Gordon Macdonald MSP has welcomed the announcement that a one-off £2,000 payment from the SNP Scottish Government will be made available to young people who are leaving the care system across Edinburgh.
First Minister Humza Yousaf announced the payment following the Independent Care Review’s findings that those with care experience have an increased risk of poor mental health, addiction, homelessness, and exploitation.
The payment is co-designed with care experienced people to ensure that it meets their needs and helps to reduce some of the financial impediments in their way as they seek to live independently.
Commenting, Gordon Macdonald, SNP MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands said: “The SNP Scottish Government is committed to Keeping the Promise by 2030 to all children and young people leaving care, and part of that is ensuring that they are supported on their journey into adulthood.
“Living independently can be a huge adjustment and comes at a pivotal time for young people leaving care across Edinburgh, especially if they don’t have family support.
“The SNP Scottish Government is therefore providing support to care experienced young people across Scotland through the Care Leaver Payment, and this will make a real difference to the lives of young people across the city.”
Ahead of World Stroke Day (29 October) the Stroke Association is calling on Scotland’s 14 Health Boards to take immediate action on implementing the Stroke Improvement Plan1 to address the emotional and psychological needs of stroke survivors.
The charity’s concerns comes after they made a Freedom of Information (FOI) request and found:
Only 7.8 WTE Clinical/Neuropsychologists with protected time for stroke for the whole country.
In addition, the Scottish Stroke Care Audit2 revealed in June this year that:
Not one health board is delivering specialised psychological care.
This information has come to light, following the publication of our “Keeping Stroke Recoveries in Mind” report in October last year3, which highlighted the unacceptable level of support for people struggling with the psychological consequences of stroke.
From our survey last year, we know that 94% of stroke survivors experienced a mild impact on their psychological wellbeing. For 39% of stroke survivors, the impact on their psychological impact was severe.
Over two thirds of those (68%) did not believe they were receiving the support they needed. There are over 128,000 stroke survivors in Scotland and 10,000 strokes per year.
Jen Paton, 39, from Paisley, had her stroke last April. Despite recovering well physically, her emotions were unbearable at times. She said: “I felt scared that I might have another stroke. I was worried about my children, then seven and eight years old. I lay in my bed alone, crying and crying.”
Even when Jen returned home, she couldn’t get out of bed, wouldn’t socialise, and felt panic-stricken even to visit her dad in hospital: “I felt hopeless, and life felt pointless.”
Jen’s stroke physician noticed the crushing psychological impact of her stroke and referred her to a psychologist.
Jen continued: “My psychologist was a god send. To have a name assigned to the way I had been feeling was such a relief. I was taught strategies to help with my panic attacks, and the information and advice I was given has helped me to accept the stroke and its effects.
“I got on well with my psychologist. She listened to me, and I felt like I could talk about all my emotions to her without hiding anything. She was a safe person to be with.”
Anxiety, depression, memory and thinking problems can all be part of the psychological consequences of stroke. It can rob someone of their ability to go back to work, socialise and stay in a relationship – never mind stripping someone of their confidence. Some people describe the psychological effects of stroke as worse than the physical effects.
Last year we called on the Scottish Government to include in its Stroke Improvement Plan a commitment to treat the psychological effects of stroke and physical effects of stroke with parity.
The charity also called for the Stroke Improvement Plan to include the implementation of the National Model of Psychological Services (NMPCS)4 for stroke in Scotland.
The National Model highlights the need to involve all staff working with people affected by stroke across the pathway to support patients dealing with the psychological consequences of stroke.
John Watson, Associate Director Scotland at the Stroke Association said: “The progress Health Boards are making to improve psychological services is too slow.
“And there is no escaping the fact that delivering the necessary emotional support for people affected by stroke will involve more investment in the workforce, both in recruitment and training.
“The inclusion of psychological support the new Stroke Plan, is an important step, but that aspiration is still a long way from becoming reality.”
The Stroke Association is calling for:
Health Boards to deliver the National Model with dedicated support from the Scottish Government.
Health Boards to ensure there is an appropriately trained workforce to enable Clinical Psychologists to lead on the implementation of psychological care.
The development of an education and training programme for all staff involved in delivering stroke care.
John continued: “Stroke is a clinical priority in Scotland, and it needs to be treated as such. We will continue to champion the need for improvements in the way stroke psychological care is delivered in Scotland.
“We owe it to everyone affected by stroke to ensure they get the right support to rebuild their life after stroke.”
The Cancer Navigation Hub, based in Edinburgh Cancer Centre at the Western General Hospital, recently celebrated one year of the service launching.
The team helps patients and healthcare professionals to navigate cancer pathways, ensuring enquiries are directed to the appropriate care team in a timely and efficient way.
The team is made up of Cancer Pathway Coordinators and acts as a single point of contact for patients who’ve received a cancer diagnosis. Coordinators are also trained to assist healthcare professionals and helps to alleviate the pressure on clinical teams.
Katie Seville, Assistant Service Manager in Cancer Performance, said: “In just one year we’ve seen the hub make such a difference to the ease with which patients and staff can access the information and support they need.
“The team is in high demand and we’re looking to further expand and grow the service into new areas, providing more personalised and holistic support for patients throughout their diagnosis and treatment.”
The Cancer Navigation Hub initially served five tumour groups – lung, melanoma, head and neck, gynaecology, and urology. In April 2023, the hub expanded to cover the neuroendocrine tumour group followed by breast in August 2023.
During the first five months of the service (October 2022 to February 2023) the team handled on average over 1,100 calls per month, 38% of which were administrative queries or issues that could be resolved by the Cancer Pathway Coordinators.
In the month after incorporating the breast service, the team handled just over 1,900 calls across all tumour groups, with 44% of all calls being dealt with by the coordinators.
Since January 2023, the Cancer Navigation Hub has also been proactively calling newly diagnosed patients to introduce the hub and direct patients to support services.
In June 2023, during the launch of the new Cancer Strategy, the team was among those to meet Michael Matheson, Cabinet Secretary for NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care.
Congratulations to the team for a brilliant first year.
Edinburgh’s exclusive charity golf tournament will return in 2024 after the success of this year’s event
For local football fans, seeing Hibs and Hearts go head-to-head is always a highlight in the sporting calendar and their latest game was no exception – even if it did have one significant twist.
Instead of meeting on the pitch, former players from Edinburgh’s Hibernian F.C and Heart of Midlothian F.C. battled it out on the GOLF COURSE in a brand new charity tournament, the Auld Reekie Cup.
Taking place on Thursday 26th October at the historic Royal Burgess Golfing Society, the Auld Reekie Cup proved to be a big success, with Hearts clinching the cup.
Their winning team included former football legends Gary Locke, Eamonn Bannon, Scott Crabbe, Jim Brown and Graeme Shaw as well as fans, who took on former Hibs footie stars John Brownlie, John Hazel, Derek Riordan, Scott Brown, Steven Tweed, John Blackley, Gordon Hunter and Graeme Harvey plus fans.
Thanks to the Hanlon Stevenson Foundation and the Big Hearts Community Trust, all money raised on the day will be used to support projects promoting the mental health of young people here in Edinburgh.
Auld Reekie Cup
Picture: Alan Rennie
Speaking after the event, Hanlon Stevenson Foundation Ambassador Paul Demarco said; “The day was an outstanding success for all involved and the Auld Reekie Cup looks to be a fantastic addition to the years must attend derby fixtures in the capital.
“It was a pleasure to work alongside our city rivals and raise much needed funds for the work we do, especially at this time of the year. Well done to Big Hearts Community Trust on lifting the trophy, the result might not have gone our way, but there is always next year!”
Auld Reekie Cup
Picture: Alan Rennie
Big Hearts Community Trust Chief Executive Craig Wilson added; “Big Hearts were delighted to be invited to take part in the Auld Reekie Cup alongside the Hanlon Stevenson Foundation.
“It was a brilliant day of golf with brilliant support from a wide range of new and old partners for both charities. Big Hearts, like the Hanlon Stevenson Foundation, recognise the challenges our communities face, and days like yesterday raising funds help us provide vital support. We look forward to trying to retain the cup next year!”
Following the resounding success of the first ever Auld Reekie Cup, the event will return next year and local supporters will once again be offered a unique opportunity to play alongside their footballing icons.
£50 million to build Scottish Ambulance Service capacity
A £50 million funding boost for Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) recruitment and up to £12 million to expand Hospital at Home are among measures to support the health and care system this winter.
The Scottish Government and COSLA’s joint Winter Plan, published today, identifies new funding for SAS to support work already underway to recruit a further 317 frontline staff to help increase capacity to emergency response. It will also see 18 additional clinicians working in the call centre hub who, through additional triage, can offer patients alternative treatment routes in cases which are not time-critical, reducing the number of hospital admissions.
The expansion of Hospital at Home, which enables people to be treated at home rather than on a ward, is intended to deliver at least 380 additional beds this winter – significantly increasing the total service capacity.
The Scottish Government has been working closely with COSLA, Health and Social Care Partnerships, and NHS Boards on a number of further measures to ensure they are prepared for the winter period. This includes a Delayed Discharge Action Plan and improvements to the reporting of data to better identify specific areas for further support or escalation.
Health Secretary Michael Matheson said: “Our highly skilled and committed workforce are the cornerstone of our response every winter, both in health and social care. I am extremely grateful for their continued hard work and dedication in the face of sustained pressure. As we approach the Winter period their efforts will be vital in ensuring we deliver high quality care for the public.
“We are in no doubt that this winter will be extremely challenging for our health and social care system. Our Winter plan builds on the lessons we have learned from previous years and preparations have been on-going since spring. Our whole system approach is based on ensuring people can access the care that is right for them – at the right time and in the right place.
“Our additional investment of up to £12 million to expand the Hospital at Home service will allow people, especially elderly patients, patients with respiratory conditions and children, to receive treatments in the comfort of their own home and will crucially help reduce pressure on our A&E departments this winter.
“As a result our significant investment of over £15 million, an additional 1,000 nurses, midwives and Allied Health Professional from overseas have joined NHS Scotland in the last two years to bolster our existing workforce this winter.
“Our £50 million funding boost for the Scottish Ambulance Service will also help tackle increased demand and support on-going recruitment to drive up capacity for emergency response. This investment will also help reduce the need for people to go to hospital which is a key part of our approach this winter.”
Cllr Paul Kelly, COSLA’s Health and Social Care Spokesperson said: “As key partners in ensuring people and communities are safe and cared for over the winter period, and indeed throughout the year, local authorities have a vital role in enabling people to continue to safely access the care and support they need when they need it.
“We expect the winter to be a very challenging period across the whole health and social care system at a time when the system is already experiencing significant demand pressures and challenges with recruitment and retention.
“That is why COSLA have worked closely with Scottish Government in producing this plan, recognising the importance of the integration of health and social care, and the clear leadership role of Local Government in doing everything we can to maximise capacity across health, social care, and social work, and ensure people get safe and timely access to services during peak winter pressures.”
The Scottish Ambulance Service has welcomed the announcement of £50 million funding by Michael Matheson, Cabinet Secretary for NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care.
Michael Dickson OBE, Chief Executive of the Scottish Ambulance Service said: “This funding will allow us to invest in frontline staff, ambulances, vehicles and our 999 call centre operations. We know that winter will be challenging but the Service, and our committed staff, are working hard to meet those challenges.
“We have a whole range of initiatives which will come into place over winter to help us meet the increased demands on our services, including work to ensure we provide the quickest possible response to our most critically ill patients and we continue to support, where appropriate, less seriously ill patients to be managed at home or in the community, avoiding unnecessary A&E visits.
“Our patients and our staff are our most important priorities, and this investment will ensure we can continue to deliver the very best to our patients whilst supporting our staff who play such a critical role in their care.”
The Springboard programme is for young adults aged 16-25 who are currently either at risk of homelessness or accessing homelessness services across Edinburgh.
Participants will be able to gain qualifications in Emergency First Aid at Work as well as Elementary Food Hygiene.
We will support the group with employability skills such as CV writing, Job Interview Skills and Job Applications. We also run workshops focused on mental health and wellbeing as well as weekly social outings to encourage participants to form lasting friendships.
The programme also includes a 3-day Residential trip with the Scottish Outdoor Education Centre to allow the participants to try their hand at some adventurous outdoor activities like rock climbing, abseiling, archery and much more!
Bus fare can be covered by Four Square and lunch will be provided on each day of the course.
Calling all Halloween lovers! If you’re looking for the perfect eerie addition for your house this spooky season, look no further than The Real Mary King’s Close, one of the UK’s top-rated experiences on TripAdvisor. This Halloween, the attraction is giving away a life-sized statue of the iconic Plague Doctor, in aid of Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity.
Situated underneath the iconic Royal Mile, Mary King’s Close is shrouded in myths and mysteries, steeped in stories of Edinburgh’s dark past. This Halloween, the historic attraction is giving you the chance to take home the perfect Halloween prize – The Plague Doctor!
Characterised by his long black cloak and elongated beak-like mask, the Plague Doctor is sure to give even its bravest admirers a fright this Halloween.
The Plague Doctor’s striking outfit was designed to protect him fromso-called miasmas, the name used to describe foul smells which, at the time, people believedcaused the plague.
In reality, his long cloak kept him safe from airborne diseases and biting fleas which carried bubonic plague. His mask was also filled with spices and rose petals to prevent the “miasmas” from infecting him.
Paul Nixon, General Manager at The Real Mary King’s Close, said: “The Real Mary King’s Close is a place filled with excitement and mystery, but Edinburgh’s ominous past means we also have the perfect tales to tell this Halloween.
“The Plague Doctor was one person you didn’t want to pay you a visit, despite being there to help. The limited and dangerous treatments available at the time meant the Plague killed around half of those who contracted it, although Plague Doctors did all they could to cure the sufferers.
“We’re pleased to be giving away one of our life-sized models for a great cause, and their terrifying outfits should mean it makes for a great Halloween decoration for years to come!”
You must use the same name as used on the Just Giving page and provide an email address.
Picture – Chris Watt Photography
07887554193
info@chriswatt.com
www.chriswatt.com
All money raised will go to Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity. Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity runs a six-day-per-week programme of arts and activities for young patients at the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People (RHCYP).
By transforming the hospital wards into disco rooms, art galleries, fairylands, and past eras, they ensure that every child has the freedom to explore, have fun and find inspiration through creative play and learning.
For more information and Halloween bookings please visit:
Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by the Health Promotion and Education Team at Heart Research UK
Healthy Heart Tip: Caffeine & Heart Health
A dose (or two) of caffeine plays a staring role in the morning routine of many adults, but is our morning cuppa having a negative impact on our heart?
In this week’s healthy tip, we look at caffeine specifically in relation to our cardiovascular health. Does drinking coffee raise our blood pressure? Are energy drinks safe? Read on to find out and pick up some tips on how we can make our caffeine habit heart healthier.
Is caffeine bad for our heart?
You’ll be pleased to know that for healthy individuals, moderate consumption of caffeine (4-5 cups a day) doesn’t have a negative impact on our heart. However, everybody responds to caffeine differently and if you experience any negative side effects such as heart palpitations, it is wise to limit your consumption.
Also, be mindful of drinking caffeine after mid-day as it can remain in your bloodstream for up to 10 hours after consumption and negatively impact your sleep – which could have a negative impact on your heart.
Caffeine & blood pressure
Consuming caffeine has been shown to cause our blood pressure to increase, however this is usually only temporary and in healthy individuals isn’t cause for concern.
It is important we know our blood pressure and put lifestyle changes in place to keep it as healthy as possible, but quitting the coffee isn’t needed for a healthy heart. Instead, focus on eating a healthy diet and taking part in regular exercise.
Energy drinks & dehydration
While consuming a few cups of tea or coffee isn’t cause for concern, consuming multiple energy drinks could be more problematic. This is due to the volume in which they are consumed and the sugar that usually accompanies them.
If you do drink energy drinks, don’t drink them as you would other soft drinks to avoid consuming high amounts of caffeine. It is also worth keeping mind that consuming too much caffeine can cause dehydration, so make sure you sip water or other healthy drinks between your caffeinated beverages.
For more tips on how to stay healthy, sign up for weekly healthy tips at:
Be in for just a penny and lose the pounds in time for Christmas. Edinburgh Leisure is reducing their normal joining fee to just 1p on any of their swim, gym, fitness classes, and climb memberships meaning there’s no excuse not to get fit and manage your well-being in the run up to the festive period.
The offer is available from Friday, 20 October until Sunday, 5 November 2023 and is available to buy online only or in venue.
As everyone is different and needs to find their own way to a healthy and active life, Edinburgh Leisure offers a range of different membership options to suit everyone including swim, gym and fitness class only to full monthly memberships.
By offering different types of membership, people can match their activity preferences to their pocket.
With 50+ venues including 1 climbing centre, 12 swimming pools including five Victorian pools, 15 gyms, and 750+ fitness classes per week, Edinburgh Leisure is the ‘biggest club in town’ providing the widest range of fitness classes, state of the art facilities and community-based programmes across the capital.
So, wherever you’re at on the map or in life, Edinburgh Leisure has something to suit your needs.
More than 100 families attended the public launch of the NSPCC’s Talk PANTS campaign in Edinburgh this week.
Children got to meet Pantosaurus, the campaign’s mascot, as well as play games and get their faces painted at the McDonald Road Library on Tuesday (October 17th).
It was the first in-person event for the Talk PANTS campaign in Edinburgh, which will help protect young children from sexual abuse.
The year-long campaign was launched earlier this month (October 5) with an online event for professionals who work with children and families. It is being delivered by NSPCC Scotland, the Edinburgh Child Protection Committee and a wide range of partners across the city to spread the NSPCC’s Talk PANTS message.
Talk PANTS gives parents, carers and professionals advice on how to have simple, age-appropriate conversations with children to help keep them safe from sexual abuse.
With the help of a colourful animated dinosaur, called Pantosaurus, it helps children understand that their body belongs to them, that they have a right to say no and they should tell a safe adult they trust if anything makes them feel upset or worried.
At the family event there were refreshments, a Bookbug session, colouring in, games and Talk PANTS materials for parents and carers to take away.
Carla Malseed, Local Campaigns Manager at the NSPCC, said:“We were amazed at the turnout in McDonald Road Library. It was great to see how thrilled the children were to meet Pantosaurus.
“This campaign doesn’t use scary words or talk about sex, instead we focus on the PANTS rules that help children understand important messages, like their body belongs to them and they should tell an adult if they’re upset or worried about something.
“We hope this campaign will provide parents with the knowledge and skills to be able to talk about this difficult topic with their child from a young age, to help prevent abuse.”
Over the coming year, local PANTS champions will be trained to deliver the campaign messages and resources to other professionals and families through webinars and workshops, and awareness raising events will be held across Edinburgh for parents, carers and children.
The campaign materials and resources for parents, include a British Sign Language PANTS video, a Talk PANTS with Makaton guide, which is designed to be used to deliver the PANTS message to children with Additional Support Needs, and a Pantosaurus film. There are also resources for teachers to use in primary schools.
Parents and professionals can also find out how to Talk PANTS here. The adult guides include ones for foster carers and parents with learning disabilities.
Anyone with concerns about the welfare of a child can call the NSPCC’s free and confidential helpline on 0808 800 5000 for advice.
