Tag: Health and wellbeing

Children learn how to stay safe near Edinburgh construction site

A five-star housebuilder hosted an interactive site safety discussion at Frogston Primary School recently to remind children of the dangers of its nearby building sites at Heritage Grange in Edinburgh.

Barratt Developments PLC, which includes Barratt Homes and David Wilson Homes, hosted a site safety session during a school assembly on Monday 30th May. The session took the pupils through the dangers of construction sites, how to stay safe near them, the developments themselves and site worker safety.

Lorraine Lawrie, Head Teacher at Frogston Primary School said: “Pupils at Frogston Primary School had a great time during their visit from Stewart at Barratt Developments.

“They enjoyed the site safety presentation, which was both fun and interactive but also emphasised the importance of being safe near building sites. A highlight for the children was dressing up in Barratt’s PPE equipment.

“This was a great educational experience to have ahead of the summer holidays.”

Stewart Ponton, Safety, Health and Environment Operations Manager for Barratt Developments PLC said: “Our site managers are very aware of the attractiveness of construction sites to children. While they might look like fun obstacle courses or play parks, the fact of the matter is that they are extremely dangerous.

“It is our duty of care to the people of Edinburgh, among the many other communities in which we operate, to provide local schools like Frogston Primary School with the proper information on how the pupils can stay safe.”

Barratt Developments have a range of three bed homes at DWH @ Heritage Grange. Situated next to the Pentland Hills in the south of Edinburgh and surrounded by beautiful countryside views and lots of open space, this development makes the perfect location to enjoy a combination of country and city living.

For more information on current availability at DWH @ Heritage Grange, visit https://www.dwh.co.uk/new-homes/dev000330-dwh-@-heritage-grange/

On your feet! New WHO report shows health and environmental benefits of active travel

Scottish Government welcomes study, co-authored by Edinburgh Napier University academic, that highlights the societal advantages of walking and cycling

A new report from the World Health Organisation (WHO) shows that swapping driving for cycling just one day a week saves the equivalent emissions of a flight from London to New York – about half a tonne of carbon dioxide.

The report, co-authored by Dr Adrian Davis, Professor of Transport and Health at Edinburgh Napier University, provides the latest evidence on the benefits and risks of active travel. It clearly shows that for individuals and societies, promoting active travel is good for population health and the environment.

For example, if just one in five urban residents can be convinced to permanently swap the driving seat for the saddle one day a week, it would cut emissions from all car travel in Europe by about 8%.

The health benefits of active travel are also laid bare with the report showing that active travellers have as much as a 40% lower risk of dying from cancer and a 52% lower risk of dying from heart disease compared to those commuting by car or public transport. They also have a 46% lower risk of developing heart disease and a 45% lower risk of developing cancer at all. This means a poorer quality of life.

The report also contains the latest evidence on the benefits of e-bikes which are bringing more people to cycling, including older adults for whom there is a positive impact on their health and wellbeing.

The report has been warmly welcomed by the Scottish Government. Minister for Active Travel Patrick Harvie said: “I’m pleased to welcome this new report from the World Health Organisation on the many benefits of active travel.

“This peer-reviewed publication – co-authored by Dr Davis from Edinburgh Napier University – provides the latest evidence base for policy makers across the globe on why investment in walking, wheeling and cycling is so important for our health, our cities and our environment.

“The vital role active travel can play in building healthier and happier lives is well recognised in Scotland. That’s why I’m proud the Scottish Government has committed to spend at least 10% of the transport budget on active travel by 2024/25, enabling a transformational investment in communities across the country. This report sets out all the benefits that we will see as we make that shift.”

Professor Adrian Davis outside the Scottish Parliament with his Transport Policy Paper. Neil Hanna Photography www.neilhannaphotography.co.uk 07702 246823

Co-author Dr Adrian Davis said: “This report clearly shows that for individuals and societies active travel is good for health and that we can all play our part in tackling climate change. As Individuals, we can take actions which benefits our own health and that of others.

“People who walk or cycle as well as use cars have lower carbon footprints from all daily travel. More people switching some of their journeys to active travel would lower carbon emissions from transport on a daily basis.

“The report provides timely evidence to support policy makers and practitioners, coming as it does shortly after the Scottish local government elections.”

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Mental health emergency as child referrals increase by more than 22%

Over 1,300 children waiting more than a year for treatment

The Scottish Children’s Services Coalition (SCSC), an alliance of leading providers of specialist children’s services, has warned of a mental health emergency and called for greatly increased investment as the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on the young become clearer.

It notes that the mental health of children and young people is set to further worsen given the cost-of-living crisis, as more people are driven into poverty.

The SCSC has also warned of the devastating impact of cuts in public services on those with mental health issues, as outlined in the Scottish Government’s Resource Spending Review, with an estimated £3.5 billion spending shortfall by 2026/27.

The call comes as new figures published by Public Health Scotland yesterday (7th June 2022), indicate that over the quarter covering January to March 2022, 9,672 children and young people were referred to specialist child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) for treatment.

This includes issues such as anxiety and depression and represents a staggering 22.4% increase in numbers from the same quarter of the previous year when the equivalent figure was 7,902.

With already under-resourced and overstretched services facing overwhelming pressure due to increased demand, the SCSC has raised concerns over a potential “lost generation” of vulnerable children and young people whose mental health is being impacted by Covid-19. 

Even before the pandemic, cases of poor mental health were at unprecedented levels with services in crisis, and there are a growing number of vulnerable children who cannot access adequate support. The pandemic and cost-of-living crisis has exacerbated this, with more children and young people driven into poverty, with the resulting impact on their mental health. This has led to unprecedented demand and backlogs, with services struggling to keep up.

In total, 5, 016 children and young people started treatment at CAMHS during the period January to March 2022, an increase of 7.7% from the previous quarter (4,659). Just over a quarter (26.8%) were not seen within the Scottish Government’s maximum waiting time for the NHS of 18 weeks from referral to treatment (to be met by at least 90% of patients). 

A total of 1,322 children and young people had been waiting over a year for treatment at the end of March 2022.

In addition to increased investment in specialist CAMHS, the SCSC has called for greater workforce planning and a renewed focus on expanded prevention and early intervention services, reducing the need for referral to costly specialist mental health services. It has also called for greater partnership working between the public, private and third sectors as well as greater awareness of the services on offer, especially those at a community level.

A spokesperson for the SCSC commented: “We have been warning for some time that we are facing a potential lost generation of vulnerable children and young people, whose mental health is being impacted even further by the Covid-19 pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis.

“Adding to this are cuts in public services, which will impact especially on local government and the third sector, responsible for many of the preventative and early intervention services supporting those with mental health problems.

“Faced by such a devastating series of factors, there must be a radical transformation of our mental health services, investing in specialist services and with a renewed focus on preventing such problems arising in the first place through intervening early.

“This is a crisis we can overcome, but as the country comes to terms with the biggest hit to its mental health in generations, it will require a similar energy and commitment to that demonstrated for Covid-19 if we are to achieve this and prevent many young people giving up on their futures.”

Carers Week 2022: Rising pressures on unpaid carers as public backing for greater support grows

  • 4.68 million unpaid carers concerned for physical and mental health
  • 2.2 million carers worried about ability to cope financially
  • More care is being provided than ever before – even more than during the height of the pandemic
  • Overwhelming public support for more Government action to help unpaid carers

Carers Week charities are calling for an urgent 12-month plan of targeted support for unpaid carers, as many struggle with the ongoing impact, as well as the legacy, of the pandemic, together with the strain of the social care and cost of living crises.

For the first time, the impact of caring on their own physical and mental health has topped carer’s concerns, closely followed by money worries.   

The research, released for Carers Week 2022 (6-12 June), reveals that 84% of the general public think that the UK governments should provide additional support to unpaid carers including increased financial support and investment in care and support services so that unpaid carers can have a break. Only 3% disagreed. 

The report also shows that the number of unpaid carers remains higher than before the pandemic with one in five of the UK’s adults (approximately 10.58 million people) now supporting a relative, close friend or neighbour because of chronic illness, including mental ill-health, dementia, disability, or older age.  

The intensity of care they are providing has grown since earlier in the pandemic, with several factors possibly having an impact: Many services remain reduced or closed, vulnerable people continue to shield, pressures on primary health care and the chronic shortage of social care. The numbers of people providing over 50 hours per week has risen by 30%.  

At the same time, carers with lower household incomes were much more likely to be providing significant amounts of care (i.e, over 20 hours per week). Providing more care also reduces the chance to cope financially as carers are less likely to be able to juggle work and care.  

The seven charities supporting Carers Week 2022; Carers UK, Age UK, Carers Trust, MND Association, Rethink Mental Illness, Oxfam GB and The Lewy Body Society are calling for a recovery and respite plan dedicated to the needs of carers including: specific investment in their mental health support, carers leave a priority, help with food and energy costs and ahead of the winter, prioritisation in the vaccination programme.   

Commenting on behalf of Carers Week charities, Helen Walker, Chief Executive of Carers UK said: “Clearly, whilst society has opened up for many people, it’s a very different picture for significant numbers of carers.

“So many have sacrificed their physical and mental health caring for their loved ones over the last two years and as this report clearly shows, it is absolutely essential that carers get the support they need to stay well to be able to continue to care for their loved ones, that working carers are helped to stay in employment and that all carers can feel visible, valued and supported.”

Marking #CarersWeek, Social Security Minister @BenMacpherson recognises the dedication of carers.

@scotgov has introduced 2 new and unique benefits, Young Carer Grant and Carer’s Allowance Supplement – additional support of over £42 million to more than 90,000 carers this year.

Healthy Heart Tip: Cooking from Scratch

Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by the Health Promotion and Education Team at Heart Research UK

Healthy Heart Tip: Cooking from Scratch

Cooking from scratch can be more nutritious, tastier, cheaper, and it doesn’t have to take long. Give it a go and enjoy the sense of achievement once you’ve cooked a delicious meal:

Keep It Simple!

If you are new to cooking from scratch, try to keep meals simple to start with. If time is an issue, prep your meals in advance. For example, you can measure out your ingredients the night before or practice batch cooking.

Utilise Your Freezer

The freezer can be an important extension to your store cupboard. Did you know you can freeze herbs, fruits and vegetables? These can be very convenient to grab when you need them, and can help you cut down on food waste!

Staple Ingredients

Always keep ingredients for a few staple meals in the pantry and freezer so that there is always a meal just 30 minutes away. This may include dried pasta, quinoa, rice, lentils, canned tomatoes, frozen veg, herbs, spices and olive oil.

We hope we have inspired you to give cooking from scratch a go!

For more tips on how to stay healthy, sign up for our weekly healthy tips at  www.heartresearch.org.uk/healthy-tips./

To help keep your heart healthy, why not try out some of our Healthy Heart recipes from our website:  https://heartresearch.org.uk/heart-research-uk-recipes-2/.

Or have a look through our Healthy Heart cookbook filled with recipes from top chefs, celebrities and food bloggers:

https://heartresearch.org.uk/heart-research-uk-cookbook/.

Scran Academy on ‘Foodwill’ tour!

Leading Scottish social enterprise, Scran Academy, has embarked on The Big Scran Care Tour, a six-month tour of more than 100 social care sites across Edinburgh to deliver a token of ‘foodwill’ to as many as 4500 health and social care workers across the city, in celebration of their hard work throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.

The youth charity based in North Edinburgh is delighted to be teaming up with Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership and Edinburgh City Council’s Thrive Edinburgh for The Big Scran Care Tour. 

The essential funding has enabled Scran’s young people and staff to prepare and deliver either Scran Munchy Boxes, a Scran Lunch Table, or hot meals from the Scran Van to workers at 73 GP surgeries and 30 social care sites across the city, with more sites being scheduled.

Working with Scran Academy’s innovative business model, the Big Scran Care Tour is being co-designed and enabled with a team of inspiring young people at its heart. All the young people engaged have faced poverty-related barriers or life challenges such as care-experienced, risk of homelessness, poor mental health, disengaged from mainstream school or unemployment.

Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership Staff Wellbeing Group decided to use some of the funding allocated by The Scottish Government to engage Scran Academy to provide celebratory treat meals and snack boxes delivered on-site to GP practices, health centres, community hospitals and community care services to say a huge thank you to staff for their commitment, dedication and hard work during the pandemic.

Dr Linda Irvine Fitzpatrick, the staff wellbeing lead for the Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership, said: “Thrive Edinburgh has a long-standing partnership with Scran Academy. They have an exceptional model that is a win win for all involved, and by partnering with them, all we’ve done is extend it to a win win win!

“It’s fantastic to be able to use our staff wellbeing fund in a way that delivers benefits to all, and we’re already receiving fantastic feedback and thanks from all colleagues who have been visited by the Scran team so far.”

This pioneering programme of events will see young people empowered with the skills and confidence to lead in the hospitality industry, fostering huge social return as well as promoting staff wellbeing.

Will Bain, Scran Academy Catering Manager, said: “The Big Scran Care Tour is such an exciting programme for the young people we work with. They get involved in everything, helping us to plan, cook, deliver and evaluate the whole thing, so each event on the tour is something they really get behind.

“It’s such a big confidence and skills boost – and when they meet the healthcare staff and get great feedback, they know they’ve achieved something meaningful.”

Faye (15), a Scran Academy attendee, said: “I like working on the van and it makes me feel happy that I am doing it to say a big thank you to all the hardworking doctors and nurses”

Kacey (15), a Scran Academy attendee, added: “I think it’s really good that we get to talk to all the healthcare staff when we serve them. I think we do a really good job.”

Some key dates on the Big Scran Care Tour:

Royal Edinburgh Hospital – 8th June

Ferniehill Surgery – 10th June

Links Medical Centre – 13th Jul

Inchview Care Home – 5th Aug

Eyre Medical Practice – 25th Aug

Astley Ainsley Hospital – 16th Sep

Craigmillar Medical Group – 21st Sep

Sighthill Green Medical Practice – 13th Oct

Tens of thousands of Scots wait more than four months for vital eye care, campaign group tells MSPs

  • Approximately 29,000 people wait more than 16 weeks for eye care services in Scotland after initial referral1
  • The situation has worsened following dramatic falls in outpatient activity during the COVID-19 pandemic2
  • National partnership, The Eyes Have It, call on Scottish government to prioritise eye care services as part of NHS post-COVID recovery plans

Nearly 30,000 patients are waiting more than 16 weeks on NHS waiting lists for specialist ophthalmology treatment in Scotland, Members of the Scottish Parliament have been told during a reception at Holyrood.

And, according to NHS figures, these patients make up more than 50% of the entire ophthalmology waiting list.

Scottish parliamentarians from across the political spectrum who attended the event in the Scottish Parliament on 1st June learnt about the challenges patients with deteriorating eye health face in Scotland. The event was sponsored by Stuart McMillan MSP and hosted by the The Eyes Have It (TEHI) partnership with Sight Scotland.

Sight loss, the complete or partial loss of vision not correctable by usual means such as glasses, affects 200,000 people in Scotland3, more than the number affected by dementia4. Ophthalmology is now the third busiest outpatient specialty in the Scottish NHS and accounts for 10% of new outpatient appointments in Scotland2.

Cathy Yelf, CEO of the Macular Society, speaking on behalf of TEHI, which is made up of The Royal College of Ophthalmologists, the Macular Society, Fight for Sight, the Association of Optometrists and Roche Products Ltd, said: “Capacity shortages can have very serious implications for patients, with delayed follow up (both at the time of diagnosis and during ongoing care) found to be a factor in sight loss.

“The progressive nature of conditions such as wet age-related macular degeneration means that delays to treatment can result in poorer outcomes for patients with sight loss.”

Craig Spalding, CEO of Sight Scotland, one of Scotland’s oldest charities, said: “Eye conditions are estimated to cost the Scottish economy £2bn annually3, and despite the introduction, in 2006, of free primary eye exams in Scotland and strategies to identify priority areas for action to improve eye care services, Scotland continues to face challenges.

“The situation has worsened due to the Covid-19 pandemic which led to a dramatic fall in outpatient activity, but there is now an opportunity to improve efficiency, effectiveness and patient experience as the healthcare system looks towards COVID-19 recovery. Reducing waiting lists must be a key priority.”

Stuart McMillan MSP, Convenor of the Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Visual Impairment, said: “Sight loss can have a devastating effect on a person’s quality of life and emotional well-being.

“The implementation of free primary care eye examinations by the Scottish Government in 2006 helped to reduce pressures on secondary care but the Covid-19 pandemic has created new challenges meaning there is still more to do to improve patient access and expand capacity.

“It has been a pleasure to host this event with The Eyes Have It partnership to raise awareness of this important issue”

The Eyes Have It partnership, with Sight Scotland, has drawn up a series of recommendations calling on the Scottish government to prioritise eye health within NHS service recovery.

Diagnostic test waiting times: cancer patients waiting too long, says charity

Cancer Research UK’s has responded to the latest diagnostic test waiting times statistics published by Public Health Scotland. Eight tests are considered in the report, including several that are relevant to the diagnosis of cancer. 

These latest figures show that more than 155,000 patients in Scotland were waiting for a key diagnostic test at the end of March 2022. This is a 10% increase compared with the previous quarter and a 74% increase compared with pre-pandemic levels. 

The report also tells us that, of those people waiting, 50% had been waiting more than six weeks for their test at the end of March 2022.

This is similar to the proportion waiting at the end of the previous quarter and more than three times the proportion pre-pandemic, which was 16% at the end of March 2019. The figures also show around 5,400 (3.5%) patients waiting for a test had been waiting over a year, with almost all of these patients waiting for an endoscopy test. 

The Scottish Government standard that no one should be waiting more than six weeks for a diagnostic test hasn’t been met since June 2010. 

David Ferguson, public affairs manager for Cancer Research UK in Scotland, said: “It is unacceptable that people in Scotland are waiting too long for a test to determine whether they have cancer. Early diagnosis followed by swift access to the most effective treatment can save lives.  

“Despite the best efforts of NHS staff, the delays are due to Scotland’s chronic staff shortages in the areas key to diagnosing and treating cancer. These shortages have hampered progress for years – well before the pandemic.

“The Scottish Government must set out long-term, properly funded plans to address workforce shortages and improve cancer services so patients get the care they need and deserve.”

Miles Briggs: Volunteering at the heart of the community

Miles Briggs MSP has praised the invaluable role of volunteers during a visit to BHF Scotland’s shop in Dalry Road, Edinburgh – seeing at first-hand how their efforts help raise vital funds for the charity’s lifesaving research into heart and circulatory diseases.

The visit took place ahead of Volunteers’ Week, marking the annual contribution of volunteers up and down the country. In Scotland, around 14,000 volunteers regularly give up their time to help the BHF in its 75 Scottish shops.

During the visit, Miles heard more about the role of volunteers taking in donations from the local community and the incredible benefits of shopping preloved, preventing good quality items from going to landfill, creating a sustainable, circular economy and saving money, while also funding the BHF’s lifesaving research.

In a year, the BHF saves around 71,000 tonnes of goods going to waste and through the reuse and recycling of donated items, helps prevent 135,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions being released into the atmosphere. The charity will also sell over half a million pieces of living room furniture and 14,000 tonnes of preloved clothes from its stores.

Heart disease is a major cause of ill health in Scotland and the BHF is currently funding around £60 million worth of projects in ten Scottish universities. This work is only made possible thanks to the huge generosity of the Scottish public.

Lothian MSP, Miles Briggs, said: “Volunteers are essential for the running of British Heart Foundation, raising money for such a worthwhile cause and reusing and recycling household goods, which is also beneficial for the environment.

“People donating their time his hugely valuable for the British Heart Foundation and I would encourage anyone who has been considering volunteering to offer their services.

“British Heart Foundation continue to pioneers lifesaving research, which would not be possible without the thousands of volunteers who give up their time.”

Kym Kestell, BHF Scotland’s Policy and Public Affairs Coordinator, said: “It was great to welcome Miles to our Dalry Road shop in Edinburgh and talk about the crucial support of our fantastic volunteers here and right across Scotland. 

“It goes without saying that volunteers are the lifeblood of our shops. Every hour donated makes a difference. It helps us raise money to power lifesaving science to save and improve more lives. Across Scotland around 700,000 people are living with heart and circulatory diseases. Your gift of time can help us, help them.  

“For more than 60 years, your support has helped the BHF turn research that once seemed like ‘science fiction’ into reality and we need your help now more than ever.”

Family visits made easier for care home residents

Continuing to support people in adult care homes to connect with others

New guidance reinforcing the expectation that people in adult care homes should be able to see their friends and family without restrictions has been published.

The refreshed Open with Care guidelines say that  people in care homes should be able to see their friends and family without restrictions such as limits on how often visits can take place or on how many different visitors a person can have.

Booking systems for families should only be required when a home is managing a COVID-19 outbreak. Where there is an outbreak, residents should still be supported to see one of their three named visitors.

To reinforce the guidance, the Care Inspectorate will receive an additional £186,000 this year and £90,000 in 2023 to support visiting rights, including dedicated resources for care homes.

Minister for Social Care Kevin Stewart met staff, residents and relatives at the Erskine Park Home in Bishopton to see how easing restrictions has made it easier for residents to have contact with loved ones, both in and out of the home.

Mr Stewart said: “The restrictions on visiting introduced early on in the pandemic were necessary to protect staff and residents and curb the spread of the virus, but I am under no illusions as to just how difficult and painful it has been for staff, residents and their loved ones.

“We are pleased to be in the position to move to a ‘new normal’, with the latests Open With Care guidance setting out much less restrictive measures in care homes.

“As we move towards seeing visiting rights embedded in legislation through Anne’s Law,  our recent strengthening of rights within the Health and Social Care standards means the right to visit loved ones is already in place.

“I am also happy to confirm a total of £276,000 additional funding to the Care Inspectorate over the next two years to further its work supporting care homes to get back to a more normal footing and protect visiting rights.

“I am very pleased to be here to thank the staff and hear from them, the residents and their loved ones about how they have managed over the last two years and the difference that it is making now we have been able to open up care homes more.”

Erskine Director of Care Derek Barron said: “Care homes have been at the forefront of the country’s provision of excellent care to our most vulnerable citizens during the pandemic, a fact often missed by many. 

“The Minister is the first minister to have ‘social care’ in his job title, coming to visit us helps to visually underline the integral part we play in delivering health and social care in this country.

“We were very pleased that the Minister chose to visit Erskine for his announcement. He took the opportunity to meet our amazing staff, who have worked quietly and relentlessly through the pandemic.

“They have not only delivered compassionate and quality care, but fundraised to support that care –  whilst  adapting the charity and its services to the economic, demographic and policy changes, which we anticipate.”

Edith Macintosh, interim Chief Executive of the Care Inspectorate, said:  “For residents who live in a care home, having contact with loved ones in what is fundamentally their own home is essential for good mental health and wellbeing.  

“The release of today’s revised guidance highlights the importance of people experiencing care having face-to-face contact with their loved ones and provides the framework to support them to do so.  

“We welcome the additional funding for the Care Inspectorate to support the implementation of this guidance and to support visiting.

“I want to also thank care services and their dedicated staff for their commitment and professionalism in supporting people through the most challenging of circumstances.”