Tag: Health and wellbeing

Ban liquid BBLs and ‘high harm’ procedures, committee urges

‘High harm’ procedures such as the liquid Brazilian butt lift (BBL) should be banned immediately without further consultation, a new report published today by the Women and Equalities Committee (WEC) has recommended.

The Westminster Government is ‘not moving quickly enough’ in introducing a licensing system for non-surgical cosmetic procedures and ‘should accelerate regulatory action’ MPs said, cautioning ‘this lack of timely action is fostering complacency in self-regulation’ within the industry.

The report warned of a ‘wild west’ in which procedures have reportedly taken place in Airbnbs, hotel rooms, garden sheds and public toilets. Individuals without any formal training can carry out potentially harmful interventions, placing the public at risk, MPs concluded.

Non-surgical cosmetic procedures

Liquid BBLs and liquid breast augmentations – procedures deemed high risk and which have already been shown to pose a serious threat to patient safety – should be restricted to appropriately qualified medical professionals immediately, the report recommended. Given the lack of appetite among medical professionals to carry out these procedures, this will act as a de facto ban in all but the most essential cases, it said. 

A licensing system for ‘green’ and ‘amber’ lower risk non-surgical cosmetic procedures, in which only those suitably qualified can perform them, should be introduced within this Parliament, WEC recommended. 

Currently, there is no regulation as to who can perform procedures that do not require incisions and are commonly used to refer to injectables, such as Botox or dermal fillers, laser therapy or chemical peels. What rules that that do exist, such as on the prescription of Botox, are being circumvented, are under enforced and under policed.

The absence of a legislative framework for training and qualifications in the non-surgical cosmetic sector has resulted in significant variability in standards, with justified concerns about short courses, online training, and the ease of entry into practice, the report warned.

The Government, it said, should bring forward consistent, enforceable standards for the non-surgical cosmetic sector that prioritise patient safety and competency, while ensuring training routes remain accessible and affordable for a predominantly female-led workforce. 

The Government should work with the devolved administrations to ensure regulatory alignment across all UK nations on legislation governing non-surgical cosmetic procedures.

Cosmetic tourism

The increasing number of cases requiring medical treatment after cosmetic surgery abroad raises serious concerns for patient safety and places additional financial strain on the NHS, the report said.

It called on the Government to review the need for the NHS to systematically record data on complications arising from cosmetic procedures performed abroad. Publishing such data annually, it said, would enable a comprehensive assessment of the financial impact on the NHS and provide robust evidence to better inform and educate the public about the risks associated with cosmetic tourism. The data could include details of the clinic or practitioner that performed the original procedure to help further protect UK nationals.

Ministers should assess whether outlets in the UK that are recruiting patients for medical treatment overseas should be brought into a regulatory regime and be subject to investigation and, where necessary, sanction, the report added.

Body image

WEC’s report warned of a ‘gap in safeguarding mental health’ in the cosmetic procedures sector. It recommended training curricula required to obtain a licence to perform non-surgical cosmetic procedures should include mandatory modules on informed consent and psychological screening, with a specific focus on identifying Body Dysmorphic Disorder and other vulnerabilities.

Social media platforms and face-editing technologies are contributing to worsening body image and increasing demand for cosmetic procedures, particularly among young women and girls, the report concluded. The normalisation of high-risk procedures by online influencers and the shaping of beauty standards by algorithms which bombard users with posts on body image are particular concerns. 

It is clear that social media platforms must take more responsibility for the content they promote, the report said, adding in response to the alarming increase in desire for cosmetic surgery among teenagers, the Department of Health and Social Care should work with the Department for Education to integrate evidence-based body image and social media literacy programmes into school curricula, including content on risks of cosmetic procedures.

Breast implants

The PIP implant scandal exposed failures that continue to affect women more than a decade later, the report said, recommending the NHS should remove PIP implants from women who wish to have them explanted.

Shortcomings on data collection and recording mean that the NHS does not know who received PIP implants and many women may not be aware they have them. The need for further research and improved data collection on implantation must be addressed, it added.

WEC called on the Government to introduce mandatory recording of breast implant and explant procedures and instances of adverse outcomes in the Breast and Cosmetic Implant Registry by the end of 2026. Data on adverse outcomes by implant type should be published annually to support informed consent and improve patient safety, the report recommended.

A mandatory cooling-off period of at least two weeks should be introduced between the initial consultation and surgery for breast implants, ensuring patients have sufficient time to consider risks and alternatives before making a commitment. The new post-surveillance regime for breast implants must include regular testing of approved implants to ensure continued compliance with safety standards, it added.

The Committee’s report called on the Government to commission research to better understand the health impacts of breast implants, including their potential impacts on women with pre-existing auto-immune conditions.

The research needs to be a mix of clinical research, including on the health impacts of siloxanes, and longitudinal, following a cohort of women over a period of time. Such studies are necessary to improve patient safety, diagnosis and treatment and for the purposes of informed consent, it said.

The Government should also require all practitioners performing invasive surgical cosmetic procedures to have specialist training and hold appropriate board certification in the procedures they undertake.

Chair of the Women and Equalities Committee and Labour MP Sarah Owen said: “Procedures that are deemed high risk such as liquid BBLs and liquid breast augmentations, which have already been shown to pose a serious threat to patient safety, should be banned immediately.

“There is no need for further consultation and delay. A licensing system for non-surgical cosmetic procedures should be introduced within this Parliament. 

“The Government is not moving quickly enough in introducing a licensing scheme for non-surgical cosmetic procedures and should accelerate regulatory action. Currently, individuals without any formal training can carry out potentially very harmful interventions and often do so in unsafe environments. This ‘wild west’ of procedures is placing the public at risk.

“Regulation has not kept pace with the sector’s expansion. In 2013, the head of the NHS warned that a person having a non-surgical cosmetic intervention has no more protection than someone buying a toothbrush. Over a decade later the only thing that has changed is the number of people suffering life changing and life-threatening injuries.

“During our inquiry, the Committee heard a powerful and shocking testimony from a woman who developed sepsis after having a liquid BBL. Her experience and those of many others should act as an urgent wake-up call to Government for change.

“With the concerning rise in cosmetic tourism, there is a strong case for the NHS to systematically record data on complications arising from such procedures performed abroad. Publishing this data annually would enable a comprehensive assessment of the financial strain on the NHS and help raise awareness about the risks.

“Ministers should learn the lessons of the PIP breast implant scandal, and introduce mandatory recording of breast implant and explant procedures and instances of adverse outcomes and commission research to better understand the health impacts of breast implants so that women seeking this surgery can truly give informed consent.”

QMU hosts third Osteoporosis Community Café to address rising demand for support

Queen Margaret University (QMU) is set to host its third Osteoporosis Community Café, reflecting the growing need for supportive spaces where people affected by osteoporosis can connect, share experiences and access reliable information.

Building on the success of previous cafés, the event will offer a warm, inclusive environment for individuals living with osteoporosis – and those who care for them – to discuss challenges, celebrate progress and learn practical ways to live well with the condition.

In the UK, osteoporosis affects over 3 million people, including 250,000 in Scotland, and contributes to approximately 527,000 fractures each year. Although often associated with postmenopausal women (affecting 1 in 2 women over 50), evidence shows that around 1 in 5 men over 50 are also affected. Because the condition can progress silently until a fracture occurs, many people remain undiagnosed until the disease is already advanced.

Osteoporosis gradually weakens bones due to a loss of bone mass, often without symptoms. A minor fall or sudden impact can lead to a significant fracture, commonly in the wrist, hip, or vertebrae. Spinal compression fractures can occur with little or no trauma, causing back pain, loss of height, and changes in posture, including the noticeable stooped or curved back.

The café will bring together individuals from across Edinburgh, the Lothians and beyond, offering light refreshments and the chance to connect with others, as well as members of the research team at QMU. At the meeting in February, participants will have the opportunity to hear a short talk from a pharmacist.

The Lydia Osteoporosis Project team – established in 2011 by a group of nurses at QMU – conducts research, education, and awareness raising activities around osteoporosis.

Victoria Waqa, Nurse Lecturer for the Lydia Osteoporosis Project, is committed to creating opportunities for people living with osteoporosis to come together and engage in supportive conversations.

Victoria explained. “People are often blindsided by an osteoporosis diagnosis and they may not know how to access helpful information, or make the necessary lifestyle choices that can help in the management of the condition.

“People can feel isolated and often very frustrated by the lack of help that may seem to be available, but there is so much that can be done to live well with osteoporosis. It’s vital to foster communities where people can come together, share experiences and empower one another to manage their condition.

“Sadly, despite affecting so many people, osteoporosis is not a priority for health services in the UK or internationally, and we need to work together to change that.  There is a lack of public awareness about the condition – how to prevent it and how to manage it after diagnosis.

“The purpose of the Osteoporosis Community Café at QMU is to create a welcoming space where people can come together, connect, and share their experiences, while helping us better understand what matters most to them and what they would like to learn more about. We aim to support people with practical, accessible information to help them live well with osteoporosis. This may include guidance on safe exercise, healthy lifestyle choices, and other aspects of day-to-day management.

“We also look forward to sharing updates from our research and keeping attendees informed about our plans for the Osteoporosis Symposium, a national event, which will be held on 20 May at Queen Margaret University.”

The next café will take place on Wednesday 18th February from 2pm – 4pm at Queen Margaret University. 

To secure a place, email: lydiaosteoporosisproject@qmu.ac.uk and if you are arriving by car, please provide your car registration number when booking. Access to the QMU car park is via the A1.

Please include any dietary or accessibility requirements when booking your place at the café.

See details about travelling to the QMU campus www.qmu.ac.uk/location-and-getting-here/get-to-qmu-general-information

Five years of Scottish Child Payment

Boost to payment set to support 12,000 children

Scottish Child Payment has supported more than 241,000 parents and carers since its launch five years ago, helping put over £1.3 billion into the pockets of low-income families.

An increase to the payment for children under one will be introduced during 2027/28, estimated to benefit around 12,000 children and could be worth an extra £500 a year for each eligible child.

The payment, which is only available in Scotland, provides families with £27.15 a week, rising to £28.20 from April 2026, for every eligible child under 16.  Latest figures show more than 322,000 children are benefiting from the payment as of September 2025.  

Scottish Child Payment, and other family payments delivered by Social Security Scotland could be worth around £25,000 by a child’s 16th birthday — compared with less than £2,000 in England and Wales, where support ends at age four.

It is estimated that Scottish Child Payment will keep 40,000 children out of relative poverty in 2025-26, with the relative child poverty rate lower than without the payment in place. Clear evidence that the payment is central to the Scottish Government’s mission to eradicate child poverty.

On a visit to Home-Start Edinburgh to meet with parents and children benefiting from the payment, Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said:

“Scottish Child Payment has improved the lives of thousands of children and families across Scotland over the last five years. And our plans to raise the weekly payment to £40 for eligible children under one shows the Scottish Government’s level of ambition and determination to end child poverty in Scotland.

“This payment helps ease the pressure on family budgets and forms part of the best cost-of-living support package in the UK. It helps pay for essentials like food and clothing, things that people who are better off may take for granted but which children in these households might otherwise go without. I urge families to check if they are eligible.”

Eliza Waye, CEO of Home-Start Edinburgh, added: “Early childhood experiences are foundational to lifelong wellbeing and support better outcomes across health, education, wellbeing and more. 

“The Scottish Child Payment plays a vital role in easing pressure on families and helps ensure children grow up in a more equitable environment. Despite this, being a parent is incredibly hard.

“At Home-Start, we support parents to overcome the challenges they face; helping them build confidence and connect to networks of support. The combination of financial and community support enables the investment in families and children to go further.”

Scottish Child Payment opened for applications on 15 February in 2021 and began as a £10 per child, per week payment. It has increased by more than 170% since then. For 2026-27 Scottish Child Payment will increase to £28.20 per child per week, in line with inflation.

Over £1.3 billion worth of Scottish Child Payments have been issued to more than 241,000 individual parents and carers by 30 September 2025.

Reforming social care

Carers to help shape local services

Unpaid carers, disabled people and people with lived experience of social care will have a say on local services after Scottish Parliament regulations come into force.

Social Care Minister Tom Arthur tabled an order giving service users and third sector organisations a vote during integration joint board decision making. This ensures their perspectives carry equal weight in shaping decisions about services, such as care in the community to enable people with disabilities or long term conditions to remain at home.

The 31 boards bring together the NHS and local councils with key community and service representatives to oversee planning and delivery of social care and community health services. Until now only members appointed by the NHS health board and local councils can vote.

The draft regulations will come into force in September after the Scottish Parliament’s Health, Social Care and Sport Committee’s scrutiny of the legislation concluded yesterday.

Mr Arthur said: “I am determined to ensure those who access and support community health and social care services have an equal say in making decisions that affect their communities. 

“These regulations extend voting rights to unpaid carers, service users and third sector representatives, collectively representing the voice of lived experience. It is only fair that these voices carry equal weight alongside other members – to help ensure local services are funded properly to meet the needs of people.

“People with lived experience provide valuable insight into challenges and opportunities which should be considered during planning. This change will bring decision making closer to the people we all serve. We expect to see more inclusive, collaborative and improved choices as a result.”

Westminster committees to examine children and young people’s mental health in new inquiry

Westminster’s Education and Health and Social Care committees have launched a new inquiry into children and young people’s mental health.   

MPs on the cross-party committees will consider what mental health support is available to children and young people up to the age of 25 in community, health and education settings.  

Through the inquiry, MPs will consider how this support is integrated with NHS services, such as specialist Child and Adolescent Mental Health (CAMHS) services, and what support is available throughout the education system, including for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).  

They will explore how potential reforms to CAMHS could improve children and young people’s access to mental health care and whether support could be provided in the community, such as through the Government’s new Young Futures Hubs.  

Around one in five children and young people aged 8 to 25 in the UK has a “probable mental disorder”, according to NHS statistics published in 2023, while the consultancy PwC says that mental health challenges are having a significant impact on young people’s career choices and wellbeing at work. The committees will investigate what factors are driving these changes to children and young people’s mental health.  

The committees will also scrutinise the implementation and rollout of relevant government policies such as the commitment to expand Mental Health Support Teams to all schools in England by 2029/30.

MPs will also consider plans to establish a network of Young Futures Hubs and alignment between various government strategies such as the 10 Year Health Plan, the Independent Review into mental health conditions, ADHD and autism, and the National Youth Strategy.  

MPs will also investigate how education staff can support children and young people’s mental health, and whether current Ofsted frameworks or DfE guidance help or hinder mental health provision.  

Chair of the Education Committee, Helen Hayes MP, said: “Struggling with mental health should never obstruct a young person’s chance to learn and thrive. Yet for too many, especially those with SEND or experience of the care system, that’s still the reality.  

“From the early years through to university, education staff are often being asked to step in where existing support has failed.

“Our inquiry will take a forensic look at the mental health services available to children and young people at every stage of their education, from ages zero to 25. 

“We will consider the role teachers can play in supporting children and young people’s mental health and whether they are getting the training they need to do that properly.  

“We’ll also look at the full range of government policies and plans affecting young people, from SEND reform to the National Youth Strategy, and ask: are ministers doing enough to protect young people’s mental health?” 

 

Chair of the Health and Social Care Committee, Layla Moran MP said: “For parents and school leaders alike, trying to get mental health support for children can feel like navigating a spaghetti junction.  

“Services are frequently overwhelmed and not joined up. Too often the help doesn’t come until a child’s needs are at crisis point. These fundamental problems sit alongside issues that the Health and Social Care Committee documented in 2021 – the need to increase emphasis on prevention and early intervention. We return to these themes now amid deepening concern about the scale of need and questions of how the system can be remade fit for purpose. 

“We will try and show Government how it can untangle the knotty problems that stop children getting the help they need and point to where investment should be directed. We’ll see how silos can be broken down between two sectors that should be working hand in glove, because we know that children’s education and wellbeing are intrinsically linked.” 

‘Lucky’ stroke survivor joins study led by the University of Edinburgh

~ Warning not to ignore subtle stroke signs just because they are uncommon ~ 

A stroke survivor is warning others to watch out for unusual symptoms after joining a study funded by the British Heart Foundation. 

Gordon Robb had a stroke involving a bleed in his brain, but his only symptom was finding that written words suddenly looked as if they were in a foreign language. 

The 63-year-old is now taking the drug clopidogrel, as part of a clinical trial run by researchers at the University of Edinburgh. This study will examine if clopidogrel or aspirin, which are ‘antiplatelet’ drugs that reduce the risk of blood clotting, can prevent future strokes, heart attacks and premature deaths in people who have had a haemorrhagic stroke – a stroke caused by a bleed in the brain. 

Gordon only discovered his stroke had happened after his cousin, whose husband had died from a stroke a few weeks earlier, insisted he go to hospital. 

Having first thought his sudden inability to read was caused by tiredness, he now describes himself as an ‘extremely lucky man’. He had none of the more commonly known symptoms of a stroke, such as problems with his face, arm, speech, eyes or balance.  

Difficulty recognising written words on its own, without any other symptoms, affects fewer than one per cent of people at the time of their stroke, say researchers. 

A few months on, Gordon’s symptoms are improving, although it now takes him half an hour to read a chapter instead of his previous 10 minutes, and more recently he has noticed he occasionally can’t find the right word during a conversation. 

Gordon said: “I am incredibly lucky, and quite honestly felt like a fraud in the stroke ward because I was no different to how I am normally, except that I suddenly could not read words. 

“A group of student doctors in neurology who were brought to see me even said they would have struggled to diagnose that I had had a stroke. 

“I knew some of the classic signs of a stroke like facial weakness, being unable to raise my arms or speech issues, but had none of these.  

“It just shows the importance of paying attention to unusual symptoms, even if they aren’t ones you have heard of before. If I hadn’t gone to the hospital, and quickly received treatment, I could have been walking around with a ticking time-bomb in my head.” 

The stroke survivor, from Bonnyrigg in Midlothian, had only been to hospital once in his life previously. A keen cyclist and runner, who had climbed to base camp at Mount Everest two years ago, he felt in perfect health. 

So when, on September 27 last year, he checked his emails and could not read them, he put it down to tiredness. 

Gordon, the former vice-president of a biotech company, said: “I was in the garden, went in to have a cup of tea, listen to some music and check my emails on my phone – and it was like they were in a foreign language. 

“I could see them clearly, and see who they were from, but the words meant nothing to me. 

“I just assumed I was tired because I had been up late the night before. When friends were then messaging me about the Ryder Cup that evening and I couldn’t see the messages, I just gave myself an early night.” 

 The following evening, when he was unable to read the instructions on a cash machine to withdraw money, he resolved to go to see his GP the next day. 

However, when he told his cousin – whose husband had died from a sudden stroke just three weeks earlier – she drove straight to his house and insisted on taking him to A&E. There, doctors told him he had had a haemorrhagic stroke. 

Approximately 15 per cent of strokes are haemorrhagic. The majority of strokes are ischaemic strokes, caused by a blocked artery. 

While in hospital, Gordon signed up to a study being led by Professor Rustam Al-Shahi Salman at the University of Edinburgh, which is called ASPIRING (Antiplatelet Secondary Prevention International Randomised study after INtracerebral haemorrhaGe).  

The international study is recruiting people who have had a stroke due to bleeding in the brain, also known as a haemorrhagic stroke. Study participants in the UK will be given  ‘antiplatelet’ medicines like clopidogrel or aspirin, which reduce the chances of a stroke or heart attack by preventing cells in the bloodstream, called platelets, from sticking together and forming a blood clot.  

Antiplatelet medicines are not routinely prescribed for people who have had a haemorrhagic stroke, because of safety concerns that they may increase the risk of bleeding. But a small study called RESTART, led by the University of Edinburgh and also funded by the British Heart Foundation, found aspirin and clopidogrel are safe after a haemorrhagic stroke.  

In this new larger study, researchers in the UK now aim to understand if clopidogrel or aspirin can reduce the likelihood of having future strokes, heart attacks and other clotting and bleeding problems in people who have survived a haemorrhagic stroke.  

Major clotting or bleeding problems occur in around one in 10 haemorrhagic stroke survivors every year.  

Professor Salman said: “It has been hard to overcome the instinctive fear that if people have had a haemorrhagic stroke, taking aspirin or a drug like it might cause more bleeding. So we were very relieved when our research showed such drugs to be safe after a haemorrhagic stroke.  

“The ASPIRING study will gather further evidence to establish if aspirin and clopidogrel can help lower the risk of future strokes and heart attacks, and potentially save the lives of people like Gordon who have had a haemorrhagic stroke.

“I believe there is a huge amount more to be done to help these people, whose lives have been turned upside down and who may be concerned about the future.” 

Gordon is one of more than 4,000 people worldwide set to join the study, which is also funded by the Dutch Heart Foundation, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Research Foundation – Flanders and the Medical Research Future Fund in Australia. 

The study was endorsed by the Global Cardiovascular Research Funders Forum (GCRFF) multinational clinical trials initiative.  

Gordon said: “Being involved in this trial provides some reassurance, that this drug may reduce my risk of another stroke. 

“But it is also great to know that being involved could help improve treatment for people like me in the future, and relieve the pressure on the health system. 

“I feel extremely lucky that I did not have more long-term effects from my stroke, and that I have had the chance to try to help improve treatments.” 

Dr Sonya Babu-Narayan, the British Heart Foundation’s clinical director, said: “Facial weakness, arm or leg weakness and speech problems are well-known signs you or your loved one may be having a stroke, but there are some lesser-known symptoms like being unable to recognise the written word. 

“If you have a symptom that you feel is not right, however strange or unusual, it is really important to seek help. Every minute matters if you may be having a stroke or other medical emergency. 

“We know stroke survivors often fear having another stroke and how disabling this could be. That is why the BHF is funding clinical trials like ASPIRING, which will test whether prescribing antiplatelet drugs could protect more people.” 

The ASPIRING study is recruiting people from England, Wales and Scotland who have had a haemorrhagic stroke.

Volunteers can check their eligibility, depending on the hospital where they received treatment, and express interest by visiting www.ASPIRING.ed.ac.uk 

Lothians families given world-first hospital navigation solution

An Edinburgh children’s hospital has become the first in the world to introduce pioneering new personal navigation technology from Waymap, helping families to travel more easily from home to specific consulting rooms and wards.

The Royal Hospital for Children and Young People (RHCYP) at Little France is the first hospital globally to go live with Waymap – a ground-breaking app that guides visitors from their front door directly to the correct hospital department.

Made possible thanks to a partnership between Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity (ECHC), NHS Lothian, and personal navigation specialist Waymap, the app gives families step-by-step directions both inside and outside the hospital, making visits more accessible and less stressful.

Families like Gilly Bain’s, whose daughters Finty (3) and Mackenzie (6) have been admitted to the RHCYP numerous times with recurrent respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and other ailments, have already described the app as a gamechanger for navigating hospital visits.

Gilly, Founder & CEO of YOURGB, Edinburgh, said: “Making your way to hospital with a very unwell child is one of the most high-stress moments in any parent’s life. In that moment, the absolute last thing you need is to panic about which building is the right one, or which of the many car parks it is that you’re meant to use.

“This app takes away that added pressure, and it is going to make a world of difference to so, so many families.”

Already in use at major transport hubs, shopping centres and sports stadiums in the UK and around the world, Waymap works indoors, outdoors and underground. It helps people move confidently through unfamiliar spaces, regardless of vision, mobility, or language skills.

Roslyn Neely, CEO of ECHC, said: “Hospital visits can already be a daunting experience, especially for children and families with additional needs. This ground-breaking technology removes one of the biggest sources of anxiety – finding your way.

“Not only will it make journeys to the hospital much simpler by guiding people directly to where they need to be, it will also help to ease anxiety, break down language barriers, and reduce missed appointments.”

The Waymap team carefully mapped the hospital’s indoor physical space using a LIDAR scanner, which uses lasers to map spaces in 3D. The app guides families along clear routes displayed on a smartphone screen or via audio instructions. It is available in multiple languages and integrates with bus and train timetables.

Celso Zuccollo, CEO of Waymap, said: “We are really excited to be making wayfinding easier for children and families visiting the hospital.

“Waymap’s precise personal navigation technology works indoors and outdoors, making it ideal for helping patients, staff and visitors find their way to and around a busy hospital.”

Aris Tyrothoulakis, Service Director, Women’s and Children’s, NHS Lothian, said: “We are proud to be the first hospital in the world to introduce this technology to support our young patients and their families.

“It is about making the journey to and from hospital easier, reducing stress, and helping families to feel more confident and independent from the moment they arrive.”

Dr Olivia Swann, Paediatric Infectious Diseases Consultant, NHS Lothian, said: “My colleagues and I realised we were spending a lot of time helping anxious families find their way around the hospital.

“I was sure we could do this better. My research led me to Waymap and their innovative way of helping people navigate complex indoor settings.

“Working with Waymap and ECHC, we managed to secure funding to bring this amazing app to the families at RHCYP and hope it helps make hospital visits simpler and less stressful for everyone.”

First new GP walk-in service opens

Major milestone in delivering faster access to care

Patients will have access to GP-led care on the same day without an appointment as the First Minister opens the first of a new network of walk-in services. The new services will make it easier for people to get urgent care for medical issues while easing pressure on GP practices and hospitals.

The Scottish Government is investing £36 million into a pilot programme which will see a further 14 services established across Scotland.

First Minister John Swinney has opened the country’s first GP walk-in clinic at Wester Hailes Healthy Living Centre, marking a significant step forward in the government’s efforts to strengthen primary care.

Speaking ahead of his visit, Mr Swinney said: “I know how important access to urgent medical care is for people, and how important it is for people to get the right care, in the right place at the right time.

“Our network of walk-in GP-led services will ensure people get the care they need at a time that works for them – and opening this first clinic is a major milestone as we continue to deliver trusted leadership for our health service.

“Open seven days per week from 12pm-8pm, these walk-in clinics will deliver over one million additional GP and nurse appointments, making it easier than ever for people to access urgent care when they need it most.

“With GP numbers up, long waits down, record numbers of hip and knee operations and 15 new walk-in GP clinics opening in Scotland, it is clear we are making progress in our NHS – and I am determined that we will continue to drive forward improvements.”

Tracey McKigen, Director of Primary Care for NHS Lothian, said: “We are proud to be launching this pilot service in collaboration with the Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership.

“It will add to the range of health services in Wester Hailes and make it easier for local patients registered with eight eligible GP practices in southwest Edinburgh to get same day care for new, urgent conditions.”

The walk-in clinic at Wester Hailes Healthy Living Centre is open every day from 12 noon to 8pm with no appointment needed.

During the pilot phase, the service is available to patients registered with a group of local GP practices in southwest Edinburgh. 

Depending on clinical need, patients may see a GP or Advanced Nurse Practitioner.

Walk in Clinic – General Practitioners (GPs).

MSPs, families and patients mark Scottish Brain Tumour Research Centre’s first anniversary

MSPs, brain tumour patients and families who have lost loved ones are marking the first anniversary of Scotland’s first research centre dedicated to brain tumours, established to accelerate the search for new treatments for the most aggressive forms of the disease.

Launched one year ago through a unique partnership between Brain Tumour Research and Beatson Cancer Charity, the Scottish Brain Tumour Research Centre of Excellence brings together leading researchers based at the Universities of Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Working collaboratively, they are focused on identifying the most promising new treatments for glioblastoma – an aggressive and incurable form of brain cancer with an average prognosis of 12 to 18 months.

Far too often, innovative ideas in the lab fail to make it to the clinic, so over its first year, the Centre has focused on building the foundations needed to accelerate the translation of scientific discoveries into potential new treatments. This has included developing more advanced laboratory models to better understand glioblastoma and test new therapeutic approaches – including gene therapy.

Among those marking the Centre’s first anniversary is Shetland Islands MSP Beatrice Wishart, who has long campaigned for improved research and awareness following her daughter Louise Fraser’s diagnosis with a brain tumour in 2012.

Since then, Beatrice has used her platform in both her constituency and at Holyrood to highlight the urgent need for earlier diagnosis, better access to treatment, and increased investment in research for brain tumours.

Beatrice, who is also Convener of the Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Brain Tumours, said: “It’s been a very quick year, and I’m really pleased to see the progress that has already been made in understanding and tackling brain tumours.

“There is a clear emphasis on the importance of sustainable funding and the difference it can make for people across Scotland.

“Through the Cross-Party Group, we have been pressing the Health Secretary on access to research trials and new treatments, and it has been a very positive and proactive group to be part of.

“I see that work as complementary to everything being done at the Scottish Centre of Excellence, and together it gives real momentum to efforts to improve outcomes for patients and families.”

Following her diagnosis, Louise Fraser underwent neurosurgery followed by radiotherapy, and her tumour is now monitored through regular scans.

Beatrice, Louise and their family have raised more than £36,500 for Brain Tumour Research through a range of fundraising and awareness activities, including Wear a Hat Day events at Holyrood, community fundraising in Shetland, and participation in running challenges such as the Edinburgh Half Marathon.

Much of this recent fundraising was carried out in memory of Louise’s husband, Kris Fraser, who died suddenly from a brain haemorrhage in September 2024. Louise and her children – Eve, Kieran and Leighton – took part in the Edinburgh Half Marathon in his memory, with several tiles on the Centre’s Wall of Hope dedicated to Kris.

“It was a very emotional day, particularly as the fundraising has been carried out in memory of my husband, Kris, who was very much at the forefront of my mind,” Louise said.

“I wanted to do something positive with our children following his death, and fundraising for this charity felt like the right way to honour him while supporting a cause that means so much to our family. It’s reassuring to see where the money we’ve raised is going and how Brain Tumour Research is using those funds to support the search for kinder, more effective treatments.

“I hope that the work being done here will mean that, in the future, other families won’t have to go through what we did.”

Also reflecting on the anniversary is Jonny Charles, whose mum Fiona, a retired primary school teacher from Aberdeen, was diagnosed with glioblastoma after months of unexplained symptoms in 2024. Fiona underwent radiotherapy and chemotherapy following her diagnosis but sadly died in December 2025. Jonny has since spoken about the devastating reality of glioblastoma and the profound impact it has on patients and families.

Jonny said: “Visiting the Centre on its one-year anniversary was very meaningful, and the lab tour itself was incredibly well organised and genuinely fascinating. What stood out most was the passion and determination of the people leading the work — it was clear that everyone involved is deeply committed to making progress and finding better ways to tackle brain tumours.

“Seeing the work first-hand helped make it clear where fundraising and donations are being directed, and why that support is so important. It was striking to be reminded that treatment options for glioblastoma have changed very little over the past 20 years, which really underlines the need for continued focus and investment.

“I hope the work being done here helps move treatments forward and gives future families better options and clearer answers.”

Bringing together a large multidisciplinary group of glioblastoma researchers from across Scotland, the Scottish Centre of Excellence was established to bridge the gap between promising scientific discoveries and real-world patient benefit, from laboratory to bedside.

Professor Steven Pollard, Co-Director of the Centre, said: “Our priority now is to strengthen the connection between scientific discovery and clinical trials, so that promising new ideas can be developed into treatments that are ready to be tested in patients.

“We know the clinical teams in Edinburgh and Glasgow are ready to evaluate new therapies, and our focus is on building the expertise and infrastructure needed to move new aproaches, including innovative medicines and gene therapy, through to that stage more effectively.

“By doing this, we hope not only to progress our own research, but also to work more closely with industry and other partners to increase the number of treatment options available to people affected by brain tumours.”

Election Hustings to get mental health at top of political agenda

A partnership of 17 leading Scottish mental health organisations is hosting a special online Hustings event to ensure that mental health is at the top of the political agenda ahead of the Scottish elections in May.

Scotland’s Mental Health Partnership will host the online Mental Health Hustings event on Monday 9th March between 1pm and 2.30pm.

The Hustings event will be an opportunity to hear Scotland’s political leaders discuss mental health, along with answering questions from attendees during a time when mental health has never mattered more.

Political leaders will detail their vision for the nation’s mental health and their plans to reform society to improve wellbeing for all.

Speakers will come from five Scottish political parties:

  • SNP – Tom Arthur MSP, Minister for Social Care and Mental Wellbeing
  • Conservatives – Brian Whittle MSP, Spokesperson on Mental Wellbeing
  • Labour – Paul Sweeney MSP, Spokesperson on Mental Health
  • Greens – Gillian Mackay MSP, Party Co-Leader and Spokesperson on Health and Social Care
  • Lib Dems – Councillor Sally Pattle, Spokesperson on Mental Health

The Mental Health Hustings is a chance for people to engage with those responsible for shaping Scotland’s future.

Scotland’s Mental Health Partnership announced its manifesto late last year, ‘Scotland’s Mental Health: It’s Time For Action’, which presses the Scottish Government to address the current crisis and transform the country’s mental health in the longer term.

The manifesto states that mental health services are struggling to cope with an unprecedented increase in demand, with no corresponding increase in funding or resource, and a burnt-out workforce that is collectively creating a spike in waiting lists for support and treatment.

It has also expressed the need for commitment around increasing resources for early intervention and preventing, along with a choice of support, care and treatment in the right place and at the right time.

Other recommendations revolve around the Partnership’s 3Ps framework – Promote, Prevent and Provide – to tackle the mental health emergency.

Gordon Johnson, Policy Lead for Scotland’s Mental Health Partnership, said: “Mental health really has never mattered more. There is a mental health emergency in Scotland, and we need bold and decisive action to ensure that this crisis is addressed.

“The Hustings is an opportunity for people to have their voice heard – whether you’re a person with lived experience, working in mental health, a campaigner or someone who cares about Scotland’s future.

“Scotland needs radical change. That starts will voices in the room. We look forward to this conversation between attendees and speakers at the Hustings, and we will work hard to ensure that mental health is at the top of the political agenda ahead of this election and beyond.”

Scotland’s Mental Health Partnership (SMHP) is made up of seventeen (17) professional bodies and mental health third sector organisations.

Our members represent, among others, those with lived experience, providers, clinical professionals, carers, community support networks and the wider third sector. Each organisation contributes its direct experience and unique perspective to create an informed collective voice on mental health.

The Partnership was developed out of a collective desire to offer new perspectives and a progressive vision for mental health in Scotland. It is committed to supporting the mental health and wellbeing of people across Scotland and, in line with the Christie Commission recommendations, promote the prevention of mental health issues and early intervention where problems do arise.

Further details can be found on our website: www.smhp.scot.

The organisations include:

  • Bipolar Scotland
  • The British Psychological Society
  • Change Mental Health
  • Mental Health Foundation
  • Mental Health Nursing Forum
  • Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland
  • Penumbra Mental Health
  • Royal College of GPs Scotland
  • Royal College of Occupational Therapists
  • Royal College of Psychiatrists in Scotland
  • Samaritans Scotland
  • Scottish Action for Mental Health (SAMH)
  • Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance
  • Scottish Recovery Network
  • See Me
  • UK Council for Psychotherapy
  • VOX Scotland
SMHP manifesto – strictly embargoed 15th SeptemberDownload