Our NHS is under extraordinary pressure and strain and I implore our government and people to help support our front line staff.
The front line workers are the only people who have to treat people infected with this virus on a personal level. The rest of us just have to stay two metres apart or at home.
We know that our front line staff do not have the protective facilities they need. It is wrong that they have to work in danger and compromise their health and safety while serving the public.
Therefore, I am pleading to the government to ensure our front line staff whether nurses, doctors, police or care workers, have protective masks, clothing and have access to testing kits.
We have seen in Italy and Spain the difficulties that staff have faced and many have lost their lives. This must not happen here, so please protect our front line staff and make sure they have the facilities they need to survive and do the invaluable work they are doing for the public.
#protectthefrontlinestaff
#coronavirus
Foysol Choudhury MBE
Chairman: Edinburgh & Lothians Regional Equality Council | Chairman: Bangladesh Samity Edinburgh. | Founder / Director: Edinburgh Mela. | President: The Guild of Bangladeshi Restaurateurs, Scotland. | General Secretary: Council of Bangladeshis in Scotland.
Edinburgh’s Lord Provost FRANK ROSS shares a message of thanks to Council staff, NHS workers and people of Edinburgh:
“This is an extremely unsettling time for everyone. Unprecedented is often the word on all of our lips as we find ourselves facing a global health and economic crisis. I send my deepest condolences to those who have lost loved ones, and my best wishes to all who have been affected.
I’m sure I speak on behalf of everyone in the city when I express our enormous gratitude to the staff of NHS and health workers, who are doing an incredible job in the most challenging of circumstances. Last night, Edinburgh joined communities across the country in a nationwide round of applause, paying tribute to the NHS staff working hard to treat coronavirus patients. It was a truly moving moment.
Edinburgh is now feeling the effects of the pandemic, but I believe if we take the right actions now, we will slow the spread, reduce the impact and save lives. I’d like to thank everyone who has followed the rules and stayed at home.
I’m aware that we all have serious concerns about the impacts of coronavirus and what it will mean for your family, your health, your job and your family finances.
I want to reassure you that the Council is completely focussed on preparing for what lies ahead over the next days, weeks and months. We’re doing everything we can to keep vital services running and keep residents informed and supported.
I would like to thank all local authority workers for their ongoing commitment and hard work at this difficult time. The attitude and willingness to adapt to make sure key services are delivered for the people of Edinburgh is humbling and won’t be forgotten.
As key workers and service providers across the city work to keep Edinburgh moving and help those who need it most – there are some important things that we can all do to make a big difference in our communities.
I implore you to listen to and act on the advice to stay at home, as far as possible. We must follow the advice from the experts. It helps us to protect those most vulnerable to the virus and those essential workers who continue to support the city. We must do everything possible to reduce the amount of people becoming ill and dying, or we risk our NHS being overwhelmed and unable to cope.
If you do go outside please practice social distancing, go on your own or with one or two others in a small family group. Parks and beaches should not be busy. And of course, if you believe you have any of the symptoms (high temperature or fever, cough, shortness of breath) please abide by the isolation guidance and stay indoors. I’m not exaggerating when I say, lives depend on it.
It’s important that we look out for our family, friends and neighbours, in particular, the elderly and the isolated. These are troubling times and a friendly word or help with a chore can go a long way. It has been fantastic to see some the great work of local people and projects rallying together in communities.
Misinformation is also a concern of mine – we often receive and share pieces of advice that we’ve heard from a friend of a friend who is in the know and I urge you to practice good information hygiene as well as personal hygiene.
Before sharing what you’ve heard, ask for a source of the information as this could easily be false or taken out of context. Get your information from recognised sources and the updates provided by NHS and Scottish Government.
This is undoubtedly the biggest challenge we’ve faced in a very long time as a nation, but we will get through this together.
There is a lot of information and support available to help you. Please visit our information pages and follow @Edinburgh_CC for up to date information.
Businesses and the public in Scotland are now required by law to follow necessary social distancing measures to slow the spread of coronavirus.
The Scottish Government is using powers from the UK Coronavirus Bill to make it a criminal offence to flout the strict public health guidance that is helping save lives.
To enforce social distancing, people in Scotland are being asked to only go outside if they have a ‘reasonable excuse’.
These include shopping for necessary food, household and medical supplies, travelling to and from work where working from home is not an option, and daily exercise that adheres to social distancing guidance.
Enforcement can be used against businesses and venues that have been told to close, including drinking establishments, entertainment venues, and indoor leisure and sports facilities.
Police Scotland can issue penalty notices of £30, rising to £60 if not paid within 28 days, where they have reason to believe there has been an offence under the regulations.
These penalties are doubled for each repeat offence up to a £960 cap, with no reduction for early payment. Due to the exceptional nature of these powers, the regulations will be reviewed at least every 21 days to ensure they are still necessary.
Constitution Secretary Michael Russell said: “There has been a huge effort by the people and businesses of Scotland to respond to the unprecedented situation we face dealing with the coronavirus.
“I would like to thank everyone who is playing their part by staying at home to ensure the social distancing measures we have introduced help stop the spread of the virus.
“While the majority of people are doing the right thing, these regulations provide the police with emergency powers to enforce social distancing where necessary.
“It is only because of the unprecedented crisis we are facing, and to save lives, that these powers are being introduced. They are temporary and will be kept under review.
“I urge the people of Scotland to continue their outstanding collective effort and follow the rules that have been laid down.”
Chief Constable Iain Livingstone QPM said: “I thank the overwhelming majority of people who are complying with very clear guidance to stay at home.
“I expect the public to continue to do their duty and contribute to the national effort to keep people safe from the spread of coronavirus.
“This is a challenging time for people who have to adjust their daily habits and everything we do will be done in a fair, reasonable and proportionate manner.
“Those who persistently and blatantly defy the law must know we will enforce the law.”
The Scottish Government has issued specific guidance on staying at home and away from others to help protect the NHS and save lives.
"For all of us the single most important way in which we can show our support for the NHS is by staying home wherever possible."
A non-exhaustive list of reasonable excuses for when people can leave their home includes:
shopping for food
essential household and medical supplies
exercise once a day
medical assistance
travel to work where work at home is not an option
attending a funeral of a member of their household, a close family member or in the event that no family or household member is attending the funeral, of a friend
providing care or assistance to others
and meeting legal obligations or accessing critical public services
The regulations include powers to enable Police Scotland to enforce restrictions on movement of people outside their place of residence and to disperse gatherings.
This includes the ability to remove people who are outside their home without a reasonable excuse if the police officer has reason to believe it is a necessary and proportionate means of ensuring compliance.
The charity Marie Curie is geared up to care for hundreds of additional dying patients requiring end of life care, in order to relieve the unprecedented pressure on the NHS during the Coronavirus crisis.
Marie Curie in Scotland needs to raise over a quarter of a million pounds a week (£2.5 million UK-wide) to continue to run its essential frontline services, at a time when its ability to generate this money has been seriously compromised.
Given the choice, people overwhelmingly say they would prefer to die in their own home, or in a hospice, rather than a hospital.
People who are dying are able to leave hospital quickly, if the right package of care is in place and it is safe to do so. Marie Curie are experts in providing that care.
Now more than ever, dying people who do not want to be in hospital need to be moved to a more appropriate setting, as precious beds in critical care units are urgently required for patients who need lifesaving treatment for Coronavirus.
Marie Curie can help, but only if it continues to raise the donations it needs to fund its vital work.
Marie Curie Head of Community Fundraising in Scotland Debbie Mooneysaid, “This is a stark warning that Marie Curie desperately needs more donations if it is to continue caring for dying people and help the NHS cope with the Coronavirus crisis.
“The people of Scotland are known for our generosity and kindness, which we’ve seen in abundance over the last few difficult weeks. We need the public to rally around our hospices and nurses now and give whatever they can. It has never been more critical.”
Marie Curie’s Chief Executive Matthew Reedsaid: “At this time of national emergency, Marie Curie Nurses and frontline staff are needed more than ever as the NHS is put under ever greater strain. We’re ready and geared up to help, with hospice beds and nurses on standby.
“Sadly, some people’s lives will be shortened by Coronavirus, so the need for end of life care will be greater. Marie Curie can meet this need, and in doing so will help free up intensive care beds needed for Coronavirus patients.
“But just as we want to help, our income has been decimated. We need donations urgently to keep our Nurses and Hospice staff on the frontline.
“Unlike other healthcare providers, Marie Curie is reliant on donations from the public to survive. Every week the charity needs to raise £2.5million to care for the tens of thousands of people who require nursing and hospice care.
“At the moment, our ability to fundraise is seriously compromised. Events are being cancelled, and we’ve had to close our Shops. That is why we have launched an emergency appeal to make up the shortfall, and ensure the charity can care for more dying patients, support the NHS and ultimately save lives in the weeks and months ahead.”
Matthew added: “We are all in this crisis together and already we are seeing how the public in this country is rising to support each other and the most vulnerable. Please donate now.”
Text NURSE to 70633 to help us reach the families who need us. Texts cost £5 plus 1 standard rate message. 98% is received by Marie Curie. To unsub text OUT to 78866. Thank you.
If you, or someone you know, is affected by a terminal illness and concerned about Coronavirus, our Support Line team are ready to help with the information you need when you need it. Call free 0800 090 2309*.
Due to increased demand, Marie Curie has extended its service to 7 days a week: Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm, Saturday and Sunday 11am to 5pm. Your calls may be recorded for training and monitoring purposes.
The UK government has pledged an additional £210 million of support to accelerate work to find a coronavirus vaccine, in an announcement following a virtual summit of G20 leaders.
The UK has now pledged £544 million in total which makes it the biggest contributor to Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) – the international coalition to find a vaccine.
Announcing the additional funding, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “While our brilliant doctors and nurses fight coronavirus at home, this record British funding will help to find a vaccine for the entire world. UK medics and researchers are at the forefront of this pioneering work.
Acting High Commissioner to India Jan Thompson said: “This important announcement demonstrates the UK’s continued commitment to finding a coronavirus vaccine alongside our key international partners.
“We already have a strong record of research collaboration with India; at a time like this, international collaboration is more important than ever.”
The additional package of funding will go towards producing rapid tests for coronavirus and testing and developing medicines to treat the disease, for use in the UK and around the world.
Quickly identifying those with coronavirus and having the means to treat those most affected will be pivotal in bringing down the number of people killed.
Few days are without incident for a Prime Minister in these turbulent times, but this was a particularly eventful day for Boris Johnson, who had earlier announced to the nation he had succumbed to the coronavirus.
In a video message, he said:
‘Hi folks.
I want to bring you up to speed on something that’s happening today which is that I’ve developed mild symptoms of the coronavirus. That’s to say – a temperature and a persistent cough.
And, on the advice of the Chief Medical Officer, I’ve taken a test. That has come out positive.
So I am working from home. I’m self-isolating. And that’s entirely the right thing to do.
But be in no doubt that I can continue, thanks to the wizardry of modern technology, to communicate with all my top team to lead the national fightback against coronavirus.
And I want to thank everybody who’s involved, I want to thank, above all, our amazing NHS staff. It was very moving last night to join in that national clap for the NHS.
But it’s not just the NHS, it’s our police, our social care workers, teachers, everybody who works in schools, DWP staff.
An amazing national effort by the public services. But also by every member of the British public who’s volunteering, an incredible response – 600,000 people have volunteered to take part in a great national effort to protect people from the consequences of coronavirus – I want to thank you.
I want to thank everybody who’s working to keep our country going through this epidemic.
And we will get through it.
And the way we’re going to get through it is, of course, by applying the measures that you’ll have heard so much about.
And the more effectively we all comply with those measures, the faster our country will come through this epidemic and the faster we’ll bounce back.
So thank you to everybody who’s doing what I’m doing, working from home, to stop the spread of the virus from household to household.
That’s the way we’re going to win, we’re going to beat it, and we’re going to beat it together.
Edinburgh & Lothians Greenspace Trust realise the spread of Coronavirus is a difficult and worrying time for everyone and can assure you that we are following all the current advice and information from Health Protection Scotland and the UK and Scottish Governments.
Due to the current Covid-19 situation all community activities have been suspended and our project delivery on the ground. Our staff are currently working from home.
However, we are keen to keep in contact with the communities that we work with and will be updating our website and social media once we have a clearer idea of timescales.
In addition we will endeavour to continue posting, on Facebook, activities that people can do at home to help them stay motivated.
We hope that this is of some reassurance to you and if there is anything else you think we could do, or if you would like to discuss things further, then please do not hesitate to get in touch through our contact page.
Leading Scottish care provider LOVE Care, part of the LOVE Group, has launched a campaign to boost recruitment into the care sector amid the Covid-19 outbreak.
Although the Government’s announcement to help workers and businesses fight through this crisis has been welcomed by most, LOVE Care forecasts that many individuals will still struggle to pay their bills or, especially in the case of those self-employed, might not eligible for the grants.
However, in the midst of what could lead to an economic recession, the coronavirus pandemic has also led to a surge in jobs from a variety of sectors, including social care.
LOVE Care is therefore looking to attract those that are self-employed or that might have been laid off in order to fill the high demand of care services that this health crisis has caused, in a sector that already has clear recruiting problems per se.
Based in Hamilton but active across Scotland, LOVE Care offers a wide range of professional care services, tailored to individual service user needs and undertaken by highly trained carers.
Its campaign seeks to highlight the various roles and opportunities available in the sector with a specific focus on attracting those from a non-care background who might be looking for a temporary solution or a change of career during the current health crisis we are living through.
LOVE Care will put those who successfully pass the selection process through intensive training for two weeks and will facilitate PVGs so they can begin to work as soon as possible. The care provider does also pay all its employees above the real living wage and offers qualified training and promotion opportunities.
Lynn Bell, CEO of the LOVE Group said: “This recruitment campaign comes against one of the greatest public health challenges in recent history which has led to a higher demand than normal for care workers.
“During normal circumstances we already operate in a sector where there are clear recruiting problems, and this crisis will make the disparity between the demand of services and the number of care providers even bigger.
“We are calling for all of those who this outbreak might affect their jobs and sources of income to consider the care sector as an opportunity, even if it is just as a temporary solution until we go back to normality.
“The career pathway we provide through intensive training will support individuals to be ready to work in a matter of weeks. Later on, those who wish to remain in the care sector will also be supported to gain the qualifications to move through the ranks of the industry and help them establish this as a career of their choice.”
The largest intake of probationary constables ever to join Police Scotland has been thanked for their commitment to public service as they took the oath of office yesterday.
Chief Constable Iain Livingstone welcomed the cohort of 348 recruits into the Police Service of Scotland and told them they had joined at a time of “national significance”.
The Chief Constable said: “This is a moment of national significance and policing has a crucial role in protecting the people of Scotland.
“I recognise that by coming here together for your training, there is a potential risk. We are asking you to put yourself in a position that we do not ask of other citizens.
“Putting yourself in harm’s way to protect others goes to the very heart of what it means to be a police officer.
“Your colleagues are on the streets, right now, demonstrating that commitment for the good of their fellow citizens.
“You are joining that shared mission and I thank all police officers and staff who are contributing to the national effort to protect people from the spread of coronavirus.
The Chief Constable added: “The response to coronavirus may continue for some time and we must maintain and support the frontline.
“That is why we pressed on with our plan to recruit you and why we are looking at how we can make you, as police officers, available to that visible response, with appropriate supervision, at an earlier stage of your training than would normally be the case.
“I wish to assure you that we are doing all we can to support our people on the frontline, including redirecting resources and providing the equipment you need.
“The service has received and distributed masks, goggles, disposable suits, boot covers and gloves and more is on its way, as well as thousands of bottles of hand sanitiser for those who can’t readily access hand washing facilities.
“There is a demand, across all essential services, for personal protective equipment and we will continue to work to secure and supply it to our people.”
A further 22 special constables also took the oath of office and the Chief Constable said policing’s link with our communities has never been more critical.
The Chief Constable said: “We gain our authority and legitimacy through the consent of our fellow citizens and I thank the overwhelming majority of people, from all walks of life, who are complying with very clear guidance to stay at home.
“We know this is a challenging time for people who have to adjust their daily habits and we know the police service will be required to take on additional responsibilities. Everything we do will be done in a fair, reasonable and proportionate manner.
“Those who persistently and blatantly defy the law, however, must know we will enforce the law.”
FRONTLINE workers leading the response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Edinburgh are booking in to the city’s largest independent hotel after it committed to offering free rooms and meals.
Since opening its doors on Friday evening to help clinical and medical staff at the capital’s hospitals, Ten Hill Place witnessed more than 232 room nights booked over the weekend into Wednesday, accommodating guests over the coming weeks.
The hotel, owned by The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd) and operated by Surgeons Quarter, is located less than a mile from the Royal Hospital for Sick Children and three miles from the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.
It is now calling on even more workers to make use of its 129 bedrooms – and as well as offering a continental packed breakfast it is also now including a free evening meal courtesy of its award-winning catering team.
The huge effort has drawn praise from the RCSEd President, Professor Michael Griffin, regarded as one of the UK’s leading surgeons. He said: “COVID-19 is unlike anything we’ve seen in our lifetimes – and I know the strain it is putting across all aspects of our wonderful health service.
“The team at Ten Hill Place are giving tired workers vital respite to allow them to focus on caring for the country.
“The decision by Scott Mitchell, supported very strongly by myself and our team, to open the Hotel up to healthcare workers who are finding it difficult to get in on public transport was a brave but generous one. We are helping them to help us, our families and our friends as they fall ill from any condition, not just COVID-19.
“We simply can’t put a value on this. The work Surgeons Quarter has been doing is truly outstanding and admirable – everyone at the College is extremely proud.”
Scott Mitchell, Managing Director at Surgeons Quarter, said: “This is a really challenging time for everyone in the world.
“We are happy to be able to play a small part in helping to make the lives of our heroic Medical and Clinical workforce at the frontline of Scotland’s response to COVID-19 that little bit easier.
“We have been taken aback by the positive response to opening the hotel to NHS staff and the wider Medical and Clinical workforce and want to encourage those who are able to take advantage of our city centre location to get in touch.
“Ten Hill Place has 129 hotel rooms which are available to a variety of key workers carrying a valid hospital photographic identity card or similar. Please contact the hotel on 0131 662 2080 or by email at reservations@tenhillplace.com to make your booking.
“We look forward to continuing to welcome and looking after our NHS staff and wider Clinical and Medical workforce over the next few weeks.”
As well as the commitment to hospital staff, the RCSEd has engaged with the Chief Medical Officer to declare its willingness to temporarily convert the hotel, should hospitals overflow.
Surgeons Quarter has also pledged to pay all 76 salaried and contracted staff over at least the next three months, while adding discretionary sick pay at full levels.
Surgeons Quarter promotes, sells and manages all commercial activities held within the RCSEd campus. All profits support the charitable aims of the College which are education, assessment and advancement in surgical standards worldwide.
“We have to take a win-at-all-costs attitude to ensure British businesses survive. This is no time for unworkable criteria and red tape – the Government needs to realise this now before it’s too late.”
CHANCELLOR Rishi Sunak was hailed a ‘rock star’ when he announced a range of measures to support British businesses facing a financial crisis due to the coronavirus outbreak.
But one entrepreneur says unless the Chancellor cuts the red tape and changes the criteria preventing firms from accessing vital funding – bosses will soon brand him ‘rock bottom’.
“The Chancellor has made it clear that his intention is to support the British economy and protect British business. The only way to do that in the current COVID-19 situation is to make sure the money is ready and easy to access,” said entrepreneur Eddie Black.
“The headlines about the Government’s announcement about helping businesses via the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) are fantastic and the Chancellor looks like a rock star. The reality is very different to the headlines.”
Eddie (above), managing director of ECO, says that having read the terms of the loan, and having had in-depth conversations with a range of lenders on the panel, there’s some serious failings in the arrangements which could send businesses to the wall.
The loans are:
facilitated via the Enterprise Finance Guarantee (EFG) scheme and only protects the banks up to 80 per cent
subject to the usual credit and due diligence (this is estimated to be a four to six-week process)
subject to the ability to service the loan – businesses need to provide evidence of future forecasts and business performance predictions
Eddie says this has knock-on effects for the banks: “Originally the banks were going to get 100 per cent guarantees and now it’s only 80 per cent.
“If there are defaults it will be down to the banks to pursue the debtor and take assets.
“The EFG Scheme might not be a favoured route for them because it means the British Business Bank can say that any inability to pay was down to the lender’s poor due diligence.”
In terms of eligibility criteria for the British Business Bank scheme, an SME must:
be UK-based in its business activity, with annual turnover of no more than £45m
have a borrowing proposal which, were it not for the current pandemic, would be considered viable by the lender, and for which the lender believes the provision of finance will enable the business to trade out of any short-to-medium term difficulty.
It’s this reliance on future forecasts and business performance projections which Eddie says is such a contradiction.
He went on: “The British Business Bank criteria states that a company needs to be viable now. Businesses have had all future, or current, opportunities or contracts suspended, and/or, in worst case scenarios, cancelled, without knowing what comes next.
“Businesses don’t know if that opportunity or contract will be there in the future. Will the client even exist?
“The serviceability and criteria elements are a complete contradiction in terms. No-one knows what the future holds. In many ways, it’s the survival of the fittest.
“There is a risk that businesses will default – that is why it has been described as a war chest.
“The best of British businesses will topple like dominoes if the Government don’t protect the banks. The banks should not be held accountable for lending money that they would not have been asked to lend if it were not for COVID-19.
“If the Chancellor really wants to back British business he needs to back the banks and put the liability on them to ensure that it gets this help into the economy.
“This is a sink or swim scenario and millions of jobs – and the livelihoods of families – are on the line.
“There may be a concern from the Government that businesses will flaunt the rules if these serviceability factors and criteria are not in place, and that might be holding them back on ensuring that this help is available immediately and is easily accessible.
“But businesses which flaunt the rules can be pursued at a later date. Most businesses are not geared up for failure and are in it for the long haul.
“The help is needed now. The money has been pledged and, even if there is a risk of some of it going down the drain, it is better than not getting it into the economy at all.
“We have to take a win-at-all-costs attitude to ensure British businesses survive. This is no time for unworkable criteria and red tape – the Government needs to realise this now before it’s too late.”
ECO has bases at Annan and Creca in Dumfries and Galloway, and in the North-West of England and works all over the UK. It employs 55 people which is due to increase to 80 when it opens its new HQ in the summer.
