SELECT urges response to electrical sector consultation

As the long-running campaign for professional recognition of electricians in Scotland nears its final stages, SELECT has warned that the clock is ticking for those who want to help influence the sector’s future.

Scotland’s largest construction trade association is reminding professionals that the deadline to respond to a second consultation on the regulation of the electrical industry is Friday February 12 – and is urging interested parties to take part before it’s too late.

The consultation was launched by Jamie Hepburn, MSP, the Minister for Business, Fair work and Skills, and SELECT says the fact that further parliamentary investigation into regulation is being made is an extremely encouraging sign.

It also points to a first consultation by Conservative MSP Jamie Halcro Johnston, which closed on November 10 last year and received more than 140 submissions, more than 90 per of which were positive.

Alan Wilson, Managing Director of SELECT, said: “We have been overwhelmed by the levels of support we have received, and the huge range of people who have publicly backed us through channels such as our Wall of Support.

“This second consultation another great opportunity for the industry to take part in and shape the future. It is a further chance for Scotland to demonstrate that we are committed to a safer industry and we would urge that all interested parties make their submission to the latest consultation.”

SELECT argues that only government legislation can bring about “comfort and security” for customers across the country and end the scourge of unqualified people passing themselves off as electrical professionals.

Among those who have responded to the latest consultation are the Civil Engineering Contractors Association Scotland. 

Grahame Barn, its Chief Executive (below) , said: “It seems a glaring anomaly that when virtually every other trade in the UK is regulated, that no such scheme operates for electricians.”

The Supplier Development Programme has also taken part, with manager Gillian Cameron saying: “Protection of title could reduce the amount of evidence required by public sector buying organisations into a single certification to determine if electricians are competent to carry out work in Scotland.”

SELECT has been campaigning for years with other leading industry bodies, such as the Scottish Joint Industry Board (SJIB) and Scottish Electrical Charitable Training Trust (SECTT), to ensure that those who work in the industry do so in a safe and competent manner.

Its campaign, which has been raised in the Scottish Parliament, is being backed by membership bodies, industry figures, professional services and individuals from across the country – and has received unprecedented levels of cross-party support from politicians.

Monica Lennon, MSP, who currently is challenging for the leadership of the Labour Party in Scotland, said in her Wall of Support message: “Poor quality electrical work carries huge risks to people’s homes, their businesses and even their lives.

“It is vitally important that consumers are helped to make informed choices whenever they employ an electrician.”

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie said: “I fully support the importance of using professionals in all aspects of construction work, be they multi-million-pound contracts or small domestic works.

“It is vital that we ensure only properly trained, qualified and competent people carry out these works.”

Mr Wilson pointed out that any real and effective change must be underpinned by legislation. He said voluntary regimes have never addressed the issue of dangerous and poor work often undertaken by unqualified or partially qualified persons.

He said that the Scottish Government needs to introduce a package of measures which must include Protection of Title. Establishing a single register based on the existing SJIB model would provide the comfort and security to a customer that someone calling themselves an electrician was qualified and competent.

Mr Wilson said: “There is a strong economic case for legislation. Scotland is investing £1.6 billion over the next five years in decarbonising the heat in buildings and it makes sense that those undertaking that programme are trained, qualified and competent.

“But there is also a social side. Protecting title and making the role of electrician a profession will lead to greater interest in the industry and more opportunities for women and ethnic minorities to join it, which would be a significant advantage to us all.”

·        The latest consultation can be completed here.

“Sleepy trusts” could release millions of pounds for public benefit

Foundation Scotland and OSCR to work together to revive around 400 dormant trusts in Scotland

The Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) and Foundation Scotland have revealed they’re preparing to launch a brand new project which could unlock additional funding for charities and other community and voluntary groups across Scotland.

“The Revitalising Trusts” project aims to identify charitable trusts registered in Scotland that appear to be inactive and support them to reactivate by using funds that are lying dormant. 

Charitable trusts typically provide public benefit by making grants or donations to other charities, voluntary groups or individuals. So-called ‘sleepy trusts’ are identified as charities that have either had no income or expenditure over the last 5 years or have donated less than 30% of their total income over the last 5 years to help good causes.

The project will also look at charitable trusts that have failed to submit annual accounts and reports to OSCR within the last 5 years.

Whilst the full value of Scotland’s ‘sleepy trusts’ has yet to be established, a similar programme was launched by the Charity Commission in England in 2018 which has so far ‘revitalised’ £32 million.

With support from local community foundations, this is now providing targeted and local support for the voluntary community sector thanks to the creation of new local funds.

There are over 3,400 charitable trusts on the Scottish Charity Register and OSCR’s initial findings have identified around 400 that may not be using their funds to full effect.

OSCR’s vision is for a trusted and respected Scottish charity sector which positively contributes to society.

Chief Executive Maureen Mallon said: “The public expects charities to use their funds to fulfil their charitable purposes and deliver public benefit, but sometimes charity trustees need a little help or encouragement to do so.

“If trusts are underperforming, we want to find out why and, through our partnership with Foundation Scotland, to offer assistance or a wake-up call where necessary.”

As the community foundation for Scotland, Foundation Scotland will be delivering this project in partnership with OSCR. The Foundation has the experience and expertise of building local funds which provide long-term benefit for communities.

Chief Executive for Foundation Scotland Giles Ruck said “This is an exciting opportunity to modernise many historic trusts, and revitalise others, and enable them to invest in our communities once again.

“We work with registered and unregistered voluntary and community groups all over Scotland. We will ensure revitalised funds can also provide support to the smaller, lesser-known community groups working on the frontline across Scotland’s communities.”

The Revitalising Trusts project is expected to launch in April following the appointment of a Project Advisor. The role of the Advisor will involve working closely with Foundation Scotland and OSCR to identify inactive trusts, and support these trusts to reactive or reorganise to deliver public benefit once again.

The post is initially a 2-year contract up to 3 days per week working from home. Previous experience working with charitable trusts, expertise in charity finance and governance and strong analytical and interpersonal skills are essential. 

Full details of the vacancy and how to apply can be found on the Foundation Scotland website.

Farming’s Mental Health Epidemic

  • 133 suicides were registered in Scotland, England and Wales in 2019 for those working in farming and agricultural related trades according to the Office of National Statistics.
  • 88% of farmers under the age of 40 rank poor mental health as biggest hidden problem facing farmers today, a recent study reveals.
  • 89% of young farmers believe that talking about mental health in farming will remove any stigma attached to it.
  • This year the Farm Safety Foundation’s Mind Your Head campaign will focus on prevention and early identification of risk factors associated with those living and working in the UK farming industry.
  • A total of 31 suicides were registered in 2019 in the agricultural industry in Scotland.

From 15th – 19th February 2021, the Farm Safety Foundation (also known as Yellow Wellies) will launch their fourth annual Mind Your Head campaign to illustrate actions being taken to break down mental health barriers in farming.

A recent study by the Foundation, found that mental health issues among farmers and agricultural workers are of growing concern and having a direct impact of safety on farms. With 88% of farmers under the age of 40 now ranking poor mental health as the biggest hidden problem facing farmers today (increased from 82% in 2018).

In an industry where 20 farm workers lost their lives in fatal farm accidents in 2019/2020, there were a total of 102 suicides registered in England and Wales in those working in farming and agricultural related trades, according to the Office of National Statistics.  Scotland saw another 31 suicides in the agricultural sector. These include farmers, managers, and proprietors of ag related services and those working in agricultural related trades and elementary ag occupations.

The farming industry faces many stress factors, which are placing increased pressure on workers and putting them at greater risk of mental ill health. During the last year, the coronavirus pandemic will have only increased the mental health effects on farmers and could continue long after the virus has gone.

In the study, it was also revealed that 89% of young farmers believe that talking about mental health in farming will remove any stigma attached to it (increased from 80% in 2018).

Stephanie Berkeley, Manager of the Farm Safety Foundation said: “Humans are social animals. We not only enjoy each other’s company, but we also thrive on it.

“Digital solutions have tremendous value, however we must not underestimate the value of talking through our problems. It sounds non-technical, and therefore old-fashioned, but getting farmers to open up is the very first step to building a holistic approach to mental health in the industry.

“It is so important to encourage a habit within agriculture that explicitly recognises how the job can, and does, impact on the wellbeing of everyone living and working in it and how poor mental health can have a direct and deadly impact on the job. Given the year we have just experienced, making sure we are all looking after our physical and mental wellbeing has never been more relevant.

The Mind Your Head campaign will focus on prevention and early identification of risk factors associated with those living and working in the UK farming industry and also aims to highlight the wealth of support available.

During the week long campaign, the Farm Safety Foundation will be sharing the stories of some incredible people who have lost loved ones to suicide, made difficult career and life choices, and hear stories of hope, resilience, and the light at the end of that dark tunnel.

Stephanie added: “This is a huge concern and one that we need to keep talking about. In the last 12 months, calls to farming charities have increased so we need to be concerned about the numbers of people in our industry feeling high levels of distress and to keep pushing to ensure people know that help is available and encourage them to ask for it.

“This is your industry, your future, and your responsibility to it’s time to speak up, speak out and mind your head.”

For more information on the campaign or to learn more about how the Farm Safety Foundation and partners are tackling the issue of poor mental health in the industry please visit  www.yellowwellies.org or follow them on social media – @yellowwelliesUK on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

Benefits Boost: New Scottish Child Payment starts today

More than 77,000 Scottish Child Payment applications have been received since Social Security Scotland started taking applications on 9 November. The new benefit, which is unique to Scotland, will give qualifying parents and carers £40 every four weeks for each child under six.

The benefit starts today, meaning that Social Security Scotland is now able to do final eligibility checks and start issuing decisions. The first decisions and payments will arrive from later this month.

Payments for those who applied today or earlier will be backdated. Parents and carers have not yet applied and have a child under six are encouraged to apply today to get the maximum amount of money they are entitled to.

People who apply after today will have their payment calculated from the day that they apply.

Social Security Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “This is a fantastic response to our new payment. Today marks the day that parents and carers will become eligible for Scottish Child Payment.

“We’ve had a great response and this is a very large number of applications. It will take time to work through these applications and I’d like to ask families for their patience while we work as quickly as we can to process these.

“The Scottish Child Payment is the most ambitious anti-poverty measure currently being undertaken anywhere in the UK. Announced in late June 2019 the new payment has been achieved at great speed.

“In 2021-22 we will invest £3.6 billion in social security payments supporting carers, young people, and low income families  including £68 million for this new payment. Significantly more families are now relying on benefits due to the pandemic – some perhaps for the first time. Scottish Child Payment will help lift children in Scotland out of poverty.

“We are proactively promoting this payment and we have written to everyone on the Universal Credit and HMRC tax credit databases who may be eligible to invite them to apply. .

“Covid-19 restrictions continue to put additional pressure on parents and carers and I recognise how busy families are. But I’d like to take this opportunity to encourage anyone who hasn’t yet applied, to take ten minutes to get their application in – it’s vital that people get the money they are entitled to.”

Scottish Child Payment has been introduced ahead of schedule for children under six by building on the existing infrastructure for Best Start Grant payments. The payment is planned to be fully rolled out to children under the age of 16 by the end of 2022. This is subject to data on qualifying benefits being received from the DWP to enable Social Security Scotland to make top-up payments.

Get creative for Pancake Day with Cats Protection’s easy recipe

Looking to add some cat-themed fun to your Pancake Day? Or would you simply like to give your breakfast some moggy magic? Then have a go at our pawsome pancakes, decorated to look like cute kitties. 

You could take inspiration from our designs or style your pancakes to look just like your own cat. Don’t forget to share photos of your creations with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, we’d love to see them!

Remember, these pancakes are for humans only. Don’t feed them to your cat!

Vegan Cat Pancake Recipe

Makes 16 pancakes

Ingredients:

  • 300g self-raising flour
  • 1tbsp sugar
  • 1tsp baking powder
  • 1tbsp vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt
  • 400ml plant-based milk
  • Vegetable oil for cooking
  • Toppings (strawberries, blueberries, bananas, vegan chocolate sauce, plant-based yoghurt)

Method:

  1. Mix together the flour, sugar, vanilla extract, and salt in a bowl.
  2. Gradually pour in the milk, whisking as you go, until a smooth batter forms.
  3. Add 1tbsp of oil to a non-stick pan and put it on medium-low heat.
  4. Add a couple of tablespoons of batter to the pan and shape it into a cat face (alternatively, you could make round pancakes and cut them into cat shapes later).
  5. Cook the pancake for 3-4 minutes, until the surface starts to bubble, then flip it over and cook for a further 2-3 minutes until it’s golden on both sides.
  6. Repeat the process, cooking your pancakes in batches until you’ve used up the batter. You may need to add a little more oil to the pan each time.
  7. Use your toppings to create cat faces on your pancakes. Don’t forget the eyes, nose, mouth, whiskers and ears!

Looking for more cat-themed baking inspiration? Discover our Kitty Bakes series of recipes over on our YouTube channel

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REVEALED: The most romantic locations in the UK for a romantic post-lockdown trip

  • Camptoo research shows the most romantic spots for a post-lockdown getaway
  • Lake District revealed as most popular romantic getaway spot
  • Loch Lomond offers best place to star-gaze for travellers
  • New Forest rated as a hidden gem for young couples

Catbells Lakeland Walk in the Lake District could be the most romantic place in the UK to propose, according to a new study. 

The region is one of the most popular stargazing spots in the UK and could be the perfect backdrop for loved-up couples in search of a romantic post-lockdown getaway.

Leading Motorhome and campervan rental platform, Camptoo, have also studied the amount of peak star visibility hours to provide the ultimate romantic list for couples to check out post-lockdown: 

Catbells Lakeland Walk – Lake District 

The Catbells walk is rated as the most popular walk for loved-up duos on TripAdvisor and could be the first place to check out for couples when the travel restrictions are limited, with over 100 available to pitch up with your Camptoo campervan.

The route offers beautiful views of the adjacent Derwentwater Lake and that could be the place to be when the sun sets.

If that’s not enough, a spot of star-gazing (over an hour-and-a-half, subject to time of year, mins of peak time) could further add to the romantic mood or even get down on one knee.

South Stack Lighthouse – Llanddwyn Island

Situated on the Llanddwyn Island on the west coast of Wales, South Stack Lighthouse is another popular location for couples. Standing a wonderfully picturesque figure against the vast Irish sea, it could be the perfect place to be when the sun sets on a wonderful view.

If you’re looking to travel after lockdown, you will have a choice of 20 campsites all with at least 80 minutes of peak star-gazing time throughout the day, meaning you will never have to stray too far from one of the UK’s most romantic spots. 

The Cobb – Lyme Regis

Next on the list, we come to The Cobb, Dorset. With well over 1,000 reviews, The Cobb is a highly-rated and popular destination for couples with some of the most romantic beach walks the UK has to offer. Being part of the well-renowned Jurassic Coastline, couples could spend hours exploring the scenic views of Cobb Beach.

Rothiemurchus – Cairngorms

Located in the heart of Scotland’s largest and wonderfully preserved national park, Cairngorms, Rothiemurchus is truly one of the most unique places to visit in the UK. One of the many attractions is a 13th-century island castle, which is still standing strong in the middle of Loch an Eilean.

Rothiemurchus also boasts the most time for stargazing of all of our selections, with 89 peak minutes available to witness the astronomical beauty on February 14 – and that will only increase post-lockdown.

Palladian Bridge – Bath

Sticking with the theme of striking historical architecture, next we come to Palladian Bridge in Bath. The bridge, built in the 18th century, is positioned within Prior Park and owned by the National Trust, meaning its natural beauty will be preserved. Well over 800 TripAdvisor reviews mean this is certainly not a landmark to be missed, and with the stunning scenic environment surrounding, Palladian Bridge provides an excellent option for any couples looking for a late Valentine’s Day getaway.

Bracklinn Falls – Loch Lomond

No romantic destinations list would be complete without Loch Lomond getting a mention and our study shows Bracklinn Falls as the ideal spot. It has a 4.5 rating from 729 reviews and is second only to its Scottish neighbour Rothiemurchus for the number of peak stargazing minutes (in February) on our list.

If you like the sound of bright stars and the tranquillity of the gushing waterfalls, then this is the place for you and your loved one. There are just 11 campsites in the area, meaning Bracklinn Falls offers one of the most remote getaways for couples looking for a late, post-lockdown Valentine’s Day.

Cader Idris – Snowdonia

Standing just shy of 1000m, you’ll need to pack hiking boots for a trip to Calder Idris. However, the stunning scenery, crystal clear lake and views of the stars from the top (with over 80 minutes of peak star-gazing minutes in February) make it well worth the trip. Plus with 123 campsites nearby, there’s no excuse for you and your partner to miss out on a romantic trip once the travel measures have been relaxed. 

Rhinefield Ornamental Drive – New Forest

One of the most southern locations on our list, Rhinefield Ornamental Drives wonderful, Tolkien-esque forest landscapes are a sight to behold. Stargazing and forests go hand in hand, so you won’t want to miss out on the astronomical views on offer.

Due to its location, Rhinefield Ornamental Drive is not the best place on the list if you want to star-gaze – it has fewer minutes than anywhere else – but with 46 campsites in the area, you’re never too far away and it could be the perfect spot to take your Camptoo campervan for a post-lockdown break.

Camptoo offers the UK’s largest peer-to-peer motorhome and campervan rental selection direct from vehicle owners in the UK, with plenty of selection for people planning a late Valentine’s getaway – within national lockdown restrictions – and pursuing the UK’s amazing landscapes and natural environment.

Scottish eco toy company launches new Facebook community

YummiCommunity to support parents through lockdown

Scottish eco-friendly toy company, Yummikeys, has launched an online Facebook community to help parents across the UK virtually unite during the pandemic and beyond.

YummiCommunity, an all-inclusive hub which will allow users to share stories, tips, tricks and woes, aims to make times a little less lonely during the third country-wide lockdown.

Hot-button topics related to parenthood, tips for getting through lockdown and activities to keep children occupied at home, will be mixed with light-hearted parenting humour, hubs where you can share your views, questions and worries, as well as the most up to date Yummikeys news and launches.

With a combined social following of almost 30,000 and with the majority of these being Facebook followers, Yummikeys founder Elspeth Fawcett, decided this was the best way to connect parents like her, who may feel they need a little extra support:

“The YummiCommunity is basically a parent and baby club, but virtual, allowing you to ask for advice, share your stories and have your mini parenting breakdowns (surprise, we all have them), in an environment that is all inclusive and completely non-judgemental.

“On a daily basis I get the loveliest messages, emails and comments saying how a set of Yummikeys has cooled sore gums, or a YummiNecklace has transformed feeding time, but I also have people saying they wish they had known about us, as well as the tips and tricks they get from our current socials, sooner.

“he idea of the YummiCommunity has been in my mind for a while, but when we went into lockdown 3, I knew I needed to make it happen. I want this platform to be a resource for new and seasoned parents and carers alike, as well as somewhere to ‘go’ when you need a little extra guidance.”

Lockdown has seen Yummikeys’ best sales months to date, with new parents eager to help sooth babies during a time where support from family and friends is not readily available. The YummiCommunity aims to offer additional encouragement to those parents as well. 

The brand’s best-selling Yummikeys, Yummirings and YummiNecklace were joined in 2020 by the East-Lothian company’s new Ultrasound Necklace – a personalised piece of jewellery for mums that sees their ultrasound etched into a disc.

Join the group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/363245597416376/

There’s snow stopping 21CC Group

  • Leading Scottish Event company put their tools to good use by clearing over 34 miles of roads 
  • Good deed enables 160 local residents to attend Covid vaccine appointments and 200 NHS and care workers to travel safely to work  

Scottish based events group, 21CC have put their tools to good use this week by taking matters into their own hands and using their work vehicle and snowplough to clear over 34 miles of road across Kirkliston and North Queensferry.  

After posting a message on their local community digital noticeboard, the team spent 14 hours over the course of two days clearing main roads, artery roads and the housing estate roads enabling residents’ safe access from their house to the main roads, so that they could travel to get their flu jabs.  

Geoff Crow, Director of 21CC Group Ltd said, “After the latest snowfall we quickly realised we could put our vehicles to use, and we decided to create a post on the digital community noticeboard, asking if anyone needed help. In a matter of hours, we had received over 160 messages from residents who needed to get out for their Covid-19 jabs, but were now stuck due to the snow! 

“We also received just under 200 messages from NHS and care workers, asking for assistance in clearing their roads so they could get to work, so we got to work immediately in clearing all of the roads where people needed our help.

“We also helped three Scottish Fire & Rescue vehicles by digging them out of the snow and clearing their path so that they could respond to call-outs.” 

Lance from Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said: “Geoff was a great help to myself as my street was not passable without his assistance. The road is not adopted by City of Edinburgh council for winter operations as such was covered in 150-200mm of snow.

“It took myself and volunteers from the street 4 hours the day previous to clear the snow, something Geoff managed to do in 15 minutes allowing the crewing levels for South Queensferry to be maintained.” 

21CC received hundreds of grateful messages following their rescue mission including: 

 “Thank you for clearing the road at our wee care home. Our residents loved seeing you hard at work!” 

“Thank you for doing this Geoff. It makes such a difference” 

“You’re doing a wonderful job for the community. Well done.”. 

Geoff concludes: “Being in the right place at the right time and being able to make a difference to all these people was so important to us and we’re just glad we could help to make a difference to a few people’s lives. It was also a lot of fun!” 

Groundbreaking COVID-19 treatments to be fast-tracked through clinical trials

  • UK Government awards multi-million-pound funding to phase 1 clinical trial platform to fast-track innovative treatments
  • NHS patients could receive cutting-edge COVID-19 treatments in months rather than years
  • Move will bring in the world’s best researchers to trial treatments in the UK

The move marks a landmark development in COVID-19 research that could see results for brand new treatments in months rather than years, and will enable the government to get even more safe and effective treatments to the NHS rapidly through a more streamlined process.

Currently, the government funds phase 2 and 3 trials, such as the RECOVERY trial, which brought life-saving treatments dexamethasone and tocilizumab to the NHS. Phase 1 trials, usually arranged by the researchers, are the earliest stage of human trials that ensure treatments are safe and show a signal of benefit in treating a disease.

The funding has been awarded to expand the AGILE clinical trial platform and will allow for global innovators to progress cutting-edge treatments for COVID-19 through all 3 clinical trial phases in the UK, further protecting our supply chain. This in turn will attract the brightest of researchers and manufacturers from around the world to trial their medicines here in Britain.

Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock said: “Today’s news will ensure all phases of clinical trials for new treatments are done in the UK, protecting our supply chain and securing the world’s best treatments for NHS patients at a much faster rate.

“I am immensely proud of the work that’s been undertaken by the brilliant scientists behind these treatments and the thousands of UK patients who have taken part in the trials.

“Together, we can continue to ensure the UK is one of the best countries in the world for trialling and deploying the most groundbreaking medical advancements for both COVID-19 and for dangerous diseases in the future.”

The funding has been awarded by the Medical Research Council (MRC) and co-funded though the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR).

A phase 1 trial is the earliest stage of human trials and is an essential first step that ensures treatments are safe. Once they pass phase 1, they then go into larger-scale phase 2 and 3 trials, such as RECOVERY or PRINCIPLE, before being made available on the NHS once proven to be effective.

The UK has proven throughout this pandemic to be a world leader in medical research and life sciences, stepping up quickly to the task of finding effective therapeutics for a completely new virus and supported by millions in funding by the UK government.

  • AGILE is a UK phase 1 and 2a clinical trial platform designed for rapid clinical evaluation of potential COVID-19 treatments
  • It is a collaboration between the University of Liverpool, the University of Southampton Research Unit, and other external partners
  • The innovative design of the trial means that multiple potential treatments can be evaluated in parallel and important testing stages can be completed in months rather than years, while maintaining a high level of safety at all times
  • Patients in early stages of COVID-19 infection will be recruited to AGILE from the community, in addition to patients who have been hospitalised with COVID-19
  • Treatments that show a signal of benefit in AGILE will be rapidly considered for advancement into later phase clinical trial platforms, such as PRINCIPLE and RECOVERY, where the effectiveness of treatments can be proven in greater patient numbers
  • The Therapeutics Taskforce will work with innovators to support them to progress their promising treatments through clinical trial phases
  • 4 treatments have so far been selected for AGILE:
    • EIDD-2801 (Molnupiravir), an antiviral
    • VIR-7831 and VIR-7832, both monoclonal antibodies
    • Niclosamide, an anthelminthic
  • Future treatments to enter AGILE will be selected by the UK COVID-19 Therapeutics Advisory Panel (UK-CTAP), who lead the process of reviewing and evaluating proposals for treatments to enter UK national trial platforms – read more about UK-CTAP and how drug proposals can be made
  • The UK was the first in the world to find a treatment which was proven to significantly reduce the risk of death: dexamethasone, found through the government-funded RECOVERY trial
  • On Thursday 11 February, RECOVERY also found the drug tocilizumab, when administered to hospitalised patients on oxygen with dexamethasone, further reduces the risk of death by 14% and length of hospital stay for patients by 5 whole days, on top of the benefits of dexamethasone – which will mean once rolled out to patients will significantly reduce pressures on the NHS
  • REMAP-CAP, which also received government funding, last month published results showing tocilizumab reduced the length of time in hospital by 10 days when administered to patients with 24 hours of being admitted to intensive care

Scottish SPCA cares for orphaned otter cubs

The Scottish SPCA was alerted to the young otters by members of the public after they had been spotted wandering the streets of Inverkeithing last week.

The cubs are now in the care of our National Wildlife Rescue Centre.

Centre manager Steven Gray said, “The cubs are around three to four-months-old. Otters will stay with their mothers in the wild until they are over a year old.

Inver and Forth the otters

“We suspect their mum was involved in a road traffic accident or some form of disturbance and didn’t return to her cubs so they have gone looking for her. They were seen wandering down the road in Inverkeithing on Saturday night.

“The female cub was spotted by someone taking their bins out. She was making very loud peeping noises which was probably her trying to call for her mum. The members of the public followed at a safe distance to a nearby field where they were able to monitor her until we arrived.

“The pair wouldn’t have survived on their own as they rely on mum so we are thankful the members of the public contacted us.

“One cub is male and the other is female. The female has been named Inver and the male has been called Forth.  

“They will stay with us until they are around 12 to 14-months-old, just like with mum in the wild. We will teach them how to feed and take care of themselves and will release them when they are ready.

“Otters are very agile and can have a nasty bite so we would ask members of the public not to approach them as they can react negatively out of fear. They can see humans as a threat, especially when they are feeling vulnerable, so we would advise monitoring the animal and contacting us.

“We have the necessary safety equipment to carefully contain otters and we are experienced in doing so. We wouldn’t want anyone getting hurt or an animal to be caused undue stress.

“If anyone spots a wild animal in need of our help, please call our animal helpline on 03000 999 999.”