The SNP has announced that Sarah Masson will stand as their candidate in Edinburgh West at the next UK general election. Continue reading SNP announce Edinburgh West candidate
Shakespeare Schools Festival comes to town!
This autumn, over 20,000 young people will be taking part in Shakespeare Schools Festival – the world’s largest youth drama festival. Through this experience, they’re gaining the skills they need to succeed. Continue reading Shakespeare Schools Festival comes to town!
‘Everything must go’ closing-down sale at Links of London Edinburgh store
Following the announcement that Links of London has entered administration, the Edinburgh store on Multrees Walk has announced an extensive closing down sale with immediate effect featuring discounts on all stock throughout the store.
Everything has been reduced and has to go, including stock being cleared from the warehouse. Continue reading ‘Everything must go’ closing-down sale at Links of London Edinburgh store
Jump in growth for Active Schools
The latest data published by sportscotland shows that the national Active Schools programme continues to have a positive impact on children’s physical activity levels.
It revealed that 7.3 million visits were made to activities across Scotland in 2018/19, an increase of 0.4% on the previous year. Continue reading Jump in growth for Active Schools
Projekt 42 to hold Open Day this Sunday
Projekt 42 is hosting a free open day this coming Sunday (27th October), inviting the local community to drop by and take part in a variety of fitness classes, as well as have the chance to speak to their mental health team. Continue reading Projekt 42 to hold Open Day this Sunday
Concern over record use of compulsory mental health treatment
A new report shows 6,038 new episodes of compulsory treatment using the Mental Health Act in Scotland last year – the highest figure since the Act came into force in 2003.
The new data, published by the Mental Welfare Commission, also shows rising figures for young people aged under 25 being given compulsory treatment.
The rates at which detention was used varied considerably across Scotland. Continue reading Concern over record use of compulsory mental health treatment
Scottish stars lend support to launch of Poppy Appeal 2019
Scottish stars came out in force yesterday to help launch this year’s Scottish Poppy Appeal and show that when it comes to our Armed Forces, they are behind them. Always.
Among those with messages of support for veterans throughout Scotland are Game of Thrones actor James Cosmo, celebrity chef Nick Nairn and multiple-medal-winning athlete Eilidh Doyle. Continue reading Scottish stars lend support to launch of Poppy Appeal 2019
Halloween waste: Pumpkins and fancy dress heading “straight to Britain’s bins”
Up to 18,000 tons to be thrown out by the end of the big day
Hundreds of thousands of pumpkins, single use fancy dress clothes and plastic tat will be thrown into Britain’s bins by the end of the Hallowe’en festivities. Continue reading Halloween waste: Pumpkins and fancy dress heading “straight to Britain’s bins”
Diwali to light up city centre
Organisers of Edinburgh Diwali have announced the most culturally diverse programme of performers and events in its five-year history.
Lord Provost Frank Ross, patron of Edinburgh Diwali, said “Once again, Diwali will light up the city with a dazzling parade and festival of lights, dance and music.
“It’s one of the most spectacular events on Edinburgh’s calendar and is truly inclusive, providing free family fun and celebrating the city’s many multi-cultural communities. Don’t miss our most diverse programme yet!”
£9.34 million funding for improvements to GP practices
GP practices will receive more than £9 million of new funding to upgrade their premises and IT systems supporting better services for local communities.
The funding will facilitate improvements to GP practices and enhancements to make the best use of existing space. It will improve internet connectivity and also support the deployment of Attend Anywhere – an online virtual clinic that patients can link into wherever they are.
Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said: “This is a substantial investment by the Scottish Government which will support GPs, the wider primary care workforce and the communities they serve.
“The upgrades to premises and IT systems will see continued improvements to the delivery of high quality patient care, including the continued deployment of Attend Anywhere in our remote and rural areas.
“This investment is part of a wider commitment to increase general practice funding by £250 million by 2021 as part of an extra investment of £500 million per year for primary care funding. This funding together with our wider reform programme will mean additional staff working in primary care, providing better services for patients and allowing them to see the right person at the right time.”
Scottish GP Committee deputy chair Patricia Moultrie said: “This is welcome funding for GP premises and will allow partners to improve their practices and give much-need updates to IT systems.
“This funding is definitely a step in the right direction in regards to making premises fit for the multidisciplinary teams working within general practice in the future, as we look towards the development of Phase 2 of the GP contract.”
The £9.34 million will be split as below:
- £5.14 million to fund digitisation of GP paper records and improvements to GP premises
– £5 million allocated to Integration Authorities to carry out digitisation of GP paper records and improvements to GP premises
– £0.14 million to NHS National Services Scotland to digitise paper GP records transferring between paper-light GP practices
- £4.2 million will support implementation of Primary Care Improvement Plans (PCIPs) and improvements to GP IT, and improve practices’ internet connectivity.
– £2.2 million of this would be targeted to supporting Boards on their implementation of PCIPs and on their improvements to GP IT in 2019-20 and promoting joint working, including specific support to rural and remote areas.
– A further £1.8 million funding would be targeted to making faster progress on two other key areas of supporting infrastructure investment:
– Internet connectivity
– Staff and patient Wi-Fi in practices.
– £600,000 of the £1.8 million is going to be used to pay for the on-going costs of practices which have already had their internet connection upgraded. This cost wasn’t paid from the Primary Care Fund previously and is a direct result of previous investment to improve internet connections. Around £100,000 is identified for upgrading further practice internet connections.
– The remaining £200,000 would be targeted at supporting the deployment of Attend Anywhere to remote and rural GP practices.
- The new GP contract developed in partnership with the BMA, is helping to cut doctors’ workload. Along with investment in multi-disciplinary teams is making the career even more attractive to new doctors, and helping patients to be seen at the right time by the right person.
- A central aim of the new GP contract is to focus GP time on complex care, while building capacity in the wider multi-disciplinary team.