We are pleased to invite you to Stepping Stones North Edinburgh’s AGM on Monday 11 October 2021 at 12.30pm.
This will take place via Zoom due to the ongoing Covid situation – for the link and further details please email: info@steppingstonesnorthedinburgh.co.uk
We very much hope you can attend and would appreciate your RSVP no later than Wednesday 6th October.
Zoe Jordan
Business Administrator
Stepping Stones North Edinburgh
The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has published its Annual Report for 2020.
The Annual Report includes statistics on accidents to UK ships and seafarers worldwide, and to foreign flag vessels and their crews in UK waters.
The Annual Report also contains an overview of the work of the MAIB, details of reports published and contains analysis of the safety recommendations issued during the year and the status of outstanding recommendations from previous years.
During 2020 MAIB:
Captain Andrew Moll, Chief Inspector or Marine Accidents, said: “In 2020, the MAIB published two investigation reports into the collapse of container stacks on large container ships.
“There have been more accidents involving large losses of containers since, and more general concerns about large container vessels were already being raised before Ever Given grounded in the Suez Canal earlier this year.
“There is no doubt that accidents involving Ultra Large Container vessels will continue to receive intense focus, but it is too early to say what common themes might emerge from accident investigations and whether these could have wider implications for the sector.
“On paper, 2020 was a safer year for the UK fishing industry, with only one accident (Joanna C) resulting in fatalities. Regrettably, six commercial fishermen’s lives have been lost already in 2021, meaning that eight commercial fishermen have lost their lives in the 6 month period November to May. While the investigations are ongoing, the indications are that five lives were lost as a result of small fishing vessels capsizing or foundering quickly.
“The accidents involving leisure and recreational craft that the Branch is investigating are quite varied, but two themes are worth mentioning. As the tragic accident onboard the motor cruiser Diversion demonstrated, lives are still being lost due to carbon monoxide poisoning.
“There can be many sources of carbon monoxide on a cruising vessel, including the main engines, generators, heaters and cooking appliances. Owners of craft with enclosed accommodation spaces are strongly advised to fit a carbon monoxide alarm suitable for use in the marine environment, and to test it regularly.
“Two accidents involving Personal Watercraft (PWC) and Rigid Inflatable Boats (RIBs) show how vulnerable passengers are to injury when these craft collide or hit stationary objects while travelling at high speed.
“The collision between a PWC and RIB Rib Tickler, and the RIB Seadogz’s collision with a navigation buoy are still under investigation, but both accidents resulted in fatalities that could have been avoided had a better lookout been kept and larger passing distances maintained.”
The Scottish Government has provided people who need it with over £540 million in payments since launch in September 2018 up to 31 March 2020, according to the Social Security Scotland’s annual report published today.
From 1 September 2018 to 31 March 2020, benefits were delivered that support low income families during key stages in a child’s life, people struggling to pay for funerals and unpaid carer
The support paid over the course of the financial year reporting period 1 April 2019 to 31 March 2020 totalled £346.7 million.
A further three benefits have been introduced since March 2020. Job Start Payment, Child Winter Heating Assistance and the Scottish Child Payment which is estimated could pay an extra £142 million to people in Scotland every year.
Social Security Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “Social security is the most significant new public service to be created in Scotland since devolution.
“Social Security Scotland’s latest annual report shows that our new service is already supporting thousands of low income people including families with young children, carers and those who have lost loved ones.
“It paid out £346.7 million in the last financial year and we expect this to be much higher when we report again next year given the introduction of three more benefits – including the game changing Scottish Child Payment.
“What’s also encouraging is that over 80% of clients who rated their experience of applying for Scotland’s benefits said it was good. Making sure we get money to those who need it is our priority but to truly do things differently we want to make sure that people have a good experience – that they are treated with dignity, fairness and respect.
“Of the ten benefits we currently offer, seven are completely new forms of assistance and the others are more generous than the UK benefits they replace. And despite the impact of Covid-19, we have introduced three new benefits in the last four months and our new Scottish Child Payment that will provide eligible parents and carers with an additional £10 per child per week is open to applications and will be paid from the end of February 2021.
“Over the course of this year, the service has continued to grow and take on new responsibilities. And next year will bring even greater challenges with the introducing of the more complex disability benefits. People can be reassured that we will continue to ensure that our social security system is there for people when they need it, and is something they can be proud of.”
Chief Executive of Social Security Scotland, David Wallace said: “I’m very proud of what we have achieved during the 2019/20 reporting period and since launching our brand new public service. And I’m pleased we have been able to effectively get money to so many people in Scotland who need it.
“There is still a lot more to do as we prepare to start to deliver the more complex disability payments and our service will continue to grow.
“The annual report demonstrates all that we have accomplished. Looking forward, our new Corporate Plan sets out what we will do to deliver on our responsibilities in the future.
“And our Charter Measurement Framework co-designed by people with lived experience of benefits – will help us measure our success.”
Background
A new report published by the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) today, reveals that 94 staff left the mental health officer (MHO) workforce between December 2018 and 2019. The report also shows that although the number of local authorities reporting an MHO shortfall increased to 27, the number of full time MHOs needed to address the shortfall decreased to 49. |
| MHOs carry out statutory duties in relation to mental health legislation and shortfalls in staffing could result in delays to people accessing services, appropriate treatment and care and hospital discharges. Phillip Gillespie, SSSC Director of Innovation and Development said: ‘It’s encouraging to see the shortfall of MHOs decrease in 2019, with the equivalent of 49 full time MHOs needed to meet that shortfall. “With 56 social workers starting their MHO training in 2019 and funding announced by the Scottish Government in 2019 to support additional MHO capacity in local authorities there are positive moves to help in future. ‘The report also shows the proportion of under 45s has increased from 24.1% in 2015 to 29.9% in 2019 which will help with succession planning in the workforce. ‘Our MHO report contains key data about the workforce in Scotland to help local authorities, Scottish Government and others plan the future workforce. I’m pleased that data from our workforce intelligence team makes a considerable contribution to this work.’ Key points from this year’s MHO report There were 703 filled MHO posts in 2019. There were 27 fewer filled MHO posts in 2019 than in 2018, which is equivalent to a drop of 3.7%. The percentage drop in estimated MHO hours worked was 2.3%. Exclusive MHOs fell by 2.2 %, non-exclusive MHOs fell by 2.1% and cover MHOs by 18.3%. The number of exclusive MHOs unavailable for work increased from 18 to 30. The fall from 2016 in the estimated amount of time spent by MHOs on MHO work in Scotland is more than 9%. The estimated amount of MHO hours worked per 10,000 head of population in Scotland has decreased from 22.9 in 2016 to 20.5 in 2019. Between December 2018 and December 2019 staff left 94 MHO posts, this is more than the 87 in 2018. Over the last two years there has been the highest number of leavers since we started recording leavers in 2012. The next highest was 62 in 2014. Our role supporting MHOs We approve and quality assure the three university MHO programmes in Scotland, which includes feedback from people who use mental health services to inform improvements in the delivery of MHO education and practice. We also work in partnership with the national MHO forum, Social Work Scotland and the Scottish Association of Social Workers to develop resources to support practice including learning in relation to new mental health legislation and the annual MHO study day. You can download the 2019 Mental Health Officers Report here. |
The Secretary of State for Scotland and his team ‘play a vital role in promoting the best interests of Scotland within a strong United Kingdom, and represent effectively Scottish interests at the heart of the UK Government’, according to the UK Government.
The annual report and accounts of the Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland (OSSS) and Office of the Advocate General for Scotland (OAG) have been published today [21 July 2020].
The report provides an overview of a busy year from April 2019 to March 2020. Highlights include:
Commenting on the report, Scottish Secretary Alister Jack (above) said: “I am very pleased to present our annual report and accounts to Parliament, for the first time since I was appointed to the role last year.
“The past 12 months have seen a period of monumental change across Scotland and the rest of the UK. We have left the EU, are tackling a global pandemic, and are getting ready for the end of the EU transition period.
“As we look forward to ensuring our economy can bounce back after coronavirus, and making the most of new global opportunities outside of the EU, the case for the Union has never been stronger. I am proud to be playing a part in sustaining and strengthening our Union”.
The annual report and accounts can be found here
Efforts to eradicate homelessness will be stepped up in 2020 as all measures in the £50 million Ending Homelessness Action Plan are progressed.
Work to transform services and provide access to permanent, stable accommodation is already underway. This includes creating a new legal duty on public bodies to prevent homelessness and new legislation to prevent people facing homelessness living in unsuitable temporary accommodation for any longer than seven days.
The Scottish Government’s progress report shows that 39 out of 49 measures have been progressed in the first year of the action plan, with plans to start the remaining 10 this year.
Housing Minister Kevin Stewart said: “People facing homelessness in Scotland already have some of the strongest rights in the world. We are going even further and are determined to eradicate homelessness.
“Our report today shows significant progress has been made in the first year of our transition to a rapid rehousing approach, which prioritises permanent, settled accommodation as the first response. It also shows that our £50 million action plan is working to ensure the right support is in place for those who need it.
“The Housing First Pathfinder programme has seen 173 people with multiple, complex needs, such as mental health issues or drug and alcohol addiction, being given settled accommodation with the additional support they require since it began in April 2019.
“Our action plan also includes a commitment to tackling the causes of homelessness and changing the culture across the public sector. In 2020, we will work in partnership with local government, the third sector, people with lived experience of homelessness and frontline services to ensure our system does all it can to prevent homelessness – especially for those at higher risk, such as care leavers or survivors of domestic abuse.”
CEO of homelessness charity Crisis and Chair of the Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Action Group Jon Sparkes said: “The Scottish Government has demonstrated in the first year of the action plan that it is determined to tackle and end homelessness. It is clearly following through on the commitments it made when the Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Action Group was created.
“There is no time to waste. Ending homelessness is urgent. It has a devastating impact on individuals and families, and is costly to society as a whole. It is going to take a concerted and lasting effort by the Scottish Government and many partner organisations to end it once and for all. We look forward to seeing urgent progress in the second year of the plan and beyond.”
Read the Ending Homelessness Together Action Plan Annual Report
The Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) successfully delivered its major digital transformation programme in 2018/2019. This included several new and upgraded systems alongside new IT equipment during 2019, at the same time as a 35% increase in applications to the Register as the 2020 date for mandatory registration of support workers in care at home and housing support services approaches.
These are just two of the highlights from the 2018/19 Annual Report and Accounts published yesterday.
Continue reading Scottish Social Services Council – Annual Report published
The Total Craigroyston team has produced an annual report, which centres around the project’s aims of:
How are things progressing? See for yourself (below) …
