GPs and health professionals in Scotland can now get a free one-hour training session on the diagnosis and management of M.E./CFS. This module, based on ten case studies, also supports the management of Long Covid symptoms.
Action for M.E. is very excited to launch a new partnership project in Scotland: Learn about M.E. – the M.E./CFS Professional Development Project in Scotland.
This project is a partnership between Action for M.E., The M.E. Association, #MEAction Scotland, The 25% Group and Dr. Nina Muirhead. Dr Muirhead, who developed a free online Continuing Professional Development (CPD) module in partnership with the UK CFS/M.E. Research Collaborative (CMRC,) became ill with M.E./CFS in 2016.
Dr. Muirhead said: “Only after I developed M.E. myself did I realize that I had not understood the illness. Feeling the devastating impact of M.E. on myself and my life I felt determined to offer something that changed that experience for other people.”
Many people with M.E. face disbelief and stigma around their illness and do not receive the appropriate care and support they need. This project provides vital information to GPs and Health Professionals in Scotland to assist them to diagnose and manage the symptoms of M.E./CFS. This module is also likely to be applicable to a subset of COVID patients who may develop post viral M.E./CFS and could be harmed by inappropriate advice to exercise.
There are around 20,000 adults and children living with M.E. in Scotland.
Action for M.E.’s Big Survey 2019 found that over 35% of respondents who live with M.E. in Scotland were not at all confident that their GP understood their condition. In addition, only 7% of children and young people and 16% of adults are obtaining a diagnosis within the current NICE and Scottish Good Practice Statement on ME-CFS guideline timescale of three months and four months respectively. Almost one in five adults (18%) waited more than six years for a diagnosis.
This training module on M.E./CFS will improve knowledge of the illness; reduce delays to diagnosis, reduce the likelihood of multiple unnecessary referrals and investigations and the potential for harm for people with M.E.
General Practitioners, Medical students and Allied Health Professionals will receive 1 hour CPD upon successful completion of the course.
The Scottish Government’s Neurological Framework funding is supporting the project to improve knowledge relating to diagnosis and management of M.E./CFS. Dr. Nina Muirhead is developing a complementary podcast and short opinion pieces to support dissemination and take up in Scotland.
Since January this year, Pilton Equalities Project (PEP) have been using our minibuses to deliver PPE to vaccination centres.
Last week PEP took on an important new role – transporting nurses to administer the vaccine to homebound individuals. We will continue working with the NHS over the coming months to ensure hundreds of vulnerable people are vaccinated against COVID-19.
The City of Edinburgh Council have also been working with us to coordinate the transportation of nurses. We’re really proud of this role.
Thank you and well done to all of our drivers and to our community transport partners at ECTOG who are also providing this valuable service across the city.
Based on the IPCC report, it explains the climate functioning and the consequences of its disruption. It gives the opportunity to learn a lot in a very short period of time and addresses both novices and experts.
If the workshop is too expensive for you, contact us : contact@climatecollage.org
How the game works:
The workshop is based on a 42-card game. Each card represents an element, a cause or a consequence of climate change.
As a team, guided by your facilitator, you are to find the cause-effect relationship between the different components of climate change. Collective intelligence will get you from one deck of card to the next!
This step-by-step reconstruction provides keys to understand the complexity and develop an overview of climate change.
The workshop’s program:
A Brief History Of “The Climate Collage “ Icebreaker Reconstruction of the Climate Collage guided by your facilitator A little pause in between if needed Creative phase Debrief + time to share, express thoughts and feelings
REMEMBER: The workshop takes place online, a good internet connection is necessary.
Practical information:Make sure to have installed the zoom.us software, which will be the workshop’s communication platform.
You will receive an email with all the technical information you need, including the link to join the meeting two days and one minute before the workshop starts.
Please take your ticket only if you are sure that you can make it !
About our partner organisations
The Communities for Conservation project is run by Edinburgh & Lothians Regional Equality Council and is funded by the Climate Challenge Fund.
It aims to inspire Ethnic Minority communities in Edinburgh and Livingston to save carbon.
Edinburgh & Lothians Regional Equality Council (ELREC) is made up of individual members and representatives from a wide range of organisations and has a remit to work across the areas of City of Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian & West Lothian Councils.
Please contact event organiser Claire with any specific questions: mrn.claire@gmail.com
Doctors are urging employers to plan for the effects of Long COVID now as cases continue to grow. Without planning how to manage the condition in advance, employers risk being left with big staffing problems.
“The Medical profession knows about post viral syndromes, but the potential scale and complexity of Long COVID is presenting new challenges” says Dr. Greg Irons MBChB MFOM, an occupational health specialist practising in London.
“The UK Government’s Office for National Statistics published data last November showing that around one in five people who tested positive for COVID-19 had symptoms that lasted for 5 weeks or longer – and one in ten people had symptoms that lasted for 12 weeks or longer” he said.
One large study recently published in The Lancet following 1,733 adults in Wuhan who were recovering from COVID found 76% of patients reported at least one post-viral symptom. More than 50% showed chest problems on scans. Other studies have shown many patients had lingering lung problems three-months after infection.
Considering that approaching 4 million people in the UK have tested positive so far (and the true number of infections is likely to be higher), employers are potentially looking at a significant number of Long COVID cases within the UK workforce.
Difficult to Prove
It is likely to be challenging for employers and doctors to navigate the complexities of Long COVID. Unless a PCR swab test was taken (and gave a positive result) at the time of infection, or specific (highly accurate) antibody testing was done in the weeks soon after, it is difficult to prove if an employee has had COVID-19 or not.
Importantly, a negative result from an antibody test does not mean an employee has not had COVID-19. Over time, antibody levels may have depleted and become undetectable. Consequently, it can be impossible to definitively confirm if an employee has had COVID-19 in the past.
Because the diagnosis is subjective and the symptoms are varied, Long COVID is reminiscent of other chronic conditions, which can also be challenging for employers to manage. Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME) and some types of chronic back pain are just some examples.
There is no definitive guide for exactly how long it may take to fully recover from Long COVID. Recovery times can be different for every patient, although symptoms usually resolve within 12 weeks for most people. This will present difficulties for employers.
As far as is understood, the chances of developing Long COVID are not thought to be linked to the severity of the initial infection. Some patients report long-term problems, although were not hospitalised during the initial infection. New or ongoing symptoms can occur and can also change dramatically at any time.
Psychological & Physical Repercussions
Many patients are reporting psychological or cognitive concerns following infection, sometimes long after they have recovered.
Mike Battista, Staff Scientist at Cambridge Brain Sciences, the online platform for assessing cognitive function says: “With COVID-19, the severity of cognitive impairments can vary widely from person to person.
“Traditional methods of measuring those problems are usually a one-off binary decision: is someone severely impaired or not? Clinicians are much better served by a continuous measure of cognitive capacity to track subtle changes over time.”
However, assessing the physical elements of Long COVID can also be very difficult. Physiotherapy can certainly help, although rehabilitation is likely to require care and support from many different medical disciplines. That is not always a straightforward process.
Consequently, rehabilitation from Long COVID may involve a multi-disciplinary approach. That can take time and requires employee consent. Primary Care, Occupational Health, Respiratory Physiotherapy and other services are likely be involved. This may well require significant patience and co-ordination, especially if it is led by an employer.
“Just because an employee has a long-term medical condition, it does not mean an employer has no options” says Magnus Kauders, Managing Director of Occupational Health Assessment Ltd, a nationwide occupational health provider. “Rehabilitation can be time consuming and tricky, but it can be done” he said.
“As a last recourse, the capability channel will remain available for employers. However, that will usually require professional insight, at the very least support from occupational health and probably specialist legal support”, he continued.
Clinicians are already suggesting that the future support for Long COVID recovery will involve a much more nuanced approached than historical approaches to rehabilitation.
It will also involve cutting-edge tools providing doctors and employers with an objective evaluation of each patient’s progress at every stage of their rehabilitation.
Although these tools to support rehabilitation are there, it still may not be an easy path for employers. “It is likely to require physical, psychological, biological and social support, possibly for many years to come” says Dr. Irons.
Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by Dr Helen Flaherty, Head of Health Promotion at Heart Research UK
Move more when staying at home
Getting motivated to exercise outdoors during the cold, dark winter months can be challenging. Keeping physically active this winter, while the gyms and sports facilities are closed due to COVID-19, presents us with a unique challenge.
Regular physical activity is strongly associated with a reduced risk of chronic conditions, such as cardiovascular disease, obesity and type 2 diabetes as well as improving mental health. Even small increases in physical activity can positively impact on health. Heart Research UK have some tips to help you keep active when staying at home.
Exercises you can do inside your home
Find exercises that you can do at home in short bursts of ten minutes or more, at regular intervals throughout the day. For example, you could try some gentle weight-lifting, using cans of baked beans. The NHS provide tips for exercising without gym equipment: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/gym-free-workouts/
Replace your daily commute with physical activity
If you are working, or studying from home, you may be saving time that would normally be spent on your daily commute. Why not put this time to good use by scheduling in some physical activity. For example, you could go for a brisk walk, jog or cycle outdoors or walk briskly around the house, including going up and down flights of stairs.
Don’t be a couch potato
Rather than spending your evenings sitting on the sofa without moving much, why not try a few gentle exercises, such as leg raises, while watching your favourite TV show.
It is common for children and young people to spend too much time sitting in front of a screen. Why not talk to your children about the importance of staying active and agree on a set amount of screen time each day/week and schedule in some time for getting active?
If you tend to engage in hobbies that don’t require you to move very much, look for new hobbies that will get you moving, such as gardening, walking, weight-lifting or dancing.
Avoid long periods of inactivity
Set a timer to go off at specific times throughout the day to prompt you to do ten (or more) minutes of physical activity. Any activity is better than none. You can include a variety of light, moderate and vigorous activities. E.g. a brisk walk, sit-ups, weight-lifting, gardening or housework.
Trussell Trust report says one in five ‘very likely’ to turn to food banks if Universal Credit uplift is removed
Nearly a quarter of a million parents on Universal Credit fear not being able to properly feed their children if cut to benefit goes ahead, according to new report.
The report from the Trussell Trust warns of growing need for food banks from people claiming Universal Credit as one in five people on the benefit say that they are ‘very likely’ to turn to one, if the £20 rise is removed.
The Trussell Trust is urgently calling on the government to keep the £20 weekly uplift to Universal Credit due to end in April, as a survey reveals the alarming consequences of cutting it.
When the pandemic first hit, the government increased Universal Credit payments by £20 each week which the charity says has prevented tens of thousands of people from needing to use a food bank.
But new research conducted by YouGov on behalf of the Trussell Trust finds 41% of people claiming Universal Credit – representing more than 2.4m people across the UK – fear they will be very likely to cut back on food for themselves if the planned cut goes ahead in April.
Worryingly, 13% of parents surveyed – representing more than 220,000 families – think they would be very likely to cut back on food for their children, meaning they simply would not have enough money to cover the basics.
The report forecasts an increase in the need for food banks amongst people claiming Universal Credit with 20% of people on Universal Credit -representing 1.2 million people – saying they would ‘very likely’ turn to a food bank for help with £20 less a week.
This comes on top of record levels of need experienced at food banks throughout the charity’s network during the pandemic, with huge increases in emergency food going to children. Further, it says these figures are just the tip of the iceberg, as many people will have been helped by other community groups.
The charity says this is about more than food with millions of people set to struggle to pay for clothing and to heat their homes and many saying they will be plunged into debt as a result of the cut.
With just weeks to go until the reduction is due, the charity insists this situation can be turned around. The report shows how the uplift provided welcome relief to hard-pressed budgets, with seven in 10 (72%) people claiming Universal Credit since early 2020 saying it has made buying essentials easier.
The charity joins many other organisations in urging the government to make the uplift permanent, or maintain it for one year at the very least, as well as extend it to people on legacy benefits who were denied the uplift last year.
It adds that only by keeping this lifeline in the longer-term will it be possible to work towards creating a hunger free future.
Emma Revie, chief executive at the Trussell Trust, said:“The £20 increase to Universal Credit introduced at the start of the pandemic has been vital in protecting tens of thousands of people from being swept into serious financial hardship.
!This survey reveals the shocking consequences of what lies ahead if this lifeline is cut in April. This isn’t right. No one should have to suffer the indignity of relying on emergency food.
“It’s clear that action is needed to ensure our benefits system provides people with enough money to cover the essentials. That’s why we’re insisting the government turns this situation around. Keeping the £20 Universal Credit uplift, and extending it to legacy benefits, will provide an anchor from poverty for people who need it most.
“The government should continue to do the right thing and keep this lifeline. It is a crucial step in moving towards a hunger free future for the UK.”
NHS Lothian is putting the final preparations in place for NHS Lothian’s only drive-through mass vaccination centre before it goes live this week.
The drive-through centre at Queen Margaret University (QMU) in East Lothian, will become the first of its kind in Lothian when it opens to thousands of patients on Wednesday (Feb 10).
Teams of vaccinators will be able to deliver the life-saving vaccinations to patients while they remain in their own car.
QMU is the third mass vaccination centre to open in Lothian, following the EICC and the Royal Highland Centre. It will initially be capable of vaccinating approximately 720 people per day at 12 stations.
Colin Briggs, Director of Strategic Planning, NHS Lothian, said: “The opening of our third mass vaccination centre and our only drive through is a significant moment for NHS Lothian and for East Lothian.
“A lot of planning has gone into the preparation of the QMU site to ensure that the venue runs as smoothly as possible. It has taken a lot of work, in a short time to get us to this point and I’m really proud of all of the work and effort from all of our teams.
“We have now vaccinated the vast majority of our first priority groups, including frontline health and social care staff; care home staff and residents and people over the age of 80.”
This has been a landmark week for NHS Lothian after it reached the milestone of delivering the vaccine to more than 100,000 people.
Lothian GPs have delivered a quarter (25%) of all vaccines given in surgeries across Scotland and some practices have had a 99% uptake of vaccine in offer in the over 80s.
Mr Briggs added: “We have reached a major milestone this week in the programme, with over 100,000 people vaccinated across Lothian, along with thousands more expected in the coming weeks.
“It is due to the hard work undertaken by our staff and partners that this has been achieved and we thank them for their efforts.
“Our message has been clear from the start – if we wish our lives to return to normal we need to vaccinate as many people as possible. This will help save lives and provide protection to all our communities.
“When you do receive an appointment, we really would urge you to keep it, even if it is at a centre which is not closest to your home. We need to move fast to provide protection to as many people as possible and the easiest way to do that is for people to keep their original appointment where possible.”
People aged between 75-79 and those most clinically vulnerable will continue to be given appointments to be vaccinated by their GP, while those aged between 70-74 and 65 to 69 are now being invited to mass vaccination sites and smaller community venues for their injections, depending on their need.
Sir Paul Grice, Principal of Queen Margaret University, said the university was proud to join forces to help in the battle against COVID-19.
He added: “Throughout our history, the University has been focused on tackling some of the most pressing issues facing society. We are proud to play our part in supporting the biggest mass vaccination programme our country has ever undertaken.”
Paul McGirk, Chief Executive of Hub South East, NHS Lothian’s Development Partner, said: “We are delighted to be working with NHS Lothian in the roll out of the Covid-19 vaccination centres across the region – surely one of the most important infrastructure developments in recent times.
“Our contractor, Morrison Construction, our designers and the rest of our supply chain partners are making excellent progress, pulling out all the stops to ensure that the QMU site is handed over safely, to a high quality and on time for its first patients to receive vaccines this week.
“Following the opening of the EICC Centre last week, and with more set to open in the coming weeks, this has been a fantastic partnership effort by everyone involved. From sourcing appropriate venues, to contract negotiation, design and construction on site, this demonstrates the spectrum of services available through the Hub programme and shows just what can be achieved by working together. Hub South East is delighted to be playing its part in this vital national effort.”
NHS Lothian has been working with councils, health and social care partnerships and other partners in recent weeks.
On February 15, a vaccination centre with 32 stations will be created at Edinburgh Park in the former Royal Bank of Scotland building, followed by another site at the Royal Highland Centre which is expected in March.
Smaller community clinics will deliver vaccinations in the local area for people with complex needs or who, for other reasons, absolutely cannot and would not be expected to travel to a mass centre.
If patients absolutely cannot keep the appointment they have been given, they are being asked to call the COVID-19 Vaccination Helpline on 0800 030 8013 to rearrange their appointment. If they are aged 75 and over, they should phone their GP practice to rearrange their appointment.
The Scottish Government has welcomed a call from the United Nations for urgent action to tackle deepening food insecurity, poverty and injustice in the UK.
A report published today sets out the actions being taken in Scotland to protect human rights and ensure access to food for people on low incomes.
It comes in response to concerns raised last year with the UK Government by two leading international experts who act as Special Rapporteurs to the UN Human Rights Council.
Professor Michael Fakhri and Professor Olivier De Schutter wrote to UK Ministers last August about an alarming increase in food insecurity and poverty in the UK. They requested a response within 60 days.
Communities Secretary Aileen Campbell said: “The UN’s analysis has pointed to the systematic failings of the UK welfare system that have left people in hardship and crisis.
“Far too many people have experienced austerity, hunger and destitution as a direct consequence of UK Government policies and I am disappointed it has not yet issued a formal response to highlight how this will be tackled.
“Our detailed report highlights bold measures to put more money in people’s pockets, including our game-changing new Scottish Child Payment and our commitment to the Fair Work Action Plan and promoting the real Living Wage.
“The Scottish Government has now committed more than half a billion in social protection since the onset of the pandemic, including £130 million targeted at tackling food insecurity.
“However as long as key levers to move the dial on poverty and inequality remain at Westminster, the Scottish Government will continue to call on the UK Government to make the changes required to protect us all so we end the need for food banks and ensure everyone can afford to buy the food they need.”
Peter Kelly, Director of the Poverty Alliance, said: “Even before the pandemic began, significant numbers of people in Scotland were experiencing food insecurity. Over the last year we have seen many more swept into poverty.
“The Scottish Government’s report highlights that a ‘cash first’ response is the right approach, whether to replace Free School Meal provision or to make more crisis grants available to those who need them.
“Boosting incomes is critical to reducing food insecurity over the long term. Investing in the UK social security system will prevent more people being set adrift. Retaining the £20 uplift to Universal Credit next month will help loosen the grip of poverty and will act as a financial lifeline for thousands.”
As schools remain shut, homeschooling is something that all parents are coming to terms with during this latest lockdown. It can be hard thinking of new ways to keep kids entertained, as well as learning whilst they are out of school.
Lex-GO! is the super-fast word game from Waddingtons No. 1, that is not only fun and exciting but also helps kids with spelling and vocabulary.
Waddingtons No.1 of London is an iconic British heritage brand that as been around for over 130 years.
In this game race against other players to get rid of your word tiles by swapping letters and even stealing your opponents’ tiles. There are two versions; Harry Potter and Disney and both include special tiles that help you win the game.
EXPELLIARMUS – disarm another player by messing up their tiles
DEPULSO – banish one of your tiles from the round if you need to
REVELIO – allows the holder to look at any number of tiles in the draw pile before choosing which to swap
STUPEFY – choose a player to close their eyes and count out loud for 10 seconds, before they re-join the round
The POLYJUICE tile may be nominated as any letter in a word. Once used in a word the player must announce what letter it is and it remains that letter throughout the round
GENIE – your wish is granted! You can take a total of any 3 tiles from any other players
WRECK IT RALPH – it’s time to wreck it! Shuffle one player’s words
OLAF – whoops! Olaf walked over your tiles and now they’re frozen in place for 10 seconds
ARIEL – here’s one to add to your collection! You can take any tile from another player if it completes a word for you
The MICKY tile may be nominated as any letter in a word. Once used in a word the player must announce what letter it is and it remains that letter throughout the round
Making the most out of existing space could drastically add to the value of a property, with additional bedrooms increasing the value by as much as 20% according to experts, or £51,200 considering the average house price in England (£256,000).
The research by self-storage company, Space Station, found several ways in which homeowners can increase the value of their homes without paying for an extension, and instead simply making the most of existing space in a property.
Creating an open plan living area, installing an additional bathroom, or adding another bedroom can all be accomplished for a lot less than the cost of an extension, and in many cases, this does not require planning permission.
Here are five ways you can maximise existing space to increase property value:
1. Convert a room into a bedroom (20% increase in value, £51K of average house price)
Converting the purpose of a room can add extra value to a property and costs very little to do effectively.
Having an office or a games room may seem desirable, but when it comes to adding value, the number of bedrooms is the figure buyers pay the most attention to, so converting a room into a bedroom will see the greatest increase in value.
As a compromise, consider making a room dual purpose, allowing it to serve as both a guest bedroom and a home office.
Holly Herbert, from We Buy Any House, said: “Not every homeowner is in a position to renovate their property, so thankfully there are other things that they can do on a budget instead.
“A great option is to use an existing room as another bedroom, especially if you have office space. Adding a bedroom to a property can increase the value by up to 20% and can be done easily enough with some redecorating and reorganising.”
2. Convert your loft space (20% increase in value, £51K of average house price)
Alternatively, a more expensive solution is to invest in a loft conversion. This is especially useful if you do not have spare rooms which you’re able to convert, or if you want to increase the number of bedrooms whilst keeping your office space.
As lofts are generally used for storage, some homeowners may be left with a temporary shortage of space for these items. This can easily be solved however by temporarily renting storage whilst you undertake the work. Long term, you can find inventive and creative ways to create storage as part of the loft conversion, by installing storage units in the dead space.
Holly said: “For homeowners who are keen to add an extra room but don’t have an office space or dining area to sacrifice, a loft conversion can be the perfect solution.
“You will need to make sure that if you’re intending to advertise your loft conversion as another bedroom that it’s up to regulations, as it will need to be a certain size and have a door, as well as being safe.”
3. Create an open-plan living area (15% increase in value, £38K of average house price)
Open plan living areas are incredibly desirable for house-hunters, and they are a great way to make your living area and kitchen feel modern and bigger than they would as separate rooms.
Knocking down the interior walls could be a DIY job, but it’s important that you establish whether the wall is load bearing. If it is then you will need to ask for expert help to find a solution, as knocking down a load bearing wall could have disastrous consequences.
Holly said: “Creating an open-plan living area can increase your value by up to as much as 15% when done well and will almost always encourage potential viewers to make an offer on the property.”
4. Install additional toilets or bathrooms (5% increase in value, £13K of average house price)
A spare storage room or under-stairs cupboard could be converted into an additional toilet, and you can even add an extra bathroom to a property if you have the room.
This is especially worthwhile for homes with a limited number of existing bathrooms, but you should beware of losing a bedroom. A good option would be to create a small en-suite if you have a large bedroom.
Adding extra bathroom facilities could increase the property value by as much as 5%2 and is especially worthwhile in older houses that may have fewer existing bathrooms.
5. Create storage solutions out of spare space (up to 5% increase in value, £13K of average house price)
Making the most out of nooks and crannies in your home can really make features stand out, as well as adding value.
Converting under-stairs cupboards or alcoves into storage areas helps to make your living areas more practical, as well as adding value by making your home look more unique and functional.
Holly says: “The value added by storage is difficult to pin down and varies hugely depending on the storage in question. Large scale projects like a wine cellar or basement renovation can add a significant amount to the value, whereas low key storage solutions will increase it by a lower amount.
“However, storage is very appealing to buyers, so even if it does not significantly increase the overall value, it will help to make a property more desirable.”
Vlatka Lake, Marketing Manager at Space Station, said: “Adding value to your property is something that can be easily done by any homeowner, and whatever the size of their budget.
“We hope that these tips can inspire people to make the most of their spare space, helping them to maximise their property value when they come to sell.”
