Road policing officers are appealing following a serious crash in the Drumbrae Terrace area.
The incident happened around 1.30am this morning (Thursday, 16 October), and involved a black Suzuki Jimny car which hit a building at Drumbrae park.
Emergency services attended and a 20-year-old man, a passenger, was taken to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh where his condition is described as critical.
The driver, an 18-year-old man, and another passenger, a 19-year-old man, were treated at hospital for minor injuries.
Sergeant Grant Hastie said: “Our enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances and we are asking people in the area to check any private CCTV from the surrounding streets to see if they have captured anything that could assist.
“If you were driving in the area please also check to see if you have any dash-cam that might help with our investigation.”
Anyone with information is asked to call Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident number 0194 of Thursday, 16 October, 2025.
Specialist teams improving care and easing hospital pressures
All NHS Boards now have frailty services in emergency departments to help older and vulnerable patients as soon as they arrive – improving care and reducing pressure on A&E departments.
On a visit to Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary Acute Frailty Unit, Health Secretary Neil Gray saw the impact the service is having on patient care, including:
the average hospital stay for those admitted to the Acute Frailty Unit was 3.4 days – compared to a typical 17.5 day average hospital stay for older frail patients.
no increase in re-admissions
two thirds of frailty patients admitted have been discharged directly home.
Frailty services provide specialist, multidisciplinary assessment and care for older patients where required. They are designed to accelerate early discharge, reduce delays, and shorten hospital stays — helping patients recover more quickly and return home sooner.
This expansion of frailty services across the country is backed by a share of the £200 million investment from the 2025-26 Budget, aimed at reducing waiting times, improving hospital flow, and minimising delayed discharges.
After his visit, Health Secretary Neil Gray said: “The success of the frailty service here in Dumfries and Galloway is something we are replicating across Scotland.
“By shifting the balance of care from acute hospitals to community-based services, we can ensure that people experiencing frailty are supported earlier – whether through GP referral or direct access via the Scottish Ambulance Service.
“This is about making sure people get the right care, in the right place, at the right time.
“The work being done here is making a real difference, particularly for older patients, with average length of stay reduced by 14 days and no increase in re-admissions.
“Improving patient flow is a key priority, and services like this show how targeted, well-coordinated care can lead to better outcomes.”
Chief Operating Officer of NHS Dumfries and Galloway Nicole Hamlet said: “This work is making a real and measurable difference.
By reducing unnecessary time in hospital, we’re helping people get home or to a homely setting safely and sooner. It also frees up vital capacity in the hospital, which helps us deliver better care across the board.
“I’m very proud of what the team has achieved.
“The project builds on previous frailty work in Dumfries and Galloway and continues to evolve with input from those delivering the care. The team is supported by Dumfries and Galloway Health and Social Care Partnership’s management team and project leads.”
Join us on Saturday, 25th October, 10 AM–4 PM for the ECHC Halloween Stall – a spooktacular day of games, glitter tattoos, and a chance to meet your favourite Star Wars characters!
Plus, don’t miss the tombola packed with fang-tastic prizes!
All in support of Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity
Step into a merry mash-up of mistletoe, music and mulled wine as The Pitt transforms into a festive playground of flavour, fun and fashionable market picks. On top of our usual weekend antics of piping hot international street food and cold frothy pints, our Christmas Night Market kicks off our festive calendar with a bang, bringing together over 40+ local makers, artists and traders offering everything from:
– Unique and thoughtful gifts
– Funky fashion
– Artisan homeware
– Cheeses, chutneys, olives and sweet treats heaven
– Festive decor
– Stocking fillers
– Handcrafted artwork
What’s On:
– Santa’s Grotto: say hello to the boy himself
– Workshops & crafts: wreath-making, face-painting, and make-your-own gifts for wee and big kids alike
– Seasonal sips: mulled wine and local brewskis for the grown-ups, plus fruity mocktails and soft drinks for the wains and drivers
– International street food: piping hot and perfect for keeping you fuelled
– Live DJs: bangers spinning late into the night
– Cosy wee nooks: for toasting, tasting, checking the bank account…
Join us for a night of festive magic, market mayhem, mistletoe and wine etc etc, and soak up our signature blend of industrial charm, cosy vibes and boozy cheer. Shop til you drop on homeware to spice up your gaff or gifts to make your pals laugh. Tear up the dance floor. Gorge yourself silly on truffle fries and momo dumplings. It’s all to play for at our Christmas Night Market!
Convener of the city council’s Planning Committee Cllr Joan Griffiths encourages residents get involved in plans to improve local communities
Are you passionate about your local community and interested in helping us shape how it looks in the future? Local Place Plans have been introduced so you can tell us what you care about, like and don’t like about where you live as well as your community’s aspirations.
Every area is different and so your plan can address your community’s needs and concerns. The Council is required to recognise Local Place Plans when preparing the next local development Plan – City Plan 2040.
So how does this work? There is no right or wrong way to develop each plan. It will depend on the resources you have available. But it must include a map of the relevant land, and a proposal of how the land will be used. You can make it very simple, and it doesn’t need to be professionally designed. A word document and a map can be enough.
You can help shape future housing, business, or community spaces by bringing forward proposals to improve quality of life, health and well-being, and help to protect buildings and green space in line with your community values.
If you have an idea, I’d suggest you team up with your local community council or relevant trusts or charities. Children and youth groups, local schools and organisations big and small may also like to get involved with your plan.
A Local Place Plan needs to relate to a specific area, but it can be any size. It can cover a whole district, a neighbourhood, or a single plot of land. It is up to you what you cover.
It doesn’t need to be clearly defined in the beginning. It can evolve during the process.
A good Local Place Plan has information on what life is like in your area and who lives there. It could have ideas for new buildings and homes, improving how you get around, additional spaces for playing, sports or growing food, or proposals to reuse important buildings.
To prepare one you’ll also need to reach out to your community to find out what is most important to them. You should ask about the changes you’d like to make, what you’d like to protect, what they think is missing in the community and you can point out planning policies you think can be influenced in your plan.
You could do this through surveys and questionnaires, drop in events, exhibitions and by attending planned local events. Schools and youth organisations will be able to help you talk to young people too.
Our aim with City Plan 2040 and local place plans is to strengthen communities and make sure that they look after the wellbeing of their residents.
We want to build attractive places where people can afford to buy or rent their homes, walk to educational and healthcare facilities, enjoy cultural and sporting activities and easily access sustainable transport to visit other parts of Edinburgh.
We’re urging people to be aware of scam text messages as most winter heating payments will be paid to people automatically. We’ll never ask for personal or financial details by text or email or ask people to reply by text or email.
Our winter heating payments helped over half a million families warm their homes last year.
Winter Heating Payment, Child Winter Heating Payment and Pension Age Winter Heating Payment are automatic payments for almost everyone who is eligible and most people do not need to apply for these benefits.
Scam text messages are from criminals often pretending to be Social Security Scotland or another Government department. They tell people they are missing out on financial help and ask them to click a link to update their details or to apply for benefits.
We will never ask for personal or financial details by text or email or ask people to reply by text or email.
Information about our benefits is available on official channels, such as its website and social media accounts. People can also phone our helpline if they have questions.
Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice Shirley-Anne Somerville said:“As we approach the winter months, Social Security Scotland will be giving valuable payments to thousands of people automatically to help them stay warm during colder weather.
“It is important that people remain alert to scam text messages and e-mails. Social Security Scotland will never ask people for personal or financial details by text or e-mail.
“If anyone is unsure if they are eligible or are worried they will not receive a payment they are eligible for, please get in touch with Social Security Scotland directly.”
Tips to identify scam messages:
be suspicious of messages asking you to send money or share personal information such as passwords or bank details
scammers try to create panic by setting a time limit or saying something frightening
stop and think before giving out information
don’t follow links in suspicious emails or download files
check phone numbers and email addresses on the official websites
use ‘contact us’ sections to access information and services
If you think you have been the victim of fraud, contact your bank immediately.
Report fraud to Police Scotland by calling 101.
Social Security Scotland offers free assistance to people making applications for benefits. More details can be found here: mygov.scot/benefits-support
Join us for a Family History Fair at Central Library on Friday 24 October 2025, between 10am and 4pm!
Come along to talk to experts from the following organisations who will be on hand to introduce their collections and answer questions about using materials to search for missing details in your family history.
There will also be a series of presentations held throughout the day. Both the day and talks are free to attend, but the talks should be booked in advance via TicketSource.
Over 115 local primary school students aged between five and 11 years old are due to take part in a competition run by Fort Kinnaird to design a label for the jars of honey produced by its resident beehives.
The centre has teamed up with Niddrie Mill Primary School to host the contest, with pupils tasked with creating a label for the 100 jars of honey created by the beehives located in the service area.
Students are encouraged to put their creativity to the test, with the winner set to win a £100 voucher to spend at Fort Kinnaird and a £20 gift card for five runners up.
The competition follows pupils from Niddrie Mill visiting the beehives at Fort Kinnaird back in June, during which they learned all about the world of bees – including how they are essential to the local environment, how hives function, and what it takes to care for bees first-hand.
Fort Kinnaird runs the beehives in partnership with Colin Mackie, a local beekeeper who has tended to the beehives since they were established in May 2024.
Liam Smith, centre director at Fort Kinnaird, said: “Since our beehives were installed back in May 2024, they’ve provided fun and educational opportunities for our community and nearby schools like Niddrie Mill, while the centre’s wildflower areas support biodiversity by creating habitat for pollinators.
“We’re pleased to be continuing this with the competition and can’t wait to see all the designs the pupils of Niddrie Mill create – bringing to life the importance and impact of bees on our local environment.”
For more details and to plan your day at Fort Kinnaird, please visit:
One in two people with arthritis said their condition impacted their ability to work. Of these, four in ten people have stopped work due to their arthritis
Millions of people with arthritis are not receiving timely diagnoses or adequate treatment and left to face avoidable pain and often unable to work, according to a report by the charity Arthritis UK (formerly Versus Arthritis).
Arthritis affects one in three people across Scotland and is a leading cause of disability, yet the condition remains largely misunderstood and many with the condition are not receiving the care and support they urgently need.
As a result, people with arthritis are living with levels of pain, fatigue, mental health challenges and financial strain, according to the report that publishes today.
Arthritis UK, which was previously known as Versus Arthritis, has worked with YouGov to survey almost 8,000* people representative of the population affected by this condition, of which 1,021 are from Scotland.
It has revealed that of the people surveyed in Scotland, more thanone in two (56%) said that arthritis had impacted their ability to work. Of these, four in ten people (40%) have stopped work due to their arthritis and over a third of retired people (38%) said arthritis played a part in their decision to retire.
Left Waiting, Left Behind: The Reality of Living with Arthritis presents the reality of living with the condition through lived experiences and personal stories, and also shows that the impact of arthritis is unequal with people from lower social grades reporting worse experiences from all areas of life.
It concludes that people with arthritis face widespread challenges in accessing effective treatment and support, long delays to secure a diagnosis and lack of treatment options once a diagnosis is made.
More investment, improved services and better training for frontline healthcare professionals are urgently needed to avoid further adversely impacting the lives, relationships and work opportunities of this large group.
Lauren Bennie, Arthritis UK’s Head of Scotland, said: “More than 1,000 Scots have bravely shared their experiences of living with arthritis and musculoskeletal conditions in Scotland with Arthritis UK. As the leading charity for people with arthritis, we know the reality facing our nation’s workforce.
“Far too many people in Scotland are being pushed out of work because of arthritis.
“This includes one in three people diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis on day one of the Scottish Parliament who will have left the workplace by the end of that same Parliament. What kind of legacy is that for any party in government?
“This is a public health issue that demands urgent action. As the Scottish Government selects which health conditions will receive dedicated action plans within the upcoming Long Term Conditions Framework, Ministers and civil servants alike, must recognise arthritis as a major public health challenge and act now to prevent further avoidable harm.
“With a dedicated action plan, we can ensure every Scot has the right to live the life they choose in a future Scotland free from arthritis.”
The report’s other key findings include:
one in three people (33%) surveyed say arthritis severely or very severely impacted their life in the past year.
six in ten people (62%) are living in pain most or all the time due to their arthritis.
Nearly four in ten people (37%) surveyed felt their condition was not well managed.
nearly one in two people (49%) felt their symptoms were not taken seriously or were underplayed by a frontline healthcare professional when they were trying to identify their arthritis.
nearly one in two people (45%) reported their ability to exercise was affected severely or very severely by their arthritis symptoms – even though being active can be important in preventing other long-term conditions.
Nearly 7 in 10 people (69%) said that waiting for treatment had an impact on their mental health
People in lower social grades, younger adults and those with autoimmune inflammatory conditions are disproportionately impacted by arthritis, facing greater challenges across all areas of life and more frequent barriers, the report identifies.
Across the UK, the survey found of those who reported arthritis having an impact on their ability to work 28% of those in higher social grades reported stopping work due to arthritis compared to nearly half (49%) of respondents from lower social grades.
People with arthritis are being financially squeezed as the condition can increase the personal cost of living, while impacting the ability to earn. Arthritis affects every aspect of life, from physical health to relationships and mental health, with barriers to effective care are preventing people from living the lives they want to lead, the report concludes.
Deborah Alsina MBE, Chief Executive of Arthritis UK, said: “Too many of the 10 million people in the UK living with arthritis are being left unsupported and left to face daily pain, without timely diagnosis and adequate treatment.
“This erodes their quality of life and damages the prospect of economic growth. This report shows us that huge numbers of people with arthritis are falling out of work and risk being pushed into poverty. The further tragedy is that much of this is avoidable.
“Arthritis is grossly misunderstood, with diagnoses too often delayed or absent. We must tackle the misconception that arthritis is an inevitable part of ageing and improve the diagnosis rates and the treatment available, especially as the number of people with arthritis increases*. We are sitting on a ticking timebomb of costs that the country will struggle with if it is not properly identified as a major risk to public health.”
One of the many reasons arthritis must be considered a major risk to public health is it is a gateway condition, increasing the risk of other serious diseases like cardiovascular disease and depression. We cannot afford to miss or mistreat arthritis as it can be a warning sign that patients could accumulate other conditions, and with more rapid progression, Ms Alsina added.
Arthritis UK has called for improved training for frontline healthcare professionals to enable more timely diagnosis and to improve support for people with arthritis. Children and young people all too frequently experience delays in diagnosis, in particular.
It has also concluded government must prioritise arthritis and muscular skeletal conditions. To this end it would like to see the Scottish Government create a dedicated action plan for arthritis within the Long Term Conditions Framework, which is currently being reviewed, alongside multi-year investment in orthopaedic surgery to reduce waiting times.
Arthritis UK was previously known as Versus Arthritis and has changed its name and look (Tuesday 14 October) following consultation with people with the condition.
This research showed that the new name would improve visibility and ensure more people are aware of the information and support that Arthritis UK offers, which will lead to more people with arthritis being supported to live the lives they want to live.
Arthritis UK provides hands-on support services and advice, trains healthcare professionals throughout the NHS, and is the largest dedicated funder of arthritis research globally.
Arthritis UK’s new website and support tools can be found at www.arthritis-uk.org.
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