coronavirus – Page 76 – The NEN

World Mental Health Day: a message from The President

Dear Friends

World Mental Health Day, a programme of the World Federation for Mental Health, was observed for the first time on 10 October 1992.

The world is experiencing the unprecedented impact of the current global health emergency due to COVID-19 that has also impacted on the mental health of millions of people. We know that the levels of anxiety, fear, isolation, social distancing and restrictions, uncertainty and emotional distress experienced have become widespread as the world struggles to bring the virus under control and to find solutions.

The current worldwide pandemic arose against an already dire mental health landscape that saw mental health conditions on the rise across the globe. About 450 million people live with mental disorders that are among the leading causes of ill-health and disability worldwide (WHO’s World Health Report, 2001).

One person in every four will be affected by a mental disorder at some stage of their lives while mental, neurological and substance use disorders exact a high toll on health outcomes, accounting for 13% of the total global burden of disease (WHO, 2012).

The World Health Organization (2018) states that every 40 seconds someone dies by suicide. Annually, this represents over 800 000 people that die by suicide, which is more than people dying by war and homicide put together.

For every suicide, there are many more people who attempt suicide every year. A prior suicide attempt is the single most important risk factor for suicide in the general population. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among 15 to

29-year-olds while 79% of global suicides occur in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). Every suicide is a tragedy that affects families, communities and entire countries and has long-lasting and devastating effects on the people left behind.

This bleak picture necessitates that we ensure that mental health is prioritised now more than ever before.

The World Economic Forum (2018) noted that mental health disorders are on the rise in every country in the world and could cost the global economy up to $16 trillion between 2010 and 2030 if a collective failure to respond is not addressed.

We are faced with an international mental health crisis and have been forewarned over the past two decades of this imminent catastrophe. This has been compounded by the need for psychosocial support and mental health interventions during this time.

Thus, the drive for universal health coverage (UHC), articulated as a key target in the sustainable development goal for good health and wellbeing, is motivated by the desire for health equity across the globe (United Nations. Sustainable development goals: 17 goals to transform our world. New York: United Nations; 2015).

Universal health coverage means that all people have access to the quality mental health services they need, when and where they need them, without financial hardship.

We believe this is possible and it starts with strong primary health care that adopts a whole-of-society approach to health and wellbeing that is centred on the needs and preferences of individuals, families and communities. To make health for all a reality, governments need to invest in mental health.

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization stated: “The world is accepting the concept of universal health coverage. Mental health must be an integral part of UHC. Nobody should be denied access to mental health care because she or he is poor or lives in a remote place.”

This statement necessitates that under the current global health emergency no-one should be denied mental health care. Psychosocial support and mental health national plans need to address the mental health consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on citizens.

It is therefore of great significance and importance that the theme for World Mental Health Day 2020 will be:

Mental Health for All
Greater Investment – Greater Access

Mental health is a human right – it’s time that mental health is available for all. Quality, accessible primary health care is the foundation for universal health coverage and is urgently required as the world grapples with the current health emergency.

We therefore need to make mental health a reality for all – for everyone, everywhere.

I believe this call to action will be strengthened through our alliances, collaborations and partnerships to ensure that investment in mental health is prioritised, particularly during this time within the content of COVID-19.

It is also a time in which we can capitalise on the resilience displayed by individuals and communities who relaunched, regenerated and rediscovered themselves and their communities to be responsive during a time of crisis, as well as a time of great reflection and finding creative solutions and interventions to facilitate a mental health response in an emergency context despite social distancing or “lockdown”.

We invite you to join our call to action in highlighting the need for greater investment in mental health particularly during this global health emergency and thereafter. World Mental Health Day isn’t simply a one-day event.

We need to start now and continue our call to ensure that no-one is left behind. A great opportunity is provided to focus on the call for greater investment in mental health for all as we lead up to 10 October.

Together we are stronger and together we can make a big difference all over the world.

World Mental Health Day aims to raise awareness in the global community about the critical mental health agendas – with a unifying voice through collaboration with various partners – to take action and to create lasting change through the messages we promote.

We are all in this together and together we can bring about mental health for all.

Best regards

Dr INGRID DANIELS

President, World Federation for Mental Health

COVID demo at Holyrood: Police urge protesters to stay away

Police Scotland is urging people not to gather for a planned demonstration against the ongoing coronavirus restrictions at the Holyrood Parliament building today.

Superintendent David Robertson, of Edinburgh Division, said: “We are aware of a proposed demonstration in Edinburgh in relation to the ongoing restrictions in place to help prevent the spread of coronavirus and save lives.

“Anyone thinking of taking part is strongly urged to find alternative ways to protest rather than attending mass gatherings, for example through digital means.

“Police Scotland will have a proportionate and appropriate response should this event go ahead and will act decisively to enforce the law if required.

“We are asking people to take personal responsibility to do the right thing and remember the purpose of these measures is to aid the collective effort to stay safe, protect others and save lives by preventing the virus from spreading.”

High street recovery from lockdown stalled in September as summer ended, says Centre for Cities

Consumer spending fell in almost every city and large town in UK as Autumn approached

Double digit drops in visitor footfall for many UK tourist destinations this September
Almost everywhere saw a fall in consumer spending as summer concluded
But the 10pm curfew made little change to visitor numbers, with a number of areas still above pre-lockdown levels of footfall

The recovery of the UK’s high streets stalled in September as many cities’ and towns’ summer booms ended. This is according to the latest data from the Centre for Cities High Streets Recovery Tracker in partnership with Nationwide Building Society.

Overall footfall in the centres of cities and large towns increased by just one percentage point last month. This is 17 percentage points lower than the increase seen in July and August.

Consumer spending in city and town centres also fell almost everywhere – in many places significantly. While Bournemouth had the biggest increase in visitors this summer, in September the amount of money being spent there fell by 46 percentage points – the most of all the cities studied.

Additionally, Bournemouth and many other tourist destinations such as Blackpool, Brighton, York and Edinburgh saw large drops in the numbers of visitors in September as the summer holidays ended, raising concerns that their initial recovery from Covid-19 may have been short lived.

Cities and large towns showing the biggest drops in footfall this September
Rank	City	Percentage point fall in footfall in September
1	Bournemouth	-31
2	Blackpool	-25
3	Swansea	-16
4	Brighton	-14
5	York	-14
6	Edinburgh	-12
7	Southampton	-11
8	Southend	-10
9	Cardiff	-10
10	Liverpool	-10
UK urban average: 1 percentage point

Cities and large towns showing the biggest drops in spending this September
Rank	City	Percentage point fall in spending in September
1	Bournemouth	-46
2	Middlesbrough	-43
3	Blackpool	-39
4	Birkenhead	-29
5	Liverpool	-28
6	Brighton	-28
7	Wigan	-26
8	Newport	-25
9	Preston	-25
10	Cardiff	-24
UK urban average: -9 percentage points

Data from the end of September suggests little indication that the 10pm curfew on pubs and restaurants had an effect on footfall, which overall has not fallen as a result of the measures.

Cities and large towns showing the biggest drops in footfall this September
Cities with the highest footfall as a percentage of pre-lockdown average	Cities with the lowest footfall as a percentage of pre-lockdown average
Rank			Rank
1	Basildon	132	1	London	35
2	Chatham	129	2	Manchester	51
3	Birkenhead	123	3	Cardiff	51
4	Blackpool	116	4	Birmingham	55
5	Burnley	112	5	Oxford	55
6	Doncaster	108	6	Liverpool	59
7	Telford	107	7	Edinburgh	60
8	Southend	105	8	Leeds	61
9	Wigan	103	9	Glasgow	62
10	Bournemouth	102	10	Newcastle	65
UK urban average: 64%

The persistently low numbers of people going back to work in city centres, particularly in big cities, reinforces the concerns for the future of shops, cafes, restaurants and bars that depend on office workers for custom.

On average, across large cities and towns just one in five workers have now returned to their place of work. In London, Birmingham, Glasgow, Leeds and Oxford the figure is even lower – at around 15%. Meanwhile in Basildon and Mansfield, the figure has reached almost half.

Centre for Cities’ Chief Executive Andrew Carter said: “Many places in the UK benefited from the good weather, Eat Out To Help Out and domestic holiday makers. But it’s clear that this was a seasonal boom and with winter approaching, Covid cases rising and the prospect of more local lockdowns, policy makers need to think hard about how to support places through the difficult months ahead.

“The Job Support Scheme and related measures will help but, as the Chancellor said, it can’t support every job. However, there is a still risk that many of the local amenities that many of us have made use of this summer could be lost in the months ahead. So, I’d like to see the Chancellor set out how he proposes to protect these for us to enjoy once again when it is once again safe to do so.

“Greater devolution of powers and responsibilities, such as those expected in the postponed devolution white paper would have been one way for to help places help themselves so the Government should press ahead with doing this as soon as possible.”

Make A Splash! Edinburgh Leisure offers Family Swim

As leisure venues start to adapt to the new norm, Edinburgh Leisure has introduced new Family Swim sessions at their five pools that are open, in a bid to offer activities for all ages and stages.

The Family Swim sessions will be available to book at Ainslie Park Leisure Centre, Drumbrae Leisure Centre, The Royal Commonwealth Pool, Gracemount Leisure Centre and Leith Victoria Swim Centre.

To enable customers to safely enjoy the benefits of family swimming, the pool will be sectioned off into ‘pods’, with each family having their own private area. Each pod will cost from £9.60 – £12, depending on type of membership held.

Members can book eight days in advance or seven days for non-members, with sessions starting from Saturday, 17 October 2020. Booking is now live to members and non-members can book from 9pm tonight (Friday, 9^th October).

Customers will be able to book a 40-minute session with a maximum of five people, from the same household bubble. However, customers will need to stick to the existing adult: child ratios*.

This will allow flexibility for how customers use the space – e.g. children from 9-12 years who do not need to socially distance, can book to attend with their friends if they wish. During any one sessions, there will be between three to eight pods to book.

Angela McCowan, Swim Development Officer at Edinburgh Leisure said: “We are delighted to be welcoming families back to our pools. We know how popular previous family swim sessions have been so opening up our pools to families in time for the October holidays, will mean that more people, of all ages and stages, can continue to get active with Edinburgh Leisure.

”Things may be a little different than before but we have everything in place to keep families safe and most importantly, enjoy making a splash with us.”

Following guidance from Scottish Swimming and from Edinburgh Leisure’s Health and Compliance Manager, Edinburgh Leisure has introduced the following guidelines to keep everyone safe:

All Family Swim Sessions must be pre-booked online or via the Edinburgh Leisure app. To book a session, an Edinburgh Leisure account is required. (This will be in place if a person is an Edinburgh Leisure customer of hold a discount or loyalty card). For customers who do not have an account, one can easily be created by visiting the Edinburgh Leisure website.
Customers are encouraged to arrive ‘beach-ready’, wearing their swimwear underneath their clothes to minimise time spent in changing areas. Lockers will be available for customer use but customers should bring their own token. (These are also available to buy at reception with cashless payment.)
Customers will be asked to follow the COVID-19 guidance, and maintain physical distancing, sanitising hands before and after each session, and following any signage guidance around the venue. Masks are mandatory when moving around public places, unless exempt due to age or health conditions.
Customers are asked to arrive only 5 minutes before their swim time. Any earlier, they will be asked to wait outside the venue, physically distanced in their groups.
No toys or equipment will be provided or loaned by Edinburgh Leisure. However, customers will be allowed to bring their own toys with them to the session, including floats, sinkers, armbands – but they must be washed before entering the pool. Large inflatables are not allowed. There will also be items available to purchase, using cashless payment only.
Once a family session has finished, customers will be asked to exit the pool safely and ensure they maintain distancing from other family groups. Although showers will be available to rinse off after the session, the use of soaps, shampoos and conditioners is discouraged. This is to maintain physical distancing. Hairdryers and costumer drying will not be available.
Customers or any family group/household displaying symptoms of COVID-19 are asked not to book or to cancel any pre-booked sessions.

For more information: https://www.edinburghleisure.co.uk/activities/swim/types-of-swimming

Committees unite to scrutinise UK Government coranvirus response

Westminster’s Health and Social Care Committee and Science and Technology Committee have today launched a joint inquiry into lessons to be learned from the response to the coronavirus pandemic so far.

Scope of the inquiry

The two Select Committees will jointly conduct evidence sessions examining the impact and effectiveness of action taken by government and the advice it has received. Each Committee will draw on specialist expertise and call witnesses to consider a range of issues including:

the deployment of non-pharmaceutical interventions like lockdown and social distancing rules to manage the pandemic;
the impact on the social care sector;
the impact on BAME communities;
testing and contact tracing;
modelling and the use of statistics;
Government communications and public health messaging;
the UK’s prior preparedness for a pandemic; and
the development of treatments and vaccines.

Joint Inquiry Chairs Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP and Rt Hon Greg Clark MP issued the following statement:

“Parliament has a crucial role in scrutinising the actions of government at a time when the country is in the grip of a crisis such as the current pandemic with its tragic impact on lives and livelihoods.

“Important lessons need to be learned that can help inform further decisions that will need to be taken in the months ahead. It is crucial to learn and apply them now since the Public Inquiry that the Prime Minister has promised is likely to be some time away.

“Our committees will jointly learn what went well, what didn’t, and what lessons must be learnt at this point in the pandemic.

“We will use the independence of our cross-party committees and weekly detailed questioning of witnesses to consider the decisions taken and the evidence they were based on and assess their effectiveness. We will develop clear recommendations so that the UK can benefit from the lessons learned for future stages of this pandemic and for future crises.”

Follow the Scottish Government Covid-19 rules and respect shop workers, says Usdaw

Retail trade union Usdaw has responded to yesterday’s tightening of the Covid-19 restrictions, by the Scottish Government, with a call for respect for shop workers.

From this weekend, shops across Scotland are to return to 2 metre physical distancing and reintroduce safety measures put in place earlier in the pandemic.

Usdaw is reminding customers of the five simple steps to encourage considerate shopping, that were agreed with the Scottish Retail Consortium (SRC) and the Scottish Government, urging the public to play their part in creating a safe and enjoyable retail environment for other customers and retail staff:

1. Queue considerately.

2. Maintain social distancing.

3. Follow instructions inside and outside shops.

4. Follow all necessary hygiene measures.

5. Be respectful to shop staff.

Tracy Gilbert – Usdaw’s Scottish Deputy Divisional Officer said: “Unfortunately the early part of the Covid-19 crisis saw instances of abuse towards shop workers double and we are absolutely clear that ‘abuse is not part of the job’.

“With infections rising we understand why the Scottish Government wants to return to the original safety guidance for shops, that we developed with the SRC, to provide staff and customers with a safer shopping experience.

“Customers need to play their part and be patient, observe social distancing and show respect to shop workers. Retail staff are key workers delivering essential services and that role must be valued and respected.”

Blackwood staff at the forefront of driving future change

Staff are being put at the forefront of a housing and care charity’s strategy to plan its future direction as it prepares for life with COVID-19.

Blackwood will be assessing the responses of all of its 549 employees and using them to implement strategies to improve the work and lives of everyone involved in the charity.

Staff were asked to answer two surveys over a six week period to assess opinions on a range of issues.

Blackwood Operations Director Angela Currie (above) said: “We couldn’t care for our customers without the hard work of all of our staff, from those on the frontline providing care and housing services, to our corporate team.

“Many of us have felt the additional pain and pressure of working in the social care sector during the pandemic. The vital, company-wide support we have had from our colleagues has been a huge factor in our management of the pandemic.

“At Blackwood we believe it is essential to ask for the input of all of our staff. We recognise how important feedback is in creating a strong organisation. We want our staff to be a part of our planning and influence how we move forward, especially as we look to progress out of the pandemic to a more ‘normal’ life.

“All of our employees were sent the surveys, which take into account how staff are feeling about working from home, their work-life balance, and what they would like to see more of in the future.”

Blackwood’s commitment to staff has been evident throughout the pandemic. The charity launched a campaign, #ImInAwe, to showcase its appreciation for the vital work of front-line social care workers, which can often go unnoticed.

As part of the campaign, Blackwood gifted all 284 of its care staff a £90 Aldi voucher to help with their essential shopping.

In addition, Blackwood have further endorsed its desire to recognise the impact of its workforce by giving its support for World Patient Safety Day.

Angela added: “Our colleagues have gone above and beyond over the past few months, we cannot thank them enough.

“Through World Patient Safety Day we celebrate and value our teams as they continue to put customers first in unprecedented times. Utilising practical solutions to empower our staff, even outside of the work environment, is the key to a safer Scotland.

“Working with our colleagues on this survey will hopefully provide us with some interesting insights on how staff are feeling, and how we can retain some of the more positive elements of working we have seen over the past six months.”

Blackwood aims to help people live their life to the full, by providing services which support individuals to live independently. It specialises in technology and design innovation to support the role of its housing and care staff across Scotland.

For more information, please visit: https://www.blackwoodgroup.org.uk

Morrisons introduces new measures to help people who are self isolating

– Customers can order a delivery to their doorstep from items across the supermarket –

Morrisons has launched a service aimed at ensuring customers who are self-isolating can get a delivery of food to their doorstep.

With coronavirus cases rising, Morrisons wants no customer to be left behind and the ‘doorstep delivery’ service will offer all customers who are self-isolating a next-day food delivery (from 10am-6pm).

Customers simply have to ring the doorstep delivery service where they can choose the items for their emergency delivery. The service was previously only available for elderly and clinically vulnerable people.

Now anybody who is self-isolating can:

Phone 0345 611 6111 and select option five.
Choose from a items across the supermarket, guided by the telesales operator
Place the order and then the delivery is made the following day by a store colleague from their local store, often the store’s Community Champion, who is tasked with helping the community.
Pay for delivery on their doorstep via a mobile chip and pin device. The delivery charge is £4.50 (students £2). There is no delivery charge for elderly and vulnerable people.

Students can also contact Morrisons on email: students-ug@morrisons.co.uk.

Anna Lane, Morrisons Local Director, said: “This doorstep service will ensure that more people who can’t leave their home to go shopping will be able to get a delivery of affordable food.”

Morrisons will be delivering from more stores in order to extend the service across the country.

Devolved nations issue united call for financial action

Finance Ministers from across the devolved nations have joined forces to call for flexibility, fairness and clarity from the UK Government.

For the first time, all three finance ministers – Kate Forbes, Rebecca Evans and Conor Murphy – today made co-ordinated statements in their respective legislatures.

The ministers are asking the UK Government for greater fiscal flexibility to manage the implications of coronavirus (COVID-19), meaningful involvement in the Spending Review to enable planning of budgets and an assurance that lost EU funding will be replaced in full and brought under the control of devolved administrations.

Finance Secretary Ms Forbes said: “Today the finance ministers of the devolved administrations are taking this unprecedented step to demonstrate the level of concern we share across the different nations of the UK, across different parties and across different legislatures.

“The importance of these issues cannot be overstated. They directly impact our ability to respond to COVID-19, to manage our nations’ finances and to support our communities and businesses during the pandemic.

“As representatives of our three nations, we are calling for the UK Government to provide the clarity, certainty and flexibility we require. These calls must not go unanswered.”

Ms Evans said: “I am focused on protecting the people of Wales from the worst impacts of the pandemic, while laying the foundations for recovery based on jobs, our young people and the environment.

“However, the Chancellor’s decision to cancel the UK autumn budget, alongside the uncertainty of the Spending Review and the complete lack of information on replacement EU funding, all contribute to making our task harder still.

“Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are today calling on the UK government to provide the fairness, flexibility and clarity we need to support and protect our communities and businesses.”

Speaking in the Northern Ireland Assembly, Mr Murphy said: “As Finance Ministers we represent over 10 million people and today we speak with one voice. We are calling for more fiscal flexibility to manage the implications of COVID-19.

“We are calling for proper involvement in the Spending Review so we can plan our Budgets. We are also calling for lost EU funding to be replaced in full, and brought under local control.”

Finance Secretary Kate Forbes’ statement to the Scottish Parliament is available online.

Free financial health checks with local financial planner

To celebrate Financial Planning Week 2020 (5-11 October 2020) and World Financial Planning Day (7 October 2020), wealth manager Charles Stanley is offering free one-hour consultations with a financial planner.

Advisers in the Edinburgh office will be on hand to help people understand how they can achieve financial wellbeing and identify what steps they need to take to help reach their future goals.

With the market and future so uncertain due to the Covid pandemic, many people are looking at their financial situation as their circumstances are changing, but planning finances can appear daunting and getting it wrong could be very costly.

Anyone with questions around areas such as retirement, savings and investments or estate planning and inheritance, might benefit from getting an outside expert view.

Sam Cowan, Financial Planner at Charles Stanley says: “Many people think that only very wealthy people need advice, but nothing could be further from the truth. Anyone planning for life milestones such as buying a home, planning for retirement or saving for their children’s university education can benefit.

“There have been a number of tax and pension changes over the last year which can be complex which means people often miss out on available options and getting advice can really pay off and make a difference to your financial future.”

To book a video or telephone appointment for a free one-hour, introductory meeting call 0203 553 7384, email or fill in the form through our website. Appointments are limited and are allocated on a first come first served basis.

Top 10 reasons to see a financial planner:

Retirement: Avoid common retirement planning traps and get help in making crucial decisions such as whether it’s better to buy an annuity and how to get the best deal or if it’s better to draw money from your pension without buying an annuity to secure your future income. Some people may be considering, or forced to consider, early retirement and need help in putting their affairs in place.
Pension planning: many people are notputting enough aside to ensure the retirement they ideally want, while others want help in transferring their pensions from one scheme to another and consolidating them.

3. Inheritance: whether you have inherited a sum of money and want to make the most of it, or if you want to plan ahead for passing on your estate to make sure your loved ones get as much of your hard-earned money as possible, it is worth getting advice. The sooner you start planning, the more options you have to minimise the amount of inheritance tax that might be due, such as looking at trusts or lifetime gifts and annual exemptions. Similarly, if the main or sole earner in your household has passed away you may need help in sorting out your financial affairs.

4. Children’s savings: saving little and often from an early age can build into a substantial nest egg by the time your children leave school. Explore the most tax-efficient options of saving, from JISA’s to pensions, and whether cash or stocks and shares solutions are the most appropriate for your needs.

5. Preparing for life milestones: whether you are looking at buying your first home, changing career, starting a family, paying for your child’s education or planning for retirement, it’s important to make sure you are financially prepared. Take time to set goals and think about what your priorities are to put the best savings scheme in place for your life ambitions.

6. Succession planning: having a succession plan in place is crucial to safeguard a continued smooth running of your business or estate. Transferring a business to a new owner can have significant tax implications, so it’s important to understand how the funds from the sale of your company may tie into your own personal wealth objectives.

7. Tax-efficiency: tax rules are complex and there are a number of tax allowances and exemptions to be aware of, to ensure you are not paying more tax than you should be. From Capital Gains Tax (CGT) and Inheritance Tax (IHT) to Charitable Giving and tax-efficient saving, there many ways to make sure you are taking advantage of all the legitimate tax breaks you are entitled to.

8. Long-term care planning: with the onus increasingly on the individual to meet some or all of the expense of long-term care should it be needed, there are a number of options to consider, from covering the costs from savings and investments or taking a Deferred Payment Agreement (DPA) with the local authority to equity release or taking out an immediate care annuity. By planning early, you can ensure you are prepared.

9. Divorce: going through a divorce is a stressful transition and a financial planner can be invaluable when it comes to cataloguing assets and advising on potential distribution, as well as other important factors, to ensure you are in the best possible financial position going forward.

10. Lifestyle protection: make sure your family is protected and reduce the burden of life-changing events by arranging flexible protection policies to provide peace of mind such as life insurance, critical illness cover and income protection.

How to choose a financial planner

Get a recommendation: speak to family and friends and see if they can recommend anyone.
Check qualifications and expertise
Get references: speak to existing clients and check if they advise any clients in a similar situation to you.
How do they charge? Make sure you get a breakdown of their charges and that you fully understand what you are getting for your money.
The psychology of money: can the financial planner work out a financial life plan for you and create a vision for the future with a related financial plan?
Meet them: make sure you feel they understand you and what you are trying to achieve. Establishing a relationship with a financial planner you can trust is critical to achieving your goals. Make the most of free consultations.
Do the understanding test: make sure they explain everything clearly and don’t use jargon. If you can explain their advice to a family friend, and if they understand it and can sense check it for you, then that’s a good way of checking that advice is sound.
What do you really, really want? be clear about the advice you are looking for and what you hope to gain from the meeting and make sure they can offer it and are focused.
Check they are regulated: they should be authorised by the FCA so check they are on its Register.