Samaritans Scotland will host an event at Glasgow Central Station today (Monday 16 January) in a bid to dispel the myth of ‘Blue Monday’.
The third Monday of each year is often referred to as the most depressing day of the year and falls on January 16 in 2023.
To debunk the idea of ‘Blue Monday’, Samaritans runs an annual Brew Monday campaign throughout the UK which emphasises the importance of talking and encourages people to reach out to family and friends and have chat over a cuppa.
This Brew Monday, Samaritans Scotland has teamed up with Scotland’s Railway to hold an event at Glasgow Central Station. Volunteers and staff will be on hand from 8am to 2pm offering tea, coffee and biscuits to commuters and passers-by.
AG Barr has kindly donated cans of Irn Bru for the event, meaning visitors can cheers to ‘Bru Monday’ too! There will also be a selection of sweet treats thanks to Lees of Scotland.
Danielle Rowley, Influencing Manager at Samaritans Scotland, said: “At Samaritans, we know there’s no such thing as ‘Blue Monday’. We all have our good days and our bad days, these aren’t for the calendar to decide.
“Our dedicated listening volunteers all over Scotland are consistently busy 24/7, 365 days a year, picking up a call for help every 10 seconds.
“The simple act of having a chat with someone over a coffee can have a huge impact – it could even save a life.
“It’s time to stop the myth about this Monday being ‘blue’ and instead start a conversation over a brew – or Bru!”
Anyone can contact Samaritans for free any time from any phone on 116 123, even on a mobile without credit. Or you can email jo@samaritans.org.
The lingering stress of the cost-of-living crisis weighs heavily on the shoulders of many, and with temperatures dropping, food prices skyrocketing, and the New Year in full swing, it is bound to have an added impact on the stresses of everyday life. Therefore, people up and down the country are looking for tips and tricks to ease and eliminate as much stress as possible.
CBD experts Simply CBD have revealed some tips that will help encourage stress relaxation and a stress-free routine that you can implement into your weekly routine.
New analysis reveals that searches in the UK for ‘reduce stress’ increased by 216% over the past month, proving just how desperate we are to find solutions for feelings of overwhelming stress.
In fact, searches for ‘is stress normal’ has seen a huge 635% increase over the past month in the UK, showing just how concerned people are about stress levels and how they can impact their health.
Self-care
Being mindful of your own needs is essential and focusing on self-care will help reduce stress and anxiety tremendously. Some forms of self-care include maintaining a balanced diet and sustaining a healthy sleep schedule but indulging in pampering is often overlooked.
Pampering doesn’t have to break the bank. Forget spa days or trips away; you can easily indulge in pampering at home:
Take a hot bath or shower.
Pop on a face mask and read your favourite book – time away from blue light from your phone also helps relax the mind.
Light some candles and listen to a meditation podcast.
Treat yourself to your favourite home-cooked meal (or take away if you prefer!).
Exercise
Although the thought of exercise can sometimes be exhausting, with long workdays feeling tiring enough, finding the time to get a good workout in can often be the release from a lot of pent-up stress.
Sometimes getting past the mental barrier of doing physical activity is the only thing holding you back from releasing tension and endorphins, aka the body’s natural painkillers.
The exercise doesn’t necessarily need to be intense, and there are many options when it comes to fitting in an hour of increased heart rate:
Go on a walk – Whether with friends, family or just by yourself, getting out for some fresh air and moving your body will work wonders.
Take part in a local exercise class – there are many different options, such as low intensity Yoga and Pilates, which are great options if you don’t want to do an intense workout.
Take part in an online exercise class! – if physically leaving the house to exercise fills you with dread, you will be pleased to know there are thousands of online classes and pre-recorded free videos of workouts that you can do in the comfort of your own home.
Listen to music
Listening to music gives the brain a total workout, and we all know how vital brain health is. By listening to music, you can:
Reduce blood pressure.
Improve memory.
Reduce anxiety.
Improve sleep quality.
Not only can it reduce stress, but it can elevate moods and clear the way for emotional expression; this is why it is great that there are so many genres of music to choose from; just pick whatever gets you out of a funk and makes you feel good!
Experiment with hobbies
By experimenting with hobbies that you might have put on the back burner, you are allowing your body to remind itself of something you enjoy and take pride in. Hobbies are a great distraction and can be the perfect way to relax and forget about the stresses of everyday life.
If you’re struggling to think of a hobby, it’s never too late to find one! By making a list of all the hobbies you would love to try, you are already one step closer to expanding your knowledge, widening your range of skills, keeping your brain working and mind off all things stressful.
Turn the phone off and stay off social media
In a world dominated by technology, we have everything at the push of a button, making it hard to imagine life without it, but keeping so up-to-date and caught up on social media can sometimes be exhausting and lead to unhealthy comparisons.
By turning off your phone or limiting the time spent on social media, you can shut off the constant updates and remain solely focused on other things that might bring you joy. Instead of getting distracted by technology, you could be reading your favourite books, spending time with family and friends, giving yourself a well-deserved pamper or just taking a nap, whatever relieves stress from your day!
Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by the Health Promotion and Education Team at Heart Research UK
Healthy Heart Tip: Beat the Winter Blues
Blue Monday takes place on the third Monday of January, which falls on Monday 16th this year. It is coined the most miserable day of the year due to various factors such as bad weather, debt following the expense of Christmas and failing to stick to those new years resolutions you may have made early January.
Winter, in general, can feel more doom and gloom than the brighter, warmer seasons. Here we share some top tips for beating the winter blues while prioritising your heart health:
Outdoor movement
It can be tempting to stay indoors during the colder months, when the weather isn’t as nice and the days are dull and uninviting, resulting in us being less active.
Getting outside even for a short time, moving, and exposing our eyes to some natural daylight (even if it isn’t very bright) can instantly lift our mood. Try going for a daily walk or run, wrap up in appropriate clothing and get your heart pumping.
Prioritise a healthy diet
A healthy diet can boost your mood, help you maintain a healthy weight and give you more energy. Concentrate on including lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, wholegrain carbohydrates such as wholewheat pasta, bread and brown rice and lean meats such as chicken and turkey.
Aim to eat two portions of fish each week, including one oily fish such as salmon, sardines, trout or mackerel. It can be helpful to opt for meals you can cook in a slow cooker, so you can prep them in the morning when your motivation is high, and they are ready when you’re tired at the end of the day.
Revisit your new year’s goals
If you have fallen off the ‘bandwagon’ with your new year’s resolutions, don’t beat yourself up about it. Creating new healthy habits and changing old, less-healthy ones takes time.
You are in a better position now than you were before you initially set your goals, as you now have some meaningful insight into what went wrong. Set your goals again and put things in place to support you where you fell off track last time.
4 million children across more than 16,500 schools and nurseries across 90 countries are now signed up to The Daily Mile, the life-changing children’s health and wellbeing initiative.
2 million children taking part in England alone.
The Daily Mile, supported by INEOS, gets millions of children active through 15-minutes of outdoor exercise to promote positive physical, mental and social health.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe, Chairman of INEOS: “INEOS has supported the Daily Mile for years because it’s a free, simple, and effective way to improve children’s physical and mental wellbeing. It has been a natural fit for us to work with an initiative that is so passionate about helping more children enjoy exercise more often, and we look forward to its success as it continues to transform more lives around the world.”
Elaine Wyllie MBE, Founder of The Daily Mile: “From a single school in Stirling to now over 16,500 schools and 4 million children, it is staggering to see how this initiative has grown into a global movement in a little over 10 years.”
The Daily Mile Foundation, supported by INEOS, has announced that 4 million children in 90 countries worldwide are taking part in the health and wellbeing initiative, up double in size since 2019.
The initiative has received formal backing from the Scottish Government and in 2022 Scotland was announced as the world’s first Daily Mile Nation, meaning over half of primary schools across all 32 local authorities are doing the Daily Mile, developing healthy habits for life.
The Foundation’s expanding network of partners in the UK, Europe, USA and beyond continues to focus on increasing the number of schools taking part. In England alone, partnerships with Sport England, supported by the National Lottery, ITV and London Marathon, have led to record engagement with The Daily Mile, resulting in over 2 million children participating.
The support from national and local partners around the world who share the ambition to help children become more active is critical to the continued growth of The Daily Mile.
The Daily Mile initiative was founded by Elaine Wyllie MBE in 2012 – born out of a concern around children’s lack of physical fitness. Headteacher of St Ninians’s Primary School in Stirling at the time, Elaine got her pupils moving for 15 minutes every day to improve their overall health and wellbeing.
The Daily Mile in partnership with ITV created an advert to promote the benefits of The Daily Mile, which highlighted how The Daily Mile can contribute towards improved academic attainment, and encouraged more schools to join the initiative. As did high profile support from sporting legends including marathon record-breaker Eliud Kipchoge and rugby’s All Blacks.
Research shows the benefits of The Daily Mile for children’s physical health, mental wellbeing, and learning. Increased activity means increased fitness, helping children feel happier and supporting children’s focus and concentration in the classroom. Research by the Universities of Stirling and Edinburgh found that the success of the initiative lies in its core principles and ease of implementation.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe, Chairman of INEOS says: “INEOS has supported the Daily Mile for years because it’s a free, simple, and effective way to improve children’s physical and mental wellbeing.
“It has been a natural fit for us to work with an initiative that is so passionate about helping more children enjoy exercise more often, and we look forward to its success as it continues to transform more lives around the world.”
Elaine Wyllie MBE, Founder of The Daily Mile says: “From a single school in Stirling to now over 16,500 schools and 4 million children, it is staggering to see how this initiative has grown into a global movement in a little over 10 years. Being active is key for everyone’s health and wellbeing.
“I’d like to thank the children, teachers, schools and all of our partners in 90 countries who share our vision of helping children across the world to get fit for life. Reaching the 4 million milestone is a brilliant way for us to kick off the year and we’re excited to continue to make a positive impact on children’s lives in the years to come.”
If you want your school pupils to benefit from taking part in The Daily Mile, sign your school up here.
Cross-government action plan backed by £68 million.
More than 80 actions supported by £68 million over the course of this parliament are outlined in the Scottish Government’s response to Changing Lives, the final report from the Drug Deaths Taskforce.
Measures are being taken across a broad range of areas including employment, justice, transport, education and health and social care to improve the lives of those affected by drugs.
The response is underpinned by two principles – that services treat problem drug use the same as any other health condition and that people with lived experience are involved in policy decisions.
Many of the 20 recommendations and 139 action points made by the Taskforce are already being addressed but new announcements include:
£30 million ringfenced from the Enhanced Services Allocation to NHS territorial Boards from April 2023 to support specific drug treatment services within primary care settings
£18 million to develop stabilisation and crisis care services, in addition to the £100 million already available for residential rehabilitation
£4.3 million for a Stigma Action Plan which includes an accreditation scheme for organisations to improve awareness and challenge stigma across public life
£5.5 million for new programmes for children and families including the expansion of Routes, a young person’s support group run by Scottish Families Affected By Drugs
£3.4 million additional funding to deliver a workforce action plan and expand the Addiction Workers Training Programme run by the Scottish Drugs Forum and an additional £3.3 million to expand trauma training
£2.4 million to improve care for people with co-occurring mental health and substance use conditions to build on the recommendations set out in the recent rapid review
£0.5 million for an initial pilot to expand the concessionary travel scheme to include people with a substance dependency
Drugs Policy Minister Angela Constance said: “Every drug death is a tragedy and unacceptable. We continue to face a public health emergency and cannot underestimate the scale of this crisis.
“The Drug Deaths Taskforce was formed to provide independent expert advice on our response to this emergency and this cross-government action plan includes a broad range of initiatives which will not only support the complex needs of people who use drugs but also help support prevention and early intervention.
“This publication outlines our whole government commitment to addressing this challenge and ensuring that people with problem substance use can access all the services they need and are entitled to.
“I thank the Taskforce members, past and present, for their important contribution. The final report, Changing Lives, has provided us with clear, evidenced recommendations and our response outlines a new, even more ambitious, phase of our mission to save and improve lives.”
Stroke Association urges people to check themselves for ‘silent’ condition, atrial fibrillation
The Stroke Association and BBC Morning Live’s Dr Punam Krishan are urging people to check for a ‘silent condition’ which is one of the leading causes of serious strokes, after a survey showed that few are aware of the link.
It is estimated that around 35,000 people in Scotland are living with undiagnosed atrial fibrillation1 (AF) where the heart beats with an irregular rhythm. When this happens, the heart won’t empty all of the blood out of its chambers with every beat and the leftover blood can form clots which travel to the brain, blocking off blood flow and causing a stroke.
A survey by the charity to mark Stroke Prevention Day on Thursday 12 January revealed that three in four people (75%) did not know that AF is a major cause of stroke2.
AF is linked to around one in five strokes3 – that’s 40 strokes per day and strokes in people with AF are more severe and are more likely to result in death or serious disability.
John Watson, Associate Director for the Stroke Association in Scotland, said:“It’s worrying that so few people know that a little thing like how your heart beats can lead to a massive stroke.
“AF often has no symptoms and a stroke can strike without warning. Don’t let the first sign of your AF be a sudden and life-changing stroke. With early diagnosis and effective management of AF, your risk of a stroke dramatically decreases so it’s vital for people to check it regularly.
“It’s really easy to check your own pulse and our research told us that most people are able to. Feel for your pulse on your wrist or neck to make sure it has a regular beat. If you suspect you have an irregular pulse, contact your GP Practice.”
The survey 2 also revealed that:
Six in ten (67%) said they had never checked themselves for AF
Almost half (46%) said they had never been checked for AF by a healthcare professional
More than eight in ten (86%) said they would be likely to seek medical advice if they felt something was wrong with the rhythm of their heartbeat/pulse
62% said they knew someone who had had a stroke
24% knew someone who had had AF
The charity has a video guide on its website at www.stroke.org.uk/spd23 showing people how they can check their own pulse on their wrist or neck.
Alex Trench had a stroke at the age of 52. Alex ran his own business, a grocer at the time. He describes it as a stressful job. It was a massive stroke leaving Alex unable to sit up, walk or use his arm.
Only two months earlier, Alex had been diagnosed with AF following a check-up with his GP about another health problem. He said: ““I didn’t know anyone with AF nor did I know anyone who had had a stroke, I was only 52!
“Whilst I wasn’t given a definitive answer as to the cause of my stroke, I do wonder if AF may have played a part. I have since sold my business, eat healthily and watch my weight to reduce the risk of having a stroke.
“Importantly, I am now on medication to manage my AF. I would urge people of any age to check their pulse regularly to look out for possible AF. Having a stroke is devastating. I know it. Please do as much as you can to prevent it.”
Although Alex still still relies on a delta frame to walk very short distances and struggles to use his hand, thanks to Alex’ determination and support from others, he has made quite a good recovery.
“I am really pleased to be ‘giving back’ doing voluntary work for the Stroke Association.”
Dr Punam Krishan, a Glasgow GP and presenter on BBC Morning Live, said: ““The good news is that if AF is identified it can be managed really easily.
“If you’ve got AF, you might be given anticoagulant medication to reduce your risk of stroke by making a clot less likely to form, or you might be able to have a one-time electric pulse to get your heart beating regularly.
“The most important thing is to check yourself and contact your GP practice if you think you might have AF. It’s so much better to get your AF sorted before it becomes a problem. Get it checked for your own health and for the sake of your loved ones.”
Trudie Lobban MBE, Founder of the AF Association,said: “The AF Association welcomes Stroke Prevention Day to help detect more people living with AF, yet to be diagnosed.
“Raising awareness of the importance of pulse checks is key to detecting the irregular heart rhythm and leading to more people being diagnosed and receiving appropriate anticoagulation therapy to reduce their risk of an AF-related stroke.
“It is good to see the Stroke Association encouraging the public to be pulse aware to know their heart rhythm – this can save so many from the devastation that strokes can cause, it can even save lives.”
Ageing Well, run by Edinburgh Leisure in partnership with NHS Lothian is seeking new participants to join various city-wide activities which support people to become, and remain, active in later life.
Available to join are Buddy Swim sessions, a 19-week cycle skills course and a two-week technical skills Nordic Walking course, which is followed by four weeks of walking around Edinburgh.
Cat Wilson, Active Communities Project Officer at Edinburgh Leisure said: “Ageing Well activities have been developed to cater for a wide range of tastes and abilities. All activities are either led by or supported by fully trained volunteers, who are all older adults themselves.
“The emphasis is on meeting new people whilst making physical activity accessible and enjoyable. For anyone who has made a promise to themselves, or their family, to improve their fitness in the new year, now is the time to walk the talk and to register their interest in any of our Ageing Well programmes.
“I can guarantee it will be a lot of fun, will improve their wellbeing and fitness, and all our activities are sociable, with plenty of opportunities to make new friends.”
Buddy Swimming is aimed at older adults, who perhaps lack confidence, to get back in the water. Participants are met and greeted by Edinburgh Leisure’s volunteers and ensure they have the support they require in the water, followed by that all-important chat and cup of tea afterwards.
Ageing Well’s Buddy Swimming takes place in three Edinburgh Leisure venues across the city, moving to four, when Warrender Swim Centre, reopens in early 2023.
Tuesday – Glenogle Swim Centre – 10.00 – 10.45am
Wednesday – Warrender Swim Centre – 10.00am – 11.00am (date of Warrender reopening is still to be announced)
Thursday – Drumbrae Swim Centre – 10.30am – 11.15am
Thursday – Royal Commonwealth Pool – 12.05pm – 12.45pm
The 19-week Cycle Skills course will start at the beginning of March 2023 and takes place on a Monday at 10am.
The initial level 1 course, based on Cycling Scotland’s Bikeability material is an 11-week course, which will get participants comfortable again on a bike, developing skills, at a pace that suits them, in a dedicated area at Saughton.
Level 2 lasts 8-weeks and gives participants the opportunity to explore Edinburgh’s extensive cycle path network, from the leisure centres at Ainslie Park and Meggetland.
Suitable for anyone who hasn’t been on a bike for ages or for those that don’t currently own one, Edinburgh Leisure can provide bikes, helmets, and hi-viz vests, but people are welcome to bring their own.
Ageing Well’s six-week Nordic Walking course launched in March 2022 and will start again in Spring 2023, day and date to be decided.
Nordic Walking is for everyone. Its origins are Finnish and it provides a total-body version of fitness walking with specially designed poles, not to be confused with trekking poles. It can be enjoyed at many levels, at low, medium, or high intensity. The poles mean that effort is shared between the upper and lower body, so it feels easier than normal walking, particularly uphill. More than 10 million people globally enjoy this outdoor activity all year round.
Participants will meet at Brighton Park in Portobello and would be expected to attend the first two technical sessions to graduate. Each session will last 1-hour, and poles will be provided, if people do not already have their own.
Once group members have graduated from the 2-week introductory course, they will be eligible to join the Nordic Walking 4-week course, visiting various locations. These walks would take between 1.5 – 2 hours.
The Nordic Walking course complements Ageing Well’s already popular regular walks which take place in different locations around the city each week.
Ageing Well relies on external funding and donations to deliver its programmes across Edinburgh. A contribution of £3 per week for each activity is appreciated. This can be paid in one go or each week. People’s generous support means Edinburgh Leisure can provide a range of activities to reach more older adults in need of their support, protecting their health and wellbeing and improving their quality of life.
In 2018 the Ageing Well programme was awarded the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service (QAVS), which is the highest award given to UK volunteer groups and is the equivalent of an MBE. The award reflects the tremendous contribution of Edinburgh Leisure’s Ageing Well volunteers and the positive difference they make to the lives of participants.
To find out more about any Ageing Well activities, visit:
As we begin a new year, many people will be reflecting and looking ahead to what the coming weeks and months will bring (writes Adeniyi Alade, Service Head of Helplines (Childline) .
Often New Year’s resolutions focus on healthy living, learning a new skill, supporting a cause, or giving up a bad habit.
This year, NSPCC Scotland is appealing for people to resolve to donate some of their time to one of the charity’s many services for children and young people.
At NSPCC, we are lucky to have a dedicated group of volunteers who give their time week-in week-out to help children and families when they need us the most.
However, to help ensure that we are here for all children, all day, every day, all year round, we need more people of all ages, and from all walks of life, to become volunteers and help us be there for young people.
Our two Childline bases in Glasgow and Aberdeen have a team of amazing volunteers who talk to children about a range of issues including mental health, abuse and neglect, family relationships, loneliness grief, and sexuality.
Childline bases across the UK held over 200,000 Childline counselling sessions with children and young people last year and need more volunteers to enable them to continue being there for children.
Could you be that person?
Our Schools Service volunteers also play a vital role, protecting a generation of children by helping them understand abuse and giving them the confidence to speak out if they need help.
Could you help children feel empowered to know who they can speak out to if they are worried?
If you aren’t able to commit to a weekly or monthly volunteer role, why not consider joining as a fundraising and events volunteer, or you could even support NSPCC Scotland with your own fundraising event throughout the year.
No matter how much time you have to give, NSPCC has a volunteering role for you. It can be a great way to give back to the community and also learn new skills.
At NSPCC, we give you all the training needed to get you ready for your role, as well as a hugely supportive team of volunteers and supervisors to guide and help you on your volunteering journey.
A new analysis of monthly Spotify playlists reveals the most popular songs for a January workout, as Brits head back to the gym
ACRAZE’s Do It To It proved best for getting hyped back up after Christmas, as well as Eminem’s Till I Collapse and The Chainsmokers’ Closer
Google searches for new gym memberships have increased by 111% since the end of December – perhaps due to New Year’s resolutions
A new analysis of user’s monthly Spotify playlists has revealed which tracks are best for getting hyped for the gym again in January – with ACRAZE’S Do It To It on top.
The research, conducted by fitness experts Fitness Volt, analysed over 9,353 tracks from Spotify’s most popular January gym and January workout playlists to determine which songs feature most – creating the ultimate back-to-gym playlist for the new year.
ACRAZE’s Do It To It – featuring girl group Cherish – is the best-suited track, appearing in seven of the playlists analysed. With a tempo of 125 BPM, the song is ideal for cardio.
Next up was Eminem’s Till I Collapse, also appearing on seven playlists, which would work well for a high-intensity workout thanks to its higher BPM of 171. The third-most popular track was The Chainsmoker’s Closer, which appeared in six workout playlists.
It makes sense that high-tempo songs appear frequently in January playlists, given many people are now getting back to their usual workout routines and will be trying to hype themselves up again after the festive break.
Some artists also appear more frequently in gym playlists than others; Lizzo is amongst the most popular, with featured tracks including Fitness, Water Me, Grrls and Truth Hurts.
Other artists that appear numerous times across the analysed playlists were Kanye West, Big Sean, Flo Rida, Rihanna and Tiesto.
Top 20 tracks for January workouts
Do It To It, ACRAZE
Till i Collapse, Eminem
Closer, The Chainsmokers
The Motto, Tiesto
Elated, January’s Blessing
Where Are You Now, Lost Frequencies
INDUSTRY BABY, Lil Nas X
POWER, Kanye West
Shivers, Ed Sheeran,
The Box, Roddy Rich
Can’t Hold Us, Macklemore
Stronger, Kanye West
Numb/Encore, Jay-Z
Acapulo, Jason Derulo
Abcdefu, GAYLE
Levitating, Dua Lipa
We Own It, 2 Chainz
Boom Boom Pow, Zafrir
HERO A, Yuki Hayashi
Feels Like Summer, Weezer
There’ll also be an influx of new gym-goers who have dedicated themselves to pursue working out as their New Year’s resolution, and who’ll be listening to more motivating music.
It seems that Brits are already keen to get themselves back to working out, with Google Trends data showing that searches for ‘gym memberships’ are 111% higher now than they were at the end of December.
A spokesperson at Fitness Volt commented on the findings, saying: “Many gym-goers will find it hard to motivate themselves to get back to working out after some time away from the gym – and one of the best ways to amp ourselves up is to listen to high-tempo music.
“For those who are looking to create dedicated gym playlists, it’s recommended to include some slower tracks that will work for warming up and cooling down after your workout. You may also want to consider noise-cancelling headphones to enhance the experience.”
A patient at the Glasgow Royal Infirmary has praised NHS staff after undergoing robotic surgery that she claims saved her life.
Deborah Speirs, 46, from the Tollcross area of Glasgow was diagnosed with stage three bowel cancer in March 2021 and, thanks to the innovative surgery and a dose of chemotherapy, she has now been given the all-clear.
Following a consultation with Professor Campbell Roxburgh, a surgeon at the GRI, Deborah decided to opt for the innovative surgery over the conventional method.
Deborah is grateful for all the care she received at the GRI, but she is convinced that the robotic surgery saved her life. She said: “I cannot thank the staff at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde enough for all the help, care and treatment they provided for me.
“When you are told you are diagnosed with cancer, it takes a while for this to really sink in as you never think it is going to happen to you.
“I had never heard about it this type of procedure before. An operation is a scary word in itself and I never thought anything about a robot being directed by a surgeon.
“I met with Prof Roxburgh and he explained everything in detail and I was happy to go ahead with it.
“The technology is amazing and I was up and walking around in a matter of days after my surgery. I wanted to start hoovering when I got home from hospital but my daughter made sure I rested up. It just shows you how great this is for recovery.
“In what was a very traumatic and difficult time for me and my family, I genuinely think that robotic surgery has saved my life.”
L-R Deborah’s daughter Antonia, dad Thomas, Deborah, Deborah’s partner Paul.
More than 60 doctors are trained in the use of robotic surgery systems across NHS Scotland, with 15 machines in operation. NHSGGC offers robotic surgery across multiple specialities including colorectal, urology, gynaecology and head and neck surgery, at both the GRI and Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.
The robotic systems have four arms that hold a camera and the surgical tools. A surgeon controls the robotic system from the surgeon console, which is in the operating theatre.
The systems allow doctors to use tiny wristed instruments that move like a human hand, but with a greater range of motion. The precision of the surgery can reduce the amount of time patients are required to stay in hospital post-surgery.
Prof Roxburgh said: “Robotic surgery has already shown huge improvements in patient care and recovery times. It is not complete devolution of the surgery to a robot and the surgeon still has absolute control of everything that is going on. What we are adding, is that we are using a console that controls instruments and these go in through robotic ports.
“We have seen a halving in the length of time patients are required to stay in hospital in comparison to conventional key hole surgery as it is less invasive.
“In addition to this, it helps have reduce complications, imaging assessments, blood transfusions readmission rates and infections.
“Deborah is just one example of a number of successful surgeries using this type of equipment.”
Neil McCallum, director for NHSGGC’s North Sector, said: “This innovative technology allows us to reduce the amount of time a patient has to stay in hospital following their surgery.
“At a time when we are facing increased pressures, it is great to highlight the extraordinary work our teams are undertaking and this procedure will enable us to treat more patients more quickly, and with better outcomes.
“I would like to thank our teams who are continuously going over and above to provide the best possible treatment and care for our patients.”
David Marante, Regional Director at Intuitive, the maker of the da Vinci surgical systems used by surgeons and their teams at NHSGGC, said: “The progress that has been made at NHSGGC over the past 18 months is a huge accomplishment and is testament to the commitment of the team to expand robotic-assisted surgery so that more patients will have access to minimally invasive care with our technology.
“Our continued focus is to provide technology training to more surgeons, trainees and care teams across Scotland as they grow their da Vinci robotic programmes with the aim of further reducing rates of open surgery to improve patient outcomes and lower the total cost of care.”
