Personal playlists however can give dementia carers, who are often relatives or friends respite, by helping to reduce symptoms including distress, anxiety, loss of communication and low mood.
Want to know how to make a playlist? Join our free webinar for family and friends this Thursday to learn how:
https://www.playlistforlife.org.uk/…/how-to-make-a…/…
The latest version of Ready, Steady, Baby! is now available.
Everyone who is pregnant and lives in Scotland will receive a free printed copy from their midwife (also available in other formats and languages). It’s also available on NHS inform.
A new eyecare hospital offering cataract, glaucoma and eyelid surgery, and a range of specialist ophthalmology services, has opened in Edinburgh offering access to some of Scotland’s leading eye surgeons.
Clarity, located at The Stones at the South Gyle Business Park, provides a comprehensive suite of advanced diagnostics tools and testing equipment, allowing for precise evaluations and personalised treatment plans, as well as the latest lens technologies to offer patients tailored solutions.
The hospital, which opened on 2nd June, will be managed by Andrew Gunn, who worked for Aspen Healthcare and Nuffield Health for 10 years and has held senior operational roles at award-winning hospitals, including The Edinburgh Clinic. A passionate and enthusiastic leader, he says he is committed to making a difference in patients’ lives and strives for excellent outcomes by fostering a positive culture and environment for both staff and patients.
The hospital’s team is made up of seven clinical ophthalmic specialists with decades of combined experience in both NHS and independent care settings.
Amongst others, it includes Dr Naing Latt Tint, considered one of Scotland’s top cataract, lens and refractive surgeons; Dr Andrew Tatham, president of the UK and Eire Glaucoma Society and clinical lead for ophthalmology with NHS Research Scotland; and Dr Mei-Ling Cheng, a Consultant Ophthalmic and Glaucoma surgeon with advanced specialist training in cataract surgery.
Together, they say Clarity offers excellent clinical standards with clear pricing for precise treatment options, and a complete care pathway, from consultation and diagnosis, through to surgery and aftercare. They estimate wait times for treatment will be as little as two weeks from first consultation.
The Edinburgh hospital is Clarity’s first in Scotland, and there are plans to roll out more sites in the future.
Matt Currall, CEO of Clarity, said: “Being able to see your family and friends smile, absorb the depth of different colours in our world, and take in the feast nature offers, are all things many take for granted. Those who can’t enjoy that, due to eye conditions including cataracts and glaucoma, often feel very isolated.
“At Clarity, we believe optimal eye health is essential for enjoying life to the fullest so we’re dedicated to providing transformative eye treatments which restore patients’ vision so they can feel connected to their surroundings once again.
“We’ve curated a team of specialist ophthalmology experts – true leaders in their field – to ensure the people of Edinburgh suffering with eye conditions have access to timely, high-quality care, so they can get back to full clarity of vision.
“Our doors are now open, and we encourage both patients and referrers, including GPs and opticians, to explore everything we have to offer.”
Andrew added: “Joining Clarity Edinburgh is an incredibly exciting opportunity. It marks my return home to Scotland, but more importantly, means I’m able to lead on this new chapter for the city’s eyecare patients, helping them rediscover the wonders of life through our innovative and compassionate service.
“I look forward to making Clarity the hospital of choice in Edinburgh and beyond for eye treatments and surgery.”
To find out more, visit https://www.clarityhealthcare.uk/.
Blind and partially sighted residents in Edinburgh will be able to try out assistive technology at an upcoming local event with a leading sight loss charity.
RNIB Scotland will be speaking to visitors and offering support at a ‘Low Vision Solutions Open Day’ on Wednesday 11 June, 10am – 2pm at RNIB’s Hillside office on Hillside Crescent in Edinburgh.
The event will be an opportunity for blind and partially sighted people, and their friends and family, to meet with RNIB to receive advice and support.
A range of trusted experts on-hand to talk through live demonstrations on a 1-1 basis and also a chance to meet local support services to find out information about technology products and services that are available.
There are multiple barriers to the digital world for people living with sight loss that include cost, confidence, access to training opportunities, as well as accessibility and safety concerns.
Derek Rutherford, RNIB’s Product Coordinator, said: “We are delighted to be part of the Low Vision Solutions event taking place this week.
“One of RNIB’s priorities is to equip blind and partially sighted people to thrive and live independently, and accessible technology plays a vital role in this.”
Women taking popular medicines for weight loss and diabetes, sometimes referred to as “skinny jabs”, are being reminded to use effective contraception while taking these medicines and, in some cases, for up to two months between stopping the medicine and trying to get pregnant.
These medicines must not be taken during pregnancy, while trying to get pregnant, or during breastfeeding. Anyone who gets pregnant while using them should speak to their healthcare professional and stop the medicine as soon as possible. This is because there is not enough safety data to know whether taking the medicine could cause harm to the baby.
Effective contraception includes oral (the pill) and non-oral (the implant, coil or condoms) forms of contraception. However, Mounjaro may reduce the effectiveness of oral contraceptives in those who are overweight. Therefore, those taking Mounjaro who are overweight and are using an oral form of contraception are advised to also use a non-oral form of contraception. This only applies to those taking Mounjaro and is especially important for the four weeks after starting Mounjaro and after any dose increase.
This advice, which is already in the patient leaflets that come with the medicine, is just one of the reminders in the latest guidance from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) on the safe use of “GLP-1 medicines” known by the brand names Ozempic, Mounjaro, Wegovy, Saxenda and Victoza.
The full advice can be found on the regulator’s website. It comes after concerns from the UK regulator that some people are not using these medicines for weight loss and diabetes safely.
Dr Alison Cave, MHRA Chief Safety Officer said: “Skinny jabs are medicines licensed to treat specific medical conditions and should not be used as aesthetic or cosmetic treatments. They are not a quick fix to lose weight and have not been assessed to be safe when used in this way.
“Our guidance offers patients a “one stop shop” for our up-to-date advice on how to use these powerful medicines safely.
“This guidance should not be used as a substitute to reading the patient information leaflet or having a conversation with a healthcare professional as part of the prescribing process. ”
Alongside advice on contraceptive use, the MHRA reminds patients that these medicines should not be bought from unregulated sellers such as beauty salons or via social media, or taken without a prior consultation with a healthcare professional.
Not only does this expose people wanting to lose weight to serious health risks, it is also against the law to sell these medicines in this way.
The only way to guarantee receiving a genuine GLP-1 medicine is to obtain it from a legitimate pharmacy.
The guidance also reminds patients of the symptoms to look out for in the event of acute pancreatitis which, although uncommon, can be serious.
The main symptom of this is severe pain in the stomach that radiates to the back and doesn’t go away. Anyone who experiences this should seek immediate medical help.
Anyone who suspects that they’ve had an adverse reaction to a GLP-1 medicine, or suspects it is not a genuine product, should report it to the MHRA Yellow Card scheme.
Both must be political priorities, says Royal College of Emergency Medicine
Following the Scottish Health Minister stating he is ‘determined’ to cut elective waiting times the Royal College of Emergency Medicine has warned this cannot be the Government’s only focus.
New data detailing A&E performance in Scotland reveals that long waiting times in the country’s Emergency Departments and the issue of delayed discharges – where people remain in hospital wards despite being well enough to leave – remain significant issues.
Published by Public Health Scotland and covering April 2025, the figures reveal that:
The concerning data comes just a day after Health Secretary Neil Gray MSP said he was ‘determined’ to reduce long waits for elective care pledging £106m to fund an extra 150,000 appointments and procedures this year.
But the Minister made no reference to addressing long stays in Emergency Departments.
Responding, Dr Fiona Hunter, RCEM Vice President Scotland, said: “The Scottish Government is clearly focusing on improving health care with £200m pledged to support the NHS.
“But while reducing waits for elective care is important – it is not a panacea, and will not address the very serious issues happening elsewhere in the system.
“Issues that I, and my members, see every day such as patients stranded in corridors for hours, and a lack of available ward beds.
“The Government must make addressing these a political priority too.
“We have to be able to get people out of ambulances and into out department as quickly as we can, to be able to find patients a ward bed when they need one and then get them home again as soon as they don’t.
“Without this flow through the hospital these dangerous and degrading long ED stays will go on, and patients will continue to be put at risk.”
Graphic visualisations of the data compiled by RCEM can be found here.
The national standard on waiting times for children and young people accessing mental health services has been met for the second quarter in row.
Latest Public Health statistics show 91.6% of those referred to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) were seen within 18 weeks from January to March – the Scottish Government standard is 90%.
The figure is an increase from 90.6% for the previous quarter and from 86% for the same quarter in 2024.
However the Children First charity says the figures are just ‘the tip of the iceberg’.
Visiting the CAMHS service in NHS Forth Valley to thank staff for their dedication, Mental Wellbeing Minister Maree Todd said: “We want all children and young people to be able to access appropriate mental health treatment as and when they need to, and this continued progress on waiting times is testament to the hard-working staff who care for those referred to these services.
“We have exceeded our promise to provide funding for 320 additional staff for CAMHS by 2026 and this will no doubt have contributed to the improvements we are seeing but I am well aware there is still much to be done if this is to be sustained and consistent across Scotland.
“However, we are on the right path and the £123.5 million we have allocated to NHS Boards this year will mean the quality and delivery of all mental health services – including CAMHS – will continue to improve.”
Lesley Dunabie, Department Manager & Head of Nursing for NHS Forth Valley CAMHS, said: “We are delighted that the changes introduced by local staff over the last 18 months have made such a positive impact to our waiting times and significantly improved the services and support available for children and young people with serious mental illness.
“We are committed to building on this by continuing to develop and improve local services for children and young people and working with a wide range of partners to help increase access to support in local schools and communities at an earlier stage.”
Mary Glasgow, chief executive of Children First, said: “We know that today’s figures are just the tip of the iceberg. Every day, Children First teams across Scotland are hearing from more and more children and young people in severe distress. Scotland is facing a childhood emergency. Children need help now.
“Scottish Government must do more to invest in early help and support to prevent children reaching crisis point.
“If you are worried about your child, then Children First’s support line is here to help. You can contact our friendly team on 08000 28 22 33 or on our website at https://www.childrenfirst.org.uk/supportline .”
A spokesperson for the Scottish Chilldren’s Services Coalition commented: “The latest figures highlighting that 164 children and young people have been waiting over a year for mental health treatment are extremely alarming.
“What we need is not just parity of esteem between mental health and physical health, it’s parity of action and parity of spend.
“We are facing a mental health emergency, and many of our children and young people are at breaking point, with stress and anxiety reaching alarming levels as they battle with the long shadow of lockdown and the rising cost of living. This is also having a negative impact on classroom behaviour, affecting the young people concerned, their fellow pupils and staff.
“Each one of these statistics is an individual, and we would urge the Scottish Government to ensure the adequate resourcing of mental health services for our children and young people so that they can get the care and support they need, without lengthy waits.”
SCOTLAND’S LONGEST WAITS TO BE TARGETED
More than £106 million has been allocated to health boards in Scotland to help tackle the longest waits for procedures and operations.
The funding has been assigned to specialty areas for the year ahead where it can have the greatest impact against the longest waits – this includes £25 million for trauma and orthopaedics, £21 million for imaging, £14 million for cancer treatment and more than £12 million for ophthalmology.
The investment is part of the £200 million announced as part of the Programme for Government to build capacity, tackle delayed discharge and improve patient flow through hospitals.
Health Secretary Neil Gray said: “This government is focussed on taking the action needed to cut waiting lists – significant activity is already underway through this additional investment which will help us target the longest waits for treatment.
“We are determined to reduce patient waits in the year ahead and this £106 million of additional funding will help us to deliver more than 150,000 extra appointments and procedures in 2025-26. This funding is just part of our record investment of £21.7 billion for health and social care this year.
“Last year, health boards vastly exceeded the commitment to deliver 64,000 appointments and procedures – instead delivering more than 105,000 through our targeted approach. This investment will allow us to build on this progress and deliver tangible improvements for patients.”
HC-One Scotland’s Victoria Manor Care Home, in Leith’s Albert Street, is delighted to announce its ‘Good’ rating after a recent inspection from the Care Inspectorate (CI), Scotland’s independent regulator of social care.
This outstanding achievement underscores the home’s unwavering commitment to delivering compassionate, person-centred care to its residents. Following a comprehensive inspection, Victoria Manor received a ‘Good’ rating across all key areas, with exceptional scores of 5 (Very Good) in Leadership and Management, Staffing, and specific aspects of resident well-being and involvement.
The CI praised the home’s positive leadership from Home Manager Julie McNaughton and Deputy Manager Natasha Thomas, who have helped foster a supportive environment for both staff and residents. This has led to excellent care outcomes at the home which provides nursing and nursing dementia care services.
The report highlighted the team’s transparent complaint reviews, embedded skilled-level dementia training, and a holistic approach to end-of-life care, which families described as “very positive”. Inspectors commended the kind and dedicated staff, with comments reflecting their pride in working at Victoria Manor and their collaborative spirit, described by social workers as a “dream to work with”.
The home’s beautifully landscaped gardens, accessible facilities, and vibrant activity programmes were also recognised as key strengths to create a warm and engaging environment.
Julie McNaughton, HC-One Scotland’s Victoria Manor Home Manager, said: “We’re incredibly proud of this achievement, which reflects the hard work and passion of our team at Victoria Manor. I would like to thank the whole team for their commitment, and I want to congratulate them on a positive report.
“Our focus remains on creating a nurturing environment where every resident feels valued and supported. This rating is a testament to our mission.”
Natasha Thomas, HC-One Scotland’s Victoria Manor Deputy Manager, added: “We’re dedicated to achieving our aim of being the care provider of choice for those looking for the very best care.
“The culture is changing at Victoria Manor for the better as our colleagues feel valued and supported.”
For more information on HC-One Scotland homes in your area visit www.hc-one.co.uk/carehomes.
NHS Lothian Spiritual Care Services has been awarded the prestigious Bereavement Charter for Scotland (Workforces).
Bereavement can have a profound and long-term effect on people’s health and wellbeing. Within health settings, Spiritual Care Teams support bereavement services and are key in providing specialist spiritual support as part of end-of-life care to both the patient and their family. They support staff and service users to explore a person’s values, beliefs and preferences in relation to end of life care and following a bereavement.
This accreditation is a testament to the services dedication to providing high-quality, human rights-based spiritual and bereavement care. It highlights the team’s commitment to fostering a compassionate and understanding community for those navigating the challenging journey of grief.
Over the past few months, the Spiritual Care team attended several training events to support their learning and journey as a service to support people in bereavement.
The award of the Charter mark recognises the unique skills and insights Registered Chaplains can offer to support those who have experienced a bereavement. As a team they are committed to offering support and care particularly for staff who may have experienced a bereavement in their personal life or at work.
Mark Evans, Head of Spiritual Care said: “This is a real testament to the amazing work my colleagues all do to support those who have experienced a bereavement. As a team they bring unique skills and insights to support people who are bereaved and who are coming to terms with the grief they carry.
“This work also supports the organisations objectives of delivering excellent person-centred care and ensuring our workforce feel valued and supported.”
