Join the Walking Group this Monday, 9th March at 10am for our next walk to Davidson’s Mains Park.
We’ll be setting off for a fun-filled morning of exploration, so don’t forget to bring your walking shoes, a waterproof jacket, and a bag for your essentials.
This is a fantastic opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals and immerse yourself in the beauty of our local areas.
Date: Monday 9th March
Time: 10am -1.30pm (meet at the centre for 10am)
Lunch: Picnic lunch provided, but bring a bag, walking shoes and a waterproof jacket, please
Leith-based charity Compass Therapy Support Community has rebranded and is now The Neuro Therapy Place.
The Neuro Therapy Place supports people living with neurological conditions through a range of affordable therapies including oxygen therapy, specialist physiotherapy, and other targeted therapeutic interventions.
Our historical and ongoing commitment to fundraising in support of our charitable mission and to improve the lives of our neurological clients, enables us to subsidise our therapies meaning our clients can access them at significantly reduced rates.
Services are also available to individuals without non-neurological conditions at a lower level of subsidy, helping to generate income that supports the charity’s wider mission.
Why The Neuro Therapy Place?
“This change has come from listening,” said Genevieve Harrison, CEO. “When we spoke with the people who know us best, there was a strong sense that our name should clearly reflect both our expertise in neurological therapy, and the sense of belonging people feel when they walk through our doors.
“The Neuro Therapy Place captures who we are: specialist, supportive, and rooted in community. We’re incredibly proud to step into this next chapter with a name that feels truly aligned with our purpose.”
The new name has been carefully selected to reflect the organisation’s specialist focus on neurological conditions, while strengthening its ability to communicate clearly with clients, healthcare professionals, funders, and partners.
The decision follows consultation with external marketing and branding specialists, alongside feedback from members, client representatives, volunteers, and supporters. Research indicated that the previous name did not convey the charity’s specialist focus to prospective clients, health professionals, or funding partners.
Why the change?
The Neuro Therapy Place was selected for several key reasons:
Clarity – The name immediately communicates the organisation’s neurological focus.
Distinctiveness – It stands out within the health and wellbeing sector.
Accessibility – It feels welcoming, personal, and easy to understand.
Referral friendly – Clear and memorable for busy healthcare professionals.
Stronger fundraising potential – Clearer messaging enables donors and funders to better understand and connect with the charity’s impact.
Strengthening Partnerships and Sustainability
The name change coincides with a renewed strategic focus on long term sustainability and partnership development. In 2025, the organisation appointed a Business Development Manager, and Community Fundraiser to expand external partnerships, increase awareness, and connect with members of the community who may not yet know about its services.
Commitment to Community Remains Unchanged
While the name is changing, the charity’s mission remains constant: to provide high quality neurological and oxygen therapy, alongside community-based programmes, delivered at subsidised, affordable rates.
This rebrand is not about leaving the past behind. It is about ensuring the organisation’s identity accurately reflects the vital specialist work it delivers today and positions it confidently for future growth.
With continued support from funders, partners, and the wider community, The Neuro Therapy Place aims to reach more people, strengthen partnerships, and deepen its impact in the years ahead.
Accidental poisonings (excluding narcotics and hallucinogens) have soared by 63% in a decade, with 5,770 deaths in 2024.*
Older adults are at highest risk — people aged 65+ are more than twice as likely to die from a poisoning of this type as the general population.
Hospitals in England saw 17,252 non-narcotic and hallucinogen poisoning‑related admissions last year, including nearly 5,000 older adults, who were 55% more likely to require hospital care.
Accidental poisoning is fast becoming a hidden home‑safety crisis, The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) has warned, as new figures show 5,770 people died from accidental poisonings in 2024, a 63 per cent increase in just ten years.
Older adults are bearing the brunt: 2,371 lives lost were among people aged 65+, making them more than twice as likely to die from a poisoning as the general population. To tackle this, RoSPA has published new guidance, highlighting how people living with dementia are among those at particular risk.
The surge isn’t only seen in fatalities. Hospitals in England recorded 17,252 poisoning‑related admissions last year — almost 5,000 involving older adults, who were 55% more likely to require urgent care.
The charity’s guidelines help households protect vulnerable loved ones and include simple steps to prevent dangerous chemicals from being mistaken for everyday items. Many products in the home can be opened and swallowed in moments, especially when confusion, memory loss or impaired visual recognition makes hazardous substances look harmless.
These cognitive changes can turn ordinary domestic spaces into high risk environments, with the sharp rise in poisoning incidents tragic evidence that too many preventable emergencies are happening in homes across the UK, often without families realising how quickly a situation can escalate.
Rebecca Guy, Senior Policy Manager, said: “Families with vulnerable relatives can often deal with genuinely frightening moments. Turning away for just a few seconds and realising someone has swallowed a cleaning product is sadly a reality that some of the public have experienced.
“These aren’t freak accidents. They are predictable, preventable events, and our new guidance is designed to help people act fast to make their homes safer.”
What you can do RIGHT NOW now to lower the risk
Lock away cleaning and laundry products: high cupboards or secured storage only.
Keep medicines tightly controlled: use organisers, track doses and store out of sight.
Check packaging: ensure harmful products stay in their original containers.
Supervise more closely when unfamiliar items, visitors or new products are around.
Conduct weekly hazard sweeps of kitchens, bathrooms and utility areas.
Paul Edwards, Chief Nursing Officer at Dementia UK, said: “Laundry and cleaning products are often easily accessible in our homes, and many have brightly coloured packaging which can cause confusion for people with dementia, who may mistake them for other, edible items.
“One of the challenges of supporting someone with dementia is balancing the risk between an individuals’ autonomy against their safety.
“It is impossible to eliminate risk completely, but these guidelines offer simple steps people can take to reduce the chance of these accidents happening, and provide a helpful checklist for both professional care environments and in the home.”
Alzheimer’s Society Senior Knowledge Officer, Simon Wheeler, said: “Staying safe is important for people with dementia who want to keep living at home for as long as possible, as well as for those who support them.
“As a person’s dementia progresses, they might have trouble telling the difference between something that’s safe to eat and something that isn’t.
“If you want to reduce the risk of accidents, make sure that you store your cleaning products like laundry detergents safely in a cupboard and out of sight.
“Don’t leave them out on a worktop or near any food or drinks, especially if they might be mistaken for sweets or drinks.”
RoSPA’s latest advice underscores a growing national concern: without simple protective steps, vulnerable people are at real and immediate risk inside their own homes.
Sarah Boyack hosted families of children with Tourette’s in Holyrood on Thursday to meet with a Minister and Scottish Government officials.
The roundtable, which was co-organised with Tourette’s Scotland allowed families to raise the lack of support facing their children in Scotland’s education system.
Natalie Don-Innes attended the meeting in her capacity as Minister for Children and Young People, alongside the Unit Head for Additional Support for Learning and the Promise.
Every parent agreed that many issues stemmed from the lack of training for teachers and school staff.
Many attendants highlighted that their children had been punished due to their involuntary tics because of a lack of understanding of Tourette’s.
Tourette’s Scotland offers training for schools and creates bespoke profiles for each child with Tourette’s for their new school to utilise but both the training and reading of the reports are optional.
One participant revealed that their child was told they weren’t allowed to do one of their tics in the classroom and would have to go to the bathroom to do it, despite tics being involuntary.
Another highlighted that despite having a horrible time in school, their daughter was now thriving in university and getting far better support for her Tourette’s.
The Minister, along with the Scottish Government official, agreed to liaise further with Tourette’s Scotland to examine these issues.
The roundtable came after awareness of Tourette’s has skyrocketed due to the success of “I Swear”.
Ms Boyack also hosted a Holyrood debate about Tourette’s at the start of the year where she highlighted the challenges facing kids in the education system with the condition.
Speaking after the roundtable, Sarah Boyack said: “I was honoured to host this roundtable and give parents the opportunities to tell their stories to the Minister.
“I was deeply moved by the stories I heard of children suffering due to a lack of understanding from those in the education system and the stress it has caused their parents.
“It is obvious that with a greater understanding and robust training, the education system can be a place for those with Tourette’s to thrive in rather than a challenge they have to manage.
“I hope that the next parliament picks up the baton on this issue and ensures increased support for Tourette’s is a priority.”
Tourette’s Scotland commented:“We were delighted to have the opportunity for our families to share their stories directly with the minister for children and young people.
“Our families felt heard and that it was a productive meeting with lots of ideas on how to progress with awareness and understanding.”
You can find more out about Tourette’s Scotland and their work here:
SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT TEAMS UP WITH BLACK SCOTTISH ADVENTURERS FOUNDER TO HIGHLIGHT MENTAL HEALTH BENEFITS OF THE OUTDOORS
The Scottish Government has announced a new collaboration with Joshua Adeyemi, founder of Black Scottish Adventurers.
The partnership comes as part of the nationwide Mind to Mind campaign which aims to help normalise conversations about mental health and share practical strategies for coping with life’s pressures.
The campaign sees a striking new sign installed at Edinburgh’s Haymarket Station featuring Josh’s words: “Out here, you’re enough”, intended to share a note of support that reflects the spirit of the Black Scottish Adventurers community and to spark conversations about mental wellbeing.
Research from See Me, Scotland’s programme to end mental health stigma and discrimination, explains that more than a quarter of people in Scotland believe it’s easier to avoid discussing mental health than risk an awkward conversation. One in five say fear of judgment stops them from speaking openly.
The Mind to Mind platform offers free, accessible guidance covering topics such as anxiety, grief, stress, loneliness, and financial worries. Visitors can explore personal stories, expert insights, and links to further help – all designed to be used at a pace that suits them.
Reflecting on the collaboration, Josh said: “Finding a community of like-minded individuals where I can talk about life struggles and be my authentic self has been so important on my journey towards understanding how to look after my mental wellbeing.
“The message says exactly what I hope people feel: Whilst being outdoors can’t fix everything, spending time amongst friendly faces, surrounded by Scotland’s awe-inspiring scenery is powerful, and I’ve seen how it helps lift people’s spirits to keep moving forward.
“Working with Mind to Mind has been brilliant as they offer so many resources available to everyone to help navigate the tougher moments in life.”
Josh noted that placing the sign in Edinburgh holds deep personal meaning as this is where Black Scottish Adventurers originated and where he currently lives. He hopes it inspires people to see nature as restorative and stresses that enjoying the outdoors can be as simple as listening to the birds in the park. In collaboration with Mind to Mind, Josh encourages others to access the website to discover the mental health support available.
Minister for Social Care and Mental Wellbeing, Tom Arthur MSP, said: “Mind to Mind is dedicated to ensuring that everyone in Scotland can access mental health strategies and support tailored to their needs.
“Josh’s commitment to inclusive outdoor experiences brings a fresh perspective to the campaign, helping to engage communities and encourage open conversations about mental health.
“Together with Mind to Mind, these efforts aim to empower individuals to take meaningful steps toward wellbeing.”
If you’re going through a difficult time, you are not alone.
Responding to analysis from the Scottish Liberal Democrats, which suggested that there were 871 deaths in Emergency Departments (EDs) associated with a 12 or more hour wait for admission, Dr Fiona Hunter, Royal College of Emergency Medicine Vice President for Scotland, said: “These harrowing figures show that something must change in the approach to fixing the crisis in our EDs.
“Heartbreaking doesn’t cover it. Each of these 871 people may have had families and friends who would have had to face the devastating reality that their loved one died not because they were too sick to treat, but because our hospitals don’t have the capacity to look after them properly.
“Patients enduring these long waits are often the sickest or most injured, in need of further care on a ward. But a lack of beds, driven in large part by delayed discharges, meant they had to wait in A&E – and this can go on for hours and hours.
“Almost 900 people may have paid the ultimate price for this complete breakdown in hospital flow.
“Last year, RCEM published figures for 2024, which suggested there were 818 excess deaths associated with 12 hour waits in EDs. Today’s figures suggest that the problem is getting worse, not better.
“Whoever forms the next government cannot ignore this problem. The numbers speak for themselves: more people will die, who otherwise would go home to their families, if overcrowding and long waits in ED aren’t fixed.
“Addressing the ‘back door’ blockage of hospitals must be a priority for all political parties. Only then will the needless and agonising waits, and the avoidable deaths they cause, stop.
“These are fixable issues and we encourage all political parties to make this a priority. Lives are at stake.”
Molly vsThe Machines is a new documentary premiering on Channel 4. It tells the story of a young girl who died by suicide after being influenced by negative social media algorithms, and her dad, who is now fighting for online safety.
This encourages an important national conversation on how we keep people safe online. Samaritans supports the pressure put on platforms to make their content safe for everyone.
Why making safe online spaces is so important
The dangers that exist online when it comes to suicide and self-harm related content raises the bigger questions of how AI, Big Tech, and social media are negatively infiltrating our lives.
If we want the internet to be a safer space, especially for individuals experiencing distress, things need to change.
But how can we do that?
Putting pressure on platforms for positive impact
Samaritans believe that dangerous self-harm and suicide content, such as graphic images, should be taken down by platforms as they can cause serious harm.
Platforms have a duty to keep their users safe and should never actively push dangerous content onto their algorithms.
That’s why it’s vital that platforms recognise and respond to the vital role they play in suicide prevention.
If users are intentionally looking for this kind of content, the platforms must minimise the availability of harmful content and maximise opportunities for improved help-seeking.
They should highlight helpful resources, share stories of recovery, and signpost to services like Samaritans. And they should also recognise that protections should be further endorsed for the safety of young people.
Keeping young people safe
It is the age of the internet. And young people are used to having phones and tablets and computers within arm’s reach, all the time. But how do we make sure that what they are consuming is safe and appropriate?
Molly vsThe Machines really highlights the importance of parents and caregivers being aware of the risks of social media.
And while some platforms do have restrictions like age limits for who can join and/or sign up, that doesn’t always mean that the content will automatically be age appropriate.
Parents and caregivers need to be informed of the risks so that they can have open and honest conversations with their children about what they’re consuming, how to stay safe, and what to look out for.
Charity Children First says must-watch documentary drama Molly vs the Machines is a powerful and harrowing wake up call to parents and carers
Commenting in advance of the screening of Molly vs the Machines on Channel 4, last night, Mary Glasgow, Chief Executive of Children First, Scotland’s national charity said: “This must-watch documentary drama is a powerful and harrowing wake up call to parents and carers to demand that tech firms prioritise the protection of our children over lining their own pockets.
“Parents are already extremely worried about the children’s safety in the digital world, but what Molly vs the Machines exposes is the extremity and volume of harmful content that big tech are knowingly targeting to children and young people, which many adults won’t be aware of.
“The consequences for children, childhood and public health are horrifying, but change is possible. Technology firms could stop this tomorrow. Action is needed at every level to regulate, educate and create the cultural and policy shifts that are needed nationally and internationally so that every child can thrive on and off-line.”
Any parent or carer in Scotland worried about their child can contact Children First’s support line on 08000 28 22 33 or visit www.childrenfirst.org.uk/supportline to start a webchat.
The chair of Ireland’s Online Health Taskforce, Jillian van Turnhout will urge Scotland’s key decision-makers to do everything in their power to protect children from online harm through a public health approach at a round table in Edinburgh today (4 March) convened by Children First, Scotland’s national children’s charity.
Speaking in advance of the roundtable, which will include Siobhian Brown MSP, Minister for Victims and Community Safety and Natalie Don-Innes MSP, Minister for Children, Young People and The Promise, Jillian van Turnhout, Chair of Ireland’s Online Health Taskforce, said: “When we built Ireland’s Online Health Taskforce, we started by listening to young people – and what they told us was both sobering and clarifying.
“Children aren’t asking for perfection; they’re asking for adults to take this seriously and act. The data from Children First shows Scottish children are saying exactly the same thing. The question now isn’t whether to act, but how quickly and how comprehensively.
“This needs collaboration between governments at all levels, with every government committing to do everything they can to secure a safe digital world for children. In Scotland huge strides can be taken to protect children from online harm through areas that are in the Scottish Government’s power, including education, justice and health.”
In December, Children First warned that “childhood is being eroded by the digital world and children’s basic right to safety is not being upheld.”
Research by the charity of over 2,460 young people in Scotland shows that:
79 percent are worried about seeing harmful online content.
78 percent are anxious about the impact of social media.
71 percent are worried about the impact of smartphones.*
A separate survey of adults conducted by the charity showed that 84% of Scots are very or extremely worried about the impact of social media on young people and 81% are worried about children’s access to violent content online.**
On Monday the UK Government opened a consultation on protecting children on social media, gaming platforms and AI Chatbots, calling it “one of its most wide-ranging national conversations on a public issue in recent years.”
Mary Glasgow, chief executive Children First said: “While some progress is being made, there is no silver bullet to halt the rapidly advancing digital destruction of childhood.
“Scotland’s senior leaders in justice, public health, children’s rights and the third sector are coming together at today’s round table to show their depth of concern about the unprecedented threats that children and young people face to their health, wellbeing and development in a digital age and focus on the solutions.
“Children are telling us they need adults to keep them safe, now. We must act on learning from the international community or risk being left behind in protecting children online. Scotland has a strong track record in delivering holistic transformational public health responses to address some of the most pressing problems this country has faced.
“By quickly applying the learning from Ireland’s online health taskforce and building a consensus about how Scotland can tackle online harm we can keep children safe and preserve their childhoods.”
Minister for Children and Young People Natalie Don-Innes said: “Protecting children from online harm is critical in the modern digital age. It’s a continually evolving issue that requires the utmost thought and technical expertise to provide the best possible protections for young people.
“That is why it is so important for leaders across sectors, including justice, public health, children’s rights and the third sector to meet and discuss how to best protect our children from online dangers.
“Online regulation is reserved to the UK Government, and the Scottish Government have been clear in our calls for greater controls to reduce online harms to children, and our desire to work constructively with the UK Government to that end.
“However, we are striving to improve and do more with the devolved powers we have – through education, community safety, and child protection. This will be set out in the Online Safety Taskforce Action Plan which will be published shortly.”
Ireland’s Department of Health established the Online Health Taskforce in September 2024 to develop a public health response to digital harms.
In December 2025 the Taskforce’s final report set out four foundational principles to establish overarching policy and 10 recommendations for action in five key areas – children and young people’s rights, safety by design, critical digital literacy, enforcement and accountability, and regulatory frameworks.
The round table has been supported by Inspiring Scotland and Changing Ideas through their fund committed to reducing the impact of online harm on children and young people.
Sustained improvement in mental health care for children and young people
Scotland has met its Programme for Government commitment on specialist children’s mental health waiting times, with new statistics confirming that 90% of children and young people referred to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) started treatment within 18 weeks of referral by the December 2025 target date.
The Scottish Government has invested significantly in CAMHS over the past decade, with staffing increasing by 53%. The commitment to fund 320 additional CAMHS posts by 2026 has been exceeded, increasing capacity for cases by over 10,000.
CAMHS provides specialist NHS support for children and young people with serious mental health needs. To provide alternatives to this specialist service, over £80 million has been invested in community mental health services, plus £16 million a year for school counselling. From this year, £15 million annually will go to local authorities to maintain community-based support for children and young people who need it.
CAMHS waiting times of over 18 weeks are now at their lowest level since June 2013 and CAMHS targets have been met consistently for over a year.
Mental Wellbeing Minister Tom Arthur said: “Meeting our Programme for Government commitment on the CAMHS waiting times standard by the December 2025 target is a real and meaningful achievement.
“It has been made possible by the hard work and dedication of NHS staff across Scotland who support children, young people and their families through some of the most difficult times of their lives.
“The progress is sustained and it is clear — waiting lists are at historic lows with over 52 week waits dropping by over 30% in the last year and half of all young people referred are being seen within five weeks.
“I am encouraged by the real progress that has been made in recent months to clear backlogs and we will continue to work closely with those NHS Boards where some challenges remain over the next few months as they complete this work.
“Despite progress, there is more to do, and we remain committed to supporting all NHS Boards to sustain and build on this momentum.”
March is Endometriosis Action month, a movement to raise awareness of a common condition that has a very big impact on people’s lives.
In our next webinar in our women’s health series, we’re focusing on the condition to better understand what it is, the common symptoms, treatment options and how to have a productive journey to diagnosis or management.
