivering a revolution in children’s rights, including across the justice system
  • supporting a just transition to a low-carbon economy for people and businesses, including a £500 million Just Transition Fund for the North East and Moray
  • investing an additional £500 million to support the new, good and green jobs of the future, including by helping people access training
  • delivering 110,000 affordable homes by 2032 and investing an additional £50 million to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping
  • taking forward the democratic mandate for a referendum on independence to be held within this Parliament and, if the Covid crisis is over, within the first half of this Parliament, while providing the people of Scotland with the information they need to make an informed choice on their future.

Programme for Government 2021-22

First Minister statement to the Scottish Parliament, 7 September 2021

Commenting on yesterday’s Programme for Government announcement, Chris Birt, Associate Director for Scotland at the Joseph Rowntree Foundation said: “Alarm bells should already be ringing in both the Scottish Government and Parliament that we are currently set to miss our child poverty targets, with no clear plan on how to achieve them. 

“The Programme for Government published today pushes that plan further down the road, both to the budget later in the year and next year’s Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan. 

“Time is running out on the targets. Families on low incomes across Scotland are experiencing growing financial pressure and uncertainty .  They will hope the commitment to double the child payment “sooner rather than later” happens very soon and that our national mission to end child poverty gathers urgency and scale.”

The STUC welcomed the Scottish Government’s Programme for Government, specifically highlighting the commitments from the First Minister to implement national bargaining in the care sector, additional funding for the health service, gender recognition reform and justice for Scotland’s miners wrongfully arrested in the 1980s.

STUC General Secretary, Roz Foyer said: “Reform of our care sector cannot come quick enough and the STUC will engage fully in this legislation, campaigning for a National Care Service based on sectoral collective bargaining and not for profit delivery.

“The commitment of the First Minister to National Bargaining is therefore very welcome. However, the £800 million additional funding announced over the course of the Parliament is less than a quarter of the expenditure which the Feeley Review said was necessary for the social care sector.

“Yet we still have concerns that the Programme of Government tries too hard be all things to all people. It is simply not credible to raise the levels of investment required to tackle climate change, reduce inequality and create jobs while at the same time boasting about the lowest business taxes in UK and freezing income tax rates for the duration of the Parliament.

“The same lack of ambition is reflected in today’s Scottish Government response to the report of the Just Transition Commission which leaves much to be desired on future job creation and ensuring the burden of climate change is not carried by workers and the less well off.

“Fighting discrimination and inequality is at the heart of trade unions, we know trans people are some of the most disadvantaged and discriminated people in Scotland and the gender recognition bill is therefore extremely welcome in enabling trans people to access their human rights.

“Finally, I welcome the proposed Miners’ Strike Pardon Bill. It has been all too clear for decades that the miners were the victims of a politically inspired political attack and that organs of the state, including the police, were used to repress their legitimate industrial action.

“This Bill will help provide some relief to the thousands of lives were wrecked by wrongful arrest and is a testament to years of campaigning by working class families who refused to give up.”

GMB Scotland Secretary Louise Gilmour said: “The need to tackle the crisis in care is accepted, but the challenge is to end years of exploitation by giving care workers substantial pay increases. That’s how we’ll confront the understaffing crisis and transform the sector.

“It’s why GMB is campaigning for £15 an hour minimum for care workers. The prospect of staff remaining mired in wages of just under or over £10 an hour isn’t credible. 

“And there is a growing consensus supporting that view, including among Cabinet Secretaries as the Greens committed to a £15 minimum in their recent manifesto, so we need to make it happen. 

“If we are prepared to be bold and deliver proper value for workers across the social care sector then there is a huge opportunity to be grasped, everyone will benefit and Scotland will be fairer for it.” 

Joanne Smith, policy and public affairs manager for NSPCC Scotland, said: “Recovery and reform are very much needed as we move forward from the pandemic, and this year’s Programme for Government is the first step in this journey.  

“For children in Scotland to have the best start in life, it is vital that all families can access holistic support, where and when they need it, and so we are heartened by the Scottish Government’s announcement of a Whole Family Wellbeing Fund.

“In line with the Promise’s recommendations we would like to see that national spending prioritises early, preventative support for families, therefore stripping out demand for crisis-led services.

“We are also greatly encouraged by the Scottish Government’s commitment to review and redesign the Children’s Hearing System. Through our work with very young children and families in Glasgow, we see the limitations of current justice processes in meeting the distinct needs of infants and their families.

“Given that around a third of children who come into care in Scotland are under the age of five, we need to ensure justice processes are better aligned with infants’ developmental timescales. We look forward to working alongside the Review team to ensure that the rights of infants are upheld throughout the process.”

Mary Glasgow Chief Executive of the charity Children 1st said:  “Today’s Programme for Government has rightly prioritised the right of children and their families to know they can access the help and support they need whenever they need it.  

“Children 1st have long called for a transformation in the support available to families, which must be based on learning from the – often difficult – experiences of children and their families when they have needed practical, emotional or financial help.

“The proposed £500m investment in a ‘Whole Family Wellbeing Fund’ is a hugely welcome step forward and we are committed to working alongside children and their families, and the Scottish Government, to turn this significant investment into practical action.” 

Tracy Black, CBI Scotland Director, said: “With Glasgow hosting COP26 later this year, the Scottish Government is right to focus on its plans for a net zero economy. Yet given the need to cement Scotland’s economic recovery post-pandemic, businesses will feel there ought to have been a greater focus on boosting growth. While there were encouraging mentions of greater access to finance, the devil will be in the detail.

“Firms are already decarbonising their operations, and, by working alongside government, can help urgently transform net zero ambitions into action. Reforming the planning and business rates systems – enabling much needed in investment in low carbon infrastructure – would help achieve ambitious climate targets.  

“The First Minister is also right to highlight that COVID hasn’t gone away. Scottish firms have worked tirelessly throughout the crisis to keep staff and customers safe. Businesses are not calling for a rushed return to the workplace, though employers will rightly be speaking with their employees about a gradual return in line with the latest guidance.

“As the economy reopens, skills shortages remain a key concern, so employers will be frustrated not to hear more about plans for upskilling and retraining.

“Business investment is absolutely vital to Scotland’s economic recovery, and the government should do everything in its power to attract – not repel – investment and the very best talent. Ultimately, by working more closely with business to create sustainable economic growth, ministers will be able to achieve their goals of improving people’s living standards and public services.”

Live Music Now Scotland announces 2021 audition dates & launches online application tool

  • LMNS launches online application tool as it announces 2021 audition dates
  • New tool will help LMNS continue to support musicians from across Scotland as they embark on professional careers post pandemic
  • Applications close Friday 8 October and auditions take place Tuesday 23 & Wednesday 24 November 2021
  • LMNS continues to innovate by exploring new ways to audition musicians that represents the diversity of Scotland’s music scene 

Live Music Now Scotland (LMNS) has announced its 2021 audition dates by unveiling a brand-new online application tool that will allow musicians impacted by the pandemic, and at the beginning of their professional career journeys, to apply in the most accessible and efficient way.

Taking place on Tuesday 23 and Wednesday 24 November 2021, these auditions are an opportunity for musicians from across Scotland’s many regions and diverse music scene to become part of LMNS, an opportunity that grants unparalleled access to fairly paid, professional opportunities and engagements across the country, throughout the year.

Image: Calum Huggan

LMNS has sought to make the audition application process as simple and streamlined as possible, and musicians can now apply directly via the website, where they can also find an introductory video from Director Carol Main and handy ‘how to’ tips.  

This upgraded system reflects the needs of musicians as we emerge into the ‘new normal’ and looks to support those whose careers have effectively been put on hold due to the pandemic, and who have literally been deprived a stage as they launch their careers.

With application open until Friday 8 October, soloists, duos, ensembles and every other configuration (of up to five musicians) from across Scotland are being encouraged to apply for the chance to work with this groundbreaking organisation at the heart of the country’s music scene.

Inspired by the philosophy of world-famous violinist Yehudi Menuhin, and philanthropist, Sir Ian Stoutzker, LMNS aims to bring the highest quality of music to audiences of all backgrounds, not least those who, for whatever reason, might not otherwise have access to it and who arguably, may have the most to gain by hearing it.

Not only that, LMNS is committed to supporting and facilitating musicians in the infancy of their professional careers, granting them access to new audiences and offering them a platform upon which to grow both their professional careers, and as performers.

By bringing its audition application process online, LMNS is also taking the first step in updating its audition model, as it continues to reflect the diversity and development of both the music and musicians that make up Scotland’s rich music scene.

Carol Main MBE, Director at Live Music Now Scotland, said: “We are delighted to announce our 2021 audition dates as we come to the end of a very difficult year for musicians across Scotland, and indeed the world. With restrictions beginning to ease, and the ‘new normal’ on the horizon, we can’t wait to see what the next generation of musicians based in Scotland, has to offer.

“We are also excited to launch our brand new, online application tool aimed at making the process of applying to audition as streamlined and user friendly as possible.

“We love the fact that our musicians come from a diverse range of backgrounds, span a wide variety of musical genres, and represent a multitude of cultures, and this new online tool is the first step in updating our audition process to reflect this diversity.”

LMNS has supported over 600 of musicians in launching their professional music careers and recent alumni include Ainsley Hamill whose latest album Not Just Ship Land was the Guardian’s album of the month, and who was described by RnR Magazine as “One of the best of her generation.”

Image: Ainsley Hamil

Calum Huggan, international percussionist & marimbist, has also recently released a debut album entitled American Music for Marimba, and said: “I’m always talking with my students, colleagues telling them how important LMNS was for my career in both education and performance settings, so I hope you feel a little bit of yourselves in this.”

East Lothian mum signs deal to have her Spice Pots stocked in Aldi

East Lothian based Spice Pots are the latest product to hit Aldi’s shelves for Scottish Food & Drink Fortnight.  The tasty and simple to use spice mixes feature in all 96 Aldi stores in Scotland since the 5th September.

The annual campaign, launched on 4th September, celebrates the unbeatable larder which Scotland produces, and, in support of the industry, Aldi Scotland is showcasing its largest ever special-buy range of Scottish produce.

Included in this range are Spice Pots’ Dry Spice Blend in Tandoori Masala (£1.49, 40g) or Bhuna (£1.49, 40g),which are on sale from 5th September. The Dry Spice Blends are a mix of herbs, spices and ground ingredients designed to add a punch of flavour to any meal. After enjoying success in independent shops in the Lothians and beyond, the simple, healthy and tasty curry blends will be available throughout Aldi Scotland’s 96 stores while stocks last.

Founder, Melanie Auld, began the business back in 2014 after being inspired by the Indian chefs and mothers who taught her how to cook authentic curries during her time travelling and working in Chennai, India.

Melanie believes simplicity and ease is the most effective way to encourage people to eat and cook diverse and healthy foods, and with each blend developed from her own culinary experience, she is sure that Spice Pots will be every busy family’s saviour in the kitchen.

She said: “I’m an advocate for making it easy – take the short-cut. If you can do it in one pan – then do it in one pan. The idea for Spice Pots came from watching the amazing mothers and chefs I was staying with in Chennai cook for their families and friends, but it wasn’t until I was a mother myself that I realised the complexity of cooking balanced and varied meals for others.

“I had three very small children and nothing but my creativity and a tiny kitchen when it all began in 2014. From then until now the only thing that has really changed is that I have a team who are as passionate as I am, and we have the capacity to grow and bring Spice Pots to a wider market thanks to retailers such as Aldi Scotland.

“As part of our mission to make dinner time easier, we also provide our customers with recipes, instructions and inspirations for how to use their Spice Pots to complement the seasonal produce available at that time in Scotland.  I am proud to be working with a retailer which really embodies my own mission to provide top quality, delicious and local products without all the fuss.”

Graham Nicolson, Group Buying Director, Aldi Scotland said: “Scottish Food & Drink Fortnight is one of the biggest dates in our calendar, allowing us to put the spotlight fully on our fantastic collection of Scottish producers. 

Working with Melanie and her team to offer these tasty and simple to use Spice Pots has been a pleasure and I am sure our customers will enjoy cooking up a storm with them. 

This year, we are excited to bring our largest ever Specialbuy range of Scottish sourced produce, which will truly highlight the diversity, creativity and passion of our local suppliers.”

Aldi Scotland’s Scottish Food & Drink Fortnight range will be in stores from 2nd September 2021, adding 46 products to its shelves in celebration of Scotland’s natural larder. Aldi currently stocks over 450 products from 90 suppliers and aims to reach 500 products within the next 2 years.  

You can find your nearest Aldi here.  

Joint Prosperity Plan agreed for Lothians, Borders and Fife

Citizens, businesses, and organisations across South East Scotland have helped shape a major consultation on the region’s economic future.

The Regional Prosperity Framework (PDF, 2.59MB) highlights the need to tackle inequalities and climate change, and to prioritise well-being and quality of life alongside economic growth.

The consultation took place over the summer, with public, private and third sector organisations providing their views on issues including transport and housing, education and digital inclusion.

Welcoming the Joint Prosperity Plan, City of Edinburgh council leader CllrAdam McVey said: “Edinburgh and South East Scotland is a central driver of the Scottish economy. It is essential that we use our economic success to deliver on our policies for fair work, provide opportunities to all citizens and communities and support people’s well-being.

“The Regional Prosperity Framework has been developed with input from public, private and third sector organisations and local communities and sets out our collective ambition to combine economic and social success with protecting the planet. We will work together as a region to meet that ambition.”

Garry Clark, Federation of Small Businesses Development Manager for the East of Scotland, said: “For small businesses across the Lothians, Fife and the Borders, the Regional Prosperity Framework represents an important touchstone for the collective economic ambition of the region.

“They will welcome the commitment to fostering and supporting business creation and growth and the recognition of the role that businesses play, not only in our economic prosperity, but also in social and community wellbeing.”

Cllr David Ross, Fife Council’s Co-Leader and Joint Committee Chair for the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal, said: “This document sets out long-term aspirations for the region and informs policy development for the next 20 years. 

“It has been developed with input from public, private and third sector organisations and aims to address the region’s challenges and opportunities to make Edinburgh and South East Scotland a better place to live, work, study, visit and invest for current and future generations.

“It is focused on tackling the important and pressing challenges of climate change, sustainability, biodiversity loss, inequalities, health and well-being, job creation and achieving a net zero economy.”

The Framework focuses on addressing inequalities and the challenges of creating new jobs and businesses while enabling a transition to a net zero carbon economy.

It does this through a commitment to actions that will deliver a more prosperous, innovative and resilient regional economy.

Other plans include making employment, training and education more accessible through better connected and sustainable transport.

Data-Driven Innovation is also set to play a vital role in strengthening the region’s innovation ecosystem to support organisations, irrespective of where they are based.  This will bring the region a step closer to becoming the data capital of Europe.

Another priority is creating ‘twenty minute neighbourhoods’, where residents have closer access to everyday goods, services and amenities. These include seven sites at Blindwells, Edinburgh’s Waterfront, Dunfermline, Shawfair, Winchburgh, Calderwood and Tweedbank.

The Framework builds on, and widens, the partnerships developed through the City Region Deal, paving the way for further collaboration through regional economic plans with shared outcomes, responsibilities, and aligned priorities and resources.

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750 Nursing and Midwifery posts vacant in NHS Lothian

‘STAFFING LEVELS ARE REACHING CRISIS POINT’

Julie Lamberth, RCN Scotland Board Chair, said: “I wanted to highlight statistics which have been published today from NHS Education for Scotland, which show a worrying rise in NHS Nursing and Midwifery vacancies.

“Across Scotland a record high of 4,854 nursing and midwifery posts are vacant, which is 7.1% of posts, while in NHS Lothian, 750 nursing and midwifery posts are vacant, which is 6.9% of posts.

“Staffing levels are reaching crisis point across Scotland. As well as these vacancies, a significant number of nursing staff are on work related sick leave through stress and other mental health issues. Unless this is addressed, proposals to remobilise services and increase elective capacity are simply unachievable and the NHS Recovery Plan’s proposals to recruit 1,500 additional staff woefully inadequate.

“RCN Scotland members are clear about what needs to be done. Out of the 39% of members who have told us they are thinking of leaving the nursing profession, 73% of respondents said “improved pay” and 49% said “better staffing levels” would make them feel more valued.

“Implementation of the Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Act 2019, fair pay for nursing staff in all settings and robust workforce planning are needed urgently to ensure Scotland has the nursing staff it needs to remobilise services as we continue to deal with Covid-19.”

Lothian MSP Miles Briggs said: “The number of Nursing and Midwifery posts that we have vacant across NHS Lothian is extremely concerning.

“NHS Lothian staff work incredibly hard to care for everyone who comes through their door, but the current position is unsustainable. These vacancies need to be filled for health boards to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic.

“SNP Ministers have failed to workforce plan pre-pandemic and we are seeing the consequences now, with many nurses considering leaving the profession.”

Turn the Tables

Edinburgh homeless project changing lives through DJ’ing nominated for major national award

An Edinburgh based social enterprise whose mission it is to use DJing to change the lives of people affected by homelessness, is appealing for votes in order to be crowned National Lottery Project of the Year.  

Turn the Tables beat off stiff competition from more than 1500 organisations to reach the public voting stage in this year’s National Lottery Awards, which celebrate the inspirational people and projects who do extraordinary things with the help of National Lottery funding.   

There are 17 shortlisted finalists from across the UK, who will compete in a four-week public vote to be named the inaugural National Lottery Project of the Year. Winners will receive a £3,000 cash prize for their project and an iconic National Lottery Awards trophy.  

Turn The Tables was started in 2018 by Robbie Tolson, an Edinburgh-based professional DJ, when he volunteered at a homelessness charity. He set up DJ workshops for people living in hostels and temporary accommodation with the vision to share his passion for DJing and live performance.  This grew into Turn The Tables.   

A National Lottery grant received during the pandemic was a lifeline for the organisation and has enabled them to further expand their work in Edinburgh and Glasgow with The Homelessness DJ project.

Participants graduate through three creative stages from beginner to professional, with the programme culminating in a live stream performance. Some recent graduates of the project have done so well they have been offered positions as Turn The Tables resident DJs and have been booked to perform live under the Turn The Tables banner at major events including the recent Riverside Music Festival in Glasgow.  

Robbie Tolson, founder of Turn The Tables, said: “We are delighted to have been made a finalist in this year’s National Lottery Awards, especially after such a tough year.    

“Our belief is that nobody should live their life without live music. That’s why we have created a safe environment for vulnerable people, who often avoid music venues and events, to not only experience live music but to also be the headline act.   

“We are so proud of all the people involved in this project and the positive changes being made by so many.  To be recognised for that is an honour and we really hope people will get behind us and give us their vote.”    

Jonathan Tuchner, from The National Lottery, added: “In these challenging times that we still find ourselves in, we see so many examples of inspirational work throughout our communities, driven by these very projects.

“It’s thanks to National Lottery players, who raise more than £30 million each week for good causes, that brilliant projects like these, are possible.    

“Turn The Tables are doing some incredible work in their local community and they thoroughly deserve to be in the finals of the National Lottery Awards Project of the Year 2021. With your support, they could be a winner.”  

To vote for Turn The Tables, please go to lotterygoodcauses.org.uk/awards.  Or simply use the Twitter hashtag #NLATables. Voting runs from 9am on 6th September until 5pm on 4th October. 

Almost 20,000 drivers caught without insurance in Scotland last year

  • Up from more than 14,000 in 2019
  • Over the last two years, Scottish drivers have collectively paid out a whopping £2 million to release their car after being seized by police forces.
  • More than 4,500 cars were destroyed by local police forces in 2019 and 2020, with a further 1,100 being auctioned, raising more than £500,000.
  • In total, offences increased by 16% across the UK between 2019 and 2020, with more than 101,000 drivers caught driving without insurance last year alone.
  • Further research finds a third (33%) of UK drivers have borrowed or driven another car without necessarily having the right insurance in place.
  • Can I drive someone else’s car on my insurance? Confused.com clears up confusion as one in seven (14%) drivers are unaware of the rules around driving other cars.

The number of uninsured drivers in Scotland has increased by 37%, new data finds, as local police forces report close to 20,000 offences during last year alone.

That’s according to new Freedom of Information data obtained by Confused.com, which showed that the number of motorists caught driving without the correct insurance in Scotland increased from 14,363 in 2019, to 19,726 in 2020.

This means those caught could have collectively paid more than £10 million in fines over the two years, based on the minimum penalty dished out to offenders being £300.

When a driver is caught without the right insurance, the police are within their rights to not only issue fines but also seize the car in question. Offenders would then need to show evidence of a valid car insurance policy to release the car and pay a fee.

In 2020, a total of 8,811 cars were seized across Scotland, up from 6,851 in the previous year. This could be from the number of cars seized after being stopped, or those found on the road without insurance. And collectively, a whopping £2 million was paid by drivers in the region to release their car, which could have been on top of the fines they’ve already paid, proving to be a very costly mistake to make!

Cars that aren’t reclaimed could be destroyed. In fact, over the last two years, more than 4,500 cars were destroyed by police in Scotland. Or alternatively, they could be sold off at an auction, which was the case for 1,161 of the cars seized in 2019 and 2020. This raised a very nice sum of £500,000, averaging at around £431 made per car.

It’s a similar picture across the rest of the UK, where 100,983 motorists were caught without insurance in 2020, up from 86,914 in 2019 (+16%).

Taking out car insurance is one of the first things drivers must do when they buy or lease a car. And as it stands, all insurance policies are set to automatically renew at the end of their terms so that a driver is never left without cover. So why are so many drivers being caught out?

Previous research by Confused.com shows that many people cancelled their car insurance throughout the coronavirus pandemic to save money, which could explain the increase in offences last year.

However, new research has found that a worrying one in three (33%) UK drivers have borrowed or driven another car without necessarily having the right insurance.

Of those drivers, more than half (52%) did so under the assumption that they would be covered, while close to one in six (16%) knew they didn’t have the right insurance in place. Almost two in three (64%) made the excuse that they were only making a short trip, while more than half (58%) took the gamble because the owner of the car was with them.

While it seems that many people are knowingly taking the risk by driving uninsured, the research also found that many drivers are confused about what their insurance policy allows them to do.

Nearly one in six (16%) UK drivers find it confusing to know if their policy allows them to drive other cars, while one in seven (14%) don’t know the requirements.

According to Confused.com’s experts, driving other cars (DOC) isn’t something that is automatically included on comprehensive policies, despite many believing that it is. In fact, not all insurers will offer it as an option. It’s simply there for emergencies, such as if a friend has had an accident and needs driving to the hospital.

But to have DOC on their policy there are a few requirements drivers must meet, including:

  • They must be aged 25 or over when the policy starts.
  • Their own car insurance policy needs to be a fully comprehensive one.
  • The other car must have insurance already.
  • More information is is available here.

Worryingly, many drivers are unaware of the rules around driving other cars. In fact, one in eight (12%) wrongly believe its true that you are automatically insured to drive another car if you have comprehensive policy at any age, while a further one in eight (13%) believe this to be the case if you have a comprehensive policy and are over the age of 25.

However, experts suggest that motorists can only drive another car if their policy explicitly specifies it, although this will only cover for third-party damage, or if they are a named driver on the owner’s policy, in which case they would be covered for the same level as the policy holder.

This seems to be a popular option for the two in three (68%) drivers who drive or have access to another car. Almost half (49%) of these drivers are insured as a named driver, while almost two in five (39%) are insured on their own comprehensive policy.

However, it seems that drivers who have access to another car aren’t necessarily using it regularly. In fact, only one in four (25%) will use the second car at least once a week, while one in five (21%) claim to use it very rarely. But this isn’t surprising, given that more than a fifth (22%) claim they only have access to another car to reduce the insurance premium.

In fact, Confused.com car insurance price index (Q2 2021) data does suggest that this can reduce prices for some drivers, with the average premium dropping by as much as £204 for having another person on the policy(3). However, for two in five (41%) drivers, they have the option of which car to use depending on the journey they make.

Despite so many motorists being insured to drive another car, a worrying one in two (54%) admit they would still jump behind the wheel of another car without insurance, with almost two in five (38%) claiming they would take the risk in an emergency. However, this is a point that many drivers raised throughout the research, with one in three (30%) believing that having DOC on an insurance policy is important for emergencies, while more than one in five (22%) thinking it should be standard on all comprehensive policies.

Either way, it’s important for drivers to understand that having a comprehensive policy doesn’t automatically entitle them to drive another vehicle, and that they could in fact be hit with a very hefty fine.

And when it comes to buying or renewing a car insurance policy, having a conviction for driving without insurance is likely to increase your premium, with some insurers potentially not offering cover at all.

If a driver needs to use another car, Confused.com’s guide to driving other cars explains how to check if this is included on an insurance policy, or search for alternatives to help motorists avoid fines.

Alex Kindred, car insurance expert at Confused.com, said: “Driving without insurance is an offence that can be costly in fines but can also damage your record when it comes to applying for a new car insurance policy.

“Not only this, but you could risk having to pay to have your car released, which when you consider the fine as well, could end up costing you more than an insurance policy itself!

“Insurers appreciate that there are some emergency situations where you may need to jump behind the wheel of a car you don’t own, which is why some offer driving other cars within their comprehensive policy. But being over 25 or having a comprehensive policy doesn’t automatically entitle you to this. This must be outlined in your policy, or you do risk the penalty.

“If you’re confused about whether you policy allows you to drive another car, we’ve outlined what policies tend to cover, and how you can add it to your policy in our guide to driving other cars. Though it’s important to remember that this will only cover for third party damage.”

Scottish Children’s Services Coalition: More than 1,600 children have been waiting over a year for mental health treatment

The Scottish Children’s Services Coalition (SCSC), an alliance of leading providers of children’s services, has called for significantly increased investment in mental health services and warned of a mental health pandemic as the impacts of Covid-19 on the young become clearer.

The call comes as new figures published today (7th September 2021) from Public Health Scotland indicate that at the end of June 2021, 1,686 children and young people had been waiting over a year for treatment from specialist child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) provided by the NHS. This figure represents a doubling from June 2020 (787).They also represent 14.4 per cent of those waiting for specialist treatment.

With already under-resourced and overstretched services facing overwhelming pressure due to increased demand, the SCSC has raised concerns over a potential “lost generation” of vulnerable children and young people whose mental health is being impacted by Covid-19. 

Even prior to the pandemic cases of poor mental health were at unprecedented levels and there are a growing number of vulnerable children who cannot access adequate support. This was further reinforced by a recent blog post from Antony Clark, a director for public health watchdog, Audit Scotland, who noted that “serious concerns have existed for years”, and that action was now more urgent given the impact of the pandemic on young people.

Figures issued last month showed that self-harm among the young in Scotland was at its the highest level for 14 years and this is undoubtedly only the tip of the iceberg.3

While 4,552 children and young people were treated over the period April to June 2021 by CAMHS, only 72.6 per cent were seen within the Scottish Government’s waiting time target for the NHS of 18 weeks from referral to treatment (met for at least 90 per cent of patients).4 Nine out of 14 health boards failed to meet this target (full table in Notes to Editors).

In addition to increased investment in mental health services, the SCSC has called for a renewed focus on expanded prevention and early intervention services, reducing the need for referral to costly specialist CAMHS. It has also called for greater partnership working between the public, private and third sectors as well as greater awareness of the services on offer, especially those at a community level.

A spokesperson for the SCSC commented: “These frightening statistics highlight the challenges ahead and while we welcome a commitment by the Scottish Government to increase investment in mental health services to 1 per cent of NHS spending over the next five years, we need this investment now. 

“This increased investment should not however just apply to the NHS and one of the key problems is that early intervention support has not been available due to funding restrictions.  Investing in early intervention limits the need for highly costly CAMHS and increasing resourcing in support services and intervention strategies must be a priority for this government.

“We have for some time raised concerns over a potential lost generation of vulnerable children and young people, whose mental health is being impacted even further by the Covid-19 pandemic.  It is more important then ever that children can access the support they need, when they need it, irrespective of where they live.

“This is a crisis we can overcome, but it will require a similar energy and commitment to that demonstrated for Covid-19 if we are to achieve this and prevent many young people giving up on their futures.”