People across Scotland are being encouraged to include health as part of their festive preparations so that seasonal illnesses can be managed well at home. It is hoped that by following the tips and advice in the ‘Healthy Know How’ campaign the public will enjoy the festivities without having to seek health advice unless it is urgent or an emergency.
Humza Yousaf, the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care launched the ‘Healthy Know How’ winter campaign at NHS 24’s newest contact centre in Hillington, Glasgow.
Meeting staff at NHS 24, Mr Yousaf said healthy know how can help us stay well this winter: “Nobody wants to be unwell, especially over the festive holidays, and these few simple steps can help everyone manage common illnesses and avoid the need to interrupt the festivities with a trip to the pharmacy or GP.
“This is going to be the most challenging winter for our health service, and a lot of the ailments for which people access out-of-hours care can be easily managed at home. NHS 24’s 111 service is always busy over the holiday period, but roughly a third of calls to 111 result in safe, self-care advice at home.
“If this campaign can encourage people to care for common seasonal conditions at home, that will leave our frontline services free to help those with more serious conditions.
“By taking a few simple steps we can all do our bit to help support our health services this winter.”
Healthy know how tips to keep well this winter include:
Know how to be prepared for common illnesses and ensure that medicines are to hand, at home.
Know how to check symptoms if you do become unwell. NHS inform’s symptom checkers can give you all the health advice you need online and help you to get the right care, in the right place.
Details on the Healthy Know How campaign and the full range of winter health advice can be found here – www.nhsinform.scot/winter
Cabinet Secretary for Health launches NHS Scotland’s winter campaign
People across Scotland are being encouraged to include health as part of their festive preparations so that seasonal illnesses can be managed well at home. It is hoped that by following the tips and advice in the ‘Healthy Know How’ campaign the public will enjoy the festivities without having to seek health advice unless it is urgent or an emergency.
Humza Yousaf, the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care launched the ‘Healthy Know How’ winter campaign at NHS 24’s newest contact centre in Hillington, Glasgow.
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Pic Peter Devlin
Holding on to small moments of joy and positivity is going to be particularly important this winter, with the cost of living and energy crises likely to continue making things difficult for people across the UK.
Psychologists from the British Psychological Society have given their advice and tips for finding the light this winter when things are feeling tough.
“We often see a rise in people feeling down or struggling as winter hits, particularly after the clocks go back, making our evenings darker, and as the cold weather begins to bite”, says Dr Joan Harvey, a chartered member of the BPS.
“This year we have more stresses and challenges than normal, with the cost of living crisis causing incredibly difficult decisions for people as they struggle with soaring prices. Increased stress in the run up to Christmas is normal, and this year even more so with budgets stretched and many re-assessing their plans.
“We hear a lot about Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), which people sometimes experience during the winter months, and this year we might expect to see more people struggling with a combination of SAD and cost of living induced stress and worry,” adds Dr Harvey.
“There are things that we can do to manage our mental health this winter. While these tips will not tackle the incredibly difficult challenges and choices they have to make, I hope they will serve to help a few people.”
Set small goals and targets – don’t try and set yourself massive to-do lists or targets, but instead keep goals small and achievable. The sense of achievement from achieving your targets and goals can be a real boost.
Get as much daylight as possible – where you can, get outside in daylight hours for a walk or some fresh air, the more light the better. If you have flexible hours at work try to schedule some time in for a walk on your lunchbreak.
Lamps similar to daylight – these can be really effective if you are struggling to get enough daylight and it is impacting your mood. These can come on in the morning in time to wake you up, or they can be used in the evening.
Manage expectations around seasonal festivities – for many, this year will pose a really difficult financial challenge. A way to combat some of the problems we are all facing might be to go for more personalised presents, including some that you can make yourself. Anything practical can help us feel more hopeful about what we can achieve and for less money too.
Seek support if you are struggling – if you are struggling then do reach out to either a friend, family member or your GP. There is support out there and you don’t have to struggle through on your own.
For the first time ever, Edinburgh Leisure, the charity dedicated to creating opportunities for everyone to lead more active, healthy lives, is running a members’ only event from Black Friday (25th November) to Cyber Monday (28th November), rewarding their direct debit customers.
The Black Friday members-only event will offer 5 activities for £5 each, allowing direct debit customers to book any of the following:
fitness classes of 45 minutes +
Tee times across all golf courses (excluding weekends)
Squash sessions for at Meadowbank and Craiglockhart Tennis Centre
Outdoor tennis Meadows and Craiglockhart Tennis Centre (evenings only)
and Soft Play at Scrambles at the EICA: Ratho.
The offer is not available to non-members, although customers can join to take advantage of the offer. The offer is only available to buy online (with the exclusion of soft play at Scrambles, which needs to be paid in venue and is only available in-venue during the Black Friday event).
Edinburgh Leisure customers who pay their membership by direct debit will be able to log into their accounts during the offer dates and book the activities for £5 each. Customers will book as normal and will have 8-days to use the activity following payment. Customers will be able to book multiple activities, multiple times.
Edinburgh Leisure is a charity dedicated to creating opportunities for everyone to lead more active, healthy lives. They do that by running over 30 sports and leisure facilities across the city and deliver their Active Communities programme, which helps improve the lives of people affected by health conditions, poverty, inequalities, and disabilities.
Friday pub nights introduced to help improve quality of life for care residents
RESIDENTS at an Edinburgh care home have been enjoying a night at the pub – without even having to leave the development.
Dedicated staff at Cramond Residence launched ‘Friday Pub Nights’ in a bid to engage residents in a social event imitating what they would ordinarily experience in their own home lives.
A pub environment with simulated pub seating, a bar, music, Sports TV and table games has been set up within the home.
Residents have used this activity to engage in lively and meaningful debates about current and past affairs, as well as enjoying a good sing-song to a wide range of music.
Garylee Rushforth, one of Cramond Residence’s Lifestyle Co-ordinators, said: “The pub nights are designed to help to combat loneliness, whilst also improving our residents’ quality of life.
“We are one of a few care home’s offering evening activities as we feel it is important for the independence and wellbeing of our residents.
“Old traditions have certainly not been forgotten at our pub nights, and frequently the first drink of the evening is welcomed with a Scots toast.”
The new activity, which occurs every Friday evening between 7pm and 9pm, has proven a hit with residents, having already developed around eight regulars.
Christian Daraio, Cramond Residence’s Client Liaison Manager, said: “The pandemic highlighted the negative effects of social isolation and loneliness, so in our care home, we have endeavoured to create a highly-enriching social calendar that fosters social interaction and enjoyment, ensuring that every resident feels involved in our small community.
“Our lifestyle coordinators have worked hard to put together an extensive activities programme and other activities offered include baking, painting, pet therapy and cheese and wine nights, to name a few!”.
All activities are optional, with residents being able to dip in and out of the daily excursions and classes. Nonetheless, participation in a few activities every week is encouraged by the Cramond Residence team to ensure residents make the most out of the offerings from the care home.
Launched in 2018, Cramond Residence offers uncompromising nurse-led care, as well as specialist services such as respite and dementia care. The care home currently has 74 residents spread across nine luxuriously-appointed homes.
Residential life is full of activities, freshly prepared meals and top-class facilities, ensuring that all residents enjoy a rich and satisfying life at the care home. The facilities provided include a cinema and function room, a games room and also a sensory experience which offers therapeutic activities for those with dementia.
Each resident also receives a personal care plan from health care professionals which is continually assessed and revised, ensuring that residents have access to the best possible level of care.
Cramond Residence offer tours of their quality accommodation and facilities in the north of Edinburgh. The tour allows potential residents and their loved ones to see the residence for themselves, meet the team and discuss any additional requirements.
We know everyone is busy, so this event is taking place online to fit in around family, work and life. It’ll only take 1 hour and will be informative.
Did you know Edinburgh North East Scouts has almost 100 young people on a waiting list to join? And they need new helpers to support their 14 Scout Groups in Portobello, Craigentinny, Craigmillar, Duddingston, Calton, Joppa, Stockbridge, Pilrig, Broughton, Trinity, Leith, Newhaven, Wardie and Willowbrae.
Sign up for this event to find out about the exciting things the Scout Groups get up to and flexible volunteering opportunities.
Demand by young people to join Scouts in the Edinburgh North East area is good with youth waiting lists growing. However, they need new adult volunteers to reduce the waiting list and enable more local young people to benefit from Scouting.
Edinburgh North East Scouts is looking to the local community and organisations to help change the lives of local young people. They are appealing for help to reduce the youth waiting list and support 100 more young people to benefit from Scouts.
Scouts is only possible thanks to superstar volunteers – ordinary people, like you, making an extraordinary difference in young people’s lives. They are looking for new adult volunteers to assist their existing leader and executive team. So please consider what you can do and if you know anyone who may be willing to get involved and ask them to come along to the event too. It is possible that they may consider a job share if that was of interest to you?
Scouting has a reputation for helping young people to develop resilience, a positive character, respect for others, good community skills, as well as physical and mental fitness. Can you help inspire the doers and give it a goers of the future!
FACTS MATTER:
FACT 1: There are 14 Scout Groups in the Edinburgh North East area and they all want to provide more Scouting to more local young children.
FACT 2: You don’t need to have any specific skills or be Bear Grylls to lend a hand.
FACT 3: They have a collective youth waiting list of almost 100. FACT 4: If you volunteer as a Leader to get involved now then they can look at how your child could get automatic entry into their preferred Scout Group. FACT 5: You don’t have to have previous Scouting experience to get involved.
As a District, they want to offer your child and other local children across the Edinburgh North East area the chance to participate in all the fun experiences and adventures they do in Scouting week to week such as: camping, fire-lighting, climbing and abseiling, and yes, learning how to tie and use knots (these will come in handy in later life!)
Are you passionate about seeing local young people succeed? Are you a team player with a positive, can-do attitude? Do you enjoy fun activities? Do you want to do more in your community? Are you more of a ‘behind the scenes’ person? Do you have a skill or hobby you can share? Then this event is right up your street. Scouts has the opportunities – you just show up, get stuck in and make memories for life!
We all have the power to help young people to realise their potential. You don’t need to have been a Scout when you were younger. You don’t even need to know how to put up a tent.
Their door is open to people of all ages, genders, races and backgrounds, and they’re only able to change lives because people like you lend a hand.
There’s lots of ways you can get more involved with Scouts as a parent, carer or family member. From helping out occasionally on a family rota or as part of their Executive Committee to stepping up as a leader, their volunteering activities are as varied as you.
The good news is you shape what you do and the time you have to give. Scouts happens when a lot of us give a little …and no, you don’t have to be a Scout or outdoors expert to volunteer.
Most of their volunteers work directly with young people aged 6-18 through their Beaver, Cub and Explorer groups – helping young people gain skills for life through fun activities.
District Commissioner, Rob Whitelaw, said, “This isn’t a job application, and you certainly don’t have to be an adventurer like Bear Grylls to get involved with Scouting and in fact not many of our volunteers are!
“Do you have first aid knowledge? Are you good with numbers? Handy in the kitchen? Or are you a DIY whizz? We all have useful skills, and you can volunteer and help in many ways. Are you ready to inspire a generation of young people to experience fun, friendship and real adventure?
“The opportunities to volunteer with us are flexible. Think of something you’d like to do, and chances are it’s just what we require. Whatever your skills, experience and interests, we can find a role for you!”
Contact/sign up:
Sign up for the online information evening on Tuesday 29th November at 7.30pm here:
Parents with problematic drug or alcohol use can now enter residential rehabilitation without the fear of being separated from their children.
Harper House in Saltcoats, North Ayrshire – which is being run by the Phoenix Futures charity – was awarded over £8 million in Scottish Government grant funding last year to establish a family rehabilitation service, accepting referrals from across Scotland. The facility can support up to 20 families at any one time for placements between three and six months long, meaning up to 80 families will be supported annually.
The service is designed to make it easier for parents to access treatment by allowing mothers or fathers to care for their family while in recovery with the help of the centre’s staff who support child development, parenting skills and the overall health and wellbeing of all family members.
At the official opening, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “We are determined to make it easier for people with problem drug or alcohol use to access treatment, so I am pleased to open this facility offering families the chance to stay together while parents receive specialist support in a safe and structured environment.
“Though men are more likely to use and experience harms from drugs, there has been a disproportionate increase in drug related deaths among women and there is a strong link between women having children removed from their care and risk of drug-related death.
“Harper House is funded through the Residential Rehabilitation Rapid Capacity Programme and will contribute towards the Scottish Government’s aim to treble the number of publicly funded residential rehabilitation placements to 1,000 by 2026.”
Phoenix Futures Chief Executive Karen Biggs said: “We are delighted to be working with Scottish Government to launch this innovative new service. Harper House will support families affected by mental health and substance use to access the care they need to lead happy and healthy lives.
“The pressures of family life, combined with the range of support parents may need to access in their communities, can make it impossible for parents to give their families the care they desire. Harper House brings together onsite multi-disciplinary experts, evidence based interventions and a specially designed environment so that families from across Scotland can live and learn together.”
Leukaemia Care and Leukaemia UK have launched a new support fund to aid leukaemia patients with the cost of living crisis this winter.
The Cost of Living with Leukaemia Fund has been created in response to the financial crisis in the UK, and will help make a difference in the lives of leukaemia, Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS) or Myeloproliferative Neoplasms (MPN) patients who might struggle this winter with increased pressure on household bills.
Over the past year, Leukaemia Care has provided over £70,000 of financial support to people affected by leukaemia, MDS or MPN. These grants seek to provide help for those who are struggling with increased bills, hospital travel costs or paying for food.
Leukaemia UK previously committed an additional £20,000 grant towards the cost of continuing Leukaemia Care’s Financial Hardship Fund.
As a result Leukaemia Care has been able to offer 464 grants to families affected by leukaemia, MDS and MDN.
With that funding now exhausted due to high demand, new funding was needed at a time when demand for financial grants has been amplified during the ongoing cost of living crisis.
Leukaemia Care has seen a 400 per cent increase in the number of applications to its existing fund as the country enters a difficult winter where people who were already struggling financially due to their leukaemia diagnosis are now facing additional cost of living pressures.
Around 43 per cent of patients reported a financial impact, either due to an increase in costs or a reduction in income, or indeed both. This increases to 55 per cent for acute leukaemia patients.
To help address this need, Leukaemia Care and Leukaemia UK have now come together to launch this new fund.
Zack Pemberton-Whiteley, CEO of Leukaemia Care said: “We know how devastating the financial impact of leukaemia is to people affected, and the recent cost of living crisis has only increased this pressure further.
“Because of this, Leukaemia Care are pleased to be working with Leukaemia UK to launch the Cost of Living with Leukaemia Fund to provide additional financial support to people affected by leukaemia and other blood cancers.”
Fiona Hazell, Chief Executive of Leukaemia UK, said: “Whilst many in the UK are struggling financially, we know that a leukaemia diagnosis adds extra financial pressures, on top of the emotional and physical challenges.
“Leukaemia UK and Leukaemia Care want to do everything we can to improve the lives of those with leukaemia and so are extremely pleased to be able to launch the Cost of Living with Leukaemia Fund together.”
If you are in need of support, you can apply for the hardship fund here:
Leukaemia Care also has a range of services which can support patients, from counselling to buddy services, which help leukaemia patients at various stages of their journey.
Alcohol companies could face tighter restrictions on advertising in order to protect society’s most vulnerable, under new proposals set out yesterday.
The public’s views are being sought on plans to restrict adverts for alcohol at sporting events, on buses, and online and elsewhere – to reduce the appeal of alcohol and improve the nation’s health.
Proposals have been informed by the Children’s Parliament and the Young Scot Health Panel, delivering on the Government’s commitment to ensure that children and young people’s views are heard.
This is the latest step in efforts to reduce harmful drinking and alcohol-related harms in Scotland and follows the successful introduction of Minimum Unit Pricing, which has already reduced purchases of cheaper, more potent alcoholic drinks.
The public consultation is in line with the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) recommended approach to comprehensively restrict exposure to alcohol marketing.
Public Health Minister, Maree Todd, said: “There is clear evidence that adverts which glamorise drinking can encourage young people to drink alcohol and have a detrimental impact on those in recovery from problem alcohol use.
“This consultation is an important step in doing that, and I am extremely grateful for the young voices who have helped us get this far.”
“We are making progress already – with our minimum unit pricing reducing alcohol sales in the off-trade – but with 1,245 alcohol related deaths last year we know that more needs to be done if we are to tackle Scotland’s problematic relationship with alcohol.”
