With the summer holidays now fully underway across Scotland, NHS 24 is sharing summer health advice to keep people happy and healthy throughout the season.
The campaign ‘Hello Summer’ signposts people to the correct health advice and services if they need help during the holidays. Topics such as hay fever, sun safety, kids’ injuries, BBQ food safety and hydration will all be covered.
Dr Paul Perry, a GP and Associate Medical Director at NHS 24, says: ‘The summer holidays are a great chance for family, friends and communities to spend time together and relax in hopefully nicer weather or travel further afield to enjoy a break away from home.
“It’s worth remembering a few small steps that can keep you and your family safe from common summer health issues such as hay fever, sunburn and insect bites. Most summer health complaints can be safely treated at home, so our ‘Hello Summer’ campaign will help people to avoid illness and when and where to seek medical advice if needed.”
General advice and information on how to stay healthy can be found at www.nhsinform.scot.
The Scottish Government’s plans for a National Care Service as they currently stand will not work for service users or communities, COSLA said yesterday.
COSLA also warned that, as the Bill stands, it would have a significant impact on councils’ ability to deliver not only social care services but other critical councils services that our communities rely on.
In a meeting of Council Leaders yesterday there was unanimous and cross-party concern that the National Care Service (Scotland) Bill as published will see decisions around locally delivered social care services moved from communities to Scottish Government Ministers in Edinburgh.
The powers set out in the Bill would potentially lead to the transfer of 75,000 local government employees from local authorities to care boards.
It was the strong view of Leaders that local authority services, staff and resources should remain the responsibility of locally elected members, a view that has been echoed by all the main Local Government trade unions.
COSLA Leaders also fear that the transfer of public protection duties from local authorities risks losing local expertise and knowledge, with implications for safety within our communities.
COSLA, which represents every council in Scotland, has also cautioned that the Scottish Government’s National Care Service Bill will create significant uncertainty and further division for the Local Government workforce, at a time when there are already significant recruitment and retention challenges.
Councillor Paul Kelly COSLA’s Health and Social Care Spokesperson said: ““All Council Leaders were in agreement that as it stands, the National Care Service Bill with the power to transfer local authority functions, staff, property and liabilities to a National Care Service, poses a serious risk to councils’ ability to deliver a wide range of services for communities including non-social work and care services.
Leaders were very clear that this approach would result in destabilising the Local Government workforce and potentially impacting on the sustainability of some councils to carry out their functions and responsibilities.
COSLA is committed to the change, improvement and investment needed in our social care system and will continue to work with the Scottish Government and partners to better the experiences of both those using and delivering social care services now and in the near future and not wait until a National Care Service is in place.
COSLA will seek further engagement with the Scottish Government in an attempt to ensure that there is no disruption to local services by ensuring that local authority staff remain in local authorities.”
Thalidomide survivors will now receive lifetime funding from the Scottish Government.
The measure extends the previous 2013 agreement which granted survivors £14.2 million over ten years to help meet their health and living costs.
There are currently 50 known survivors of the drug in Scotland, most of whom are now in their 60s, and grants will be allocated on a needs-basis, as assessed by the Thalidomide Trust.
Thalidomide was prescribed to expectant mothers between 1958 and 1961 to relieve morning sickness and insomnia but was withdrawn after thousands of babies were born worldwide with disabilities, including limb damage, sensory impairment and internal damage.
Mr Yousaf said: “This funding is used to give thalidomide survivors as much assistance as they need to maintain their independence. It has been a vital support in helping people adapt their homes and manage their pain.
“I hope this lifelong commitment to continue this support will reassure recipients and help them deal with any challenges they face.”
Jean, 61, was born with damage to all four of her limbs as a result of thalidomide. She said: “This is such great news. The Health Grant from the Scottish Government has really helped me over the years – my kitchen, for example, is now completely accessible from my wheelchair and I have been able to build a little gym in the garden which has helped me so much in terms of my physical strength, fitness and my mental health.
“Due to thalidomide, I live with chronic pain and if I don’t move around my body would stiffen and seize up. The grant also allows me to pay for a personal trainer who understands my disabilities and can keep me fit and flexible, without causing further damage.
“Knowing this funding is going to continue indefinitely has given me, and many other Thalidomiders living in Scotland, such peace of mind.”
Deborah Jack, Executive Director of the Thalidomide Trust added: “This is fantastic and very welcome news. Sadly, as our beneficiaries age they are experiencing multiple health problems, in addition to their original thalidomide damage, and the costs of meeting their complex needs are significant. Many of them have been really anxious about the prospect of this much-needed funding coming to an end.
“We are really pleased that the Scottish government has recognised this by committing to lifetime financial support and also agreeing to review the level of funding regularly to ensure it is meeting their changing needs.”
Bringing new hope to patients with the help of specialised nurses
Scotland is leading the way with an innovative service for secondary breast cancer patients.
The Patient Trials Advocate service, (PTA) is the first of its kind in the UK, and it’s bringing fresh hope to those with the incurable cancer by introducing them to clinical trials which can help to improve outcomes and extend life.
The initiative has been developed by charity Make 2nds Count which campaigns to raise awareness of, and fund research into, secondary breast cancer – a form of the disease which kills 1000 women in the UK each month but remains largely unknown.
Also known as metastatic, advanced or stage IV breast cancer, it is a cancer that has spread beyond the breast to other parts of the body and can be treated but not cured. On average there are around 35,000 patients in the UK currently living with this form of the disease.
There is evidence that early access to innovative new treatment options can improve the outcomes of men and women with secondary breast cancer and the new, bespoke service, the first of its kind in the UK, sees specialist nurses support patients and link them up with clinical trials.
The PTA scheme covers Scotland in its entirety through nurses based in Edinburgh, the Borders and the Highlands. Patients have an initial one-to-one, hour-long phone consultation with one of the nurses who can advise about clinical trials and answer any queries, search for suitable trials and support patients in discussing them with their clinician.
“We know that many secondary breast cancer patients have never had a conversation with their clinician about clinical trials and we want to empower them to change that through our PTA service,”says PTA nurse Vivienne Wilson, a senior research nurse at Edinburgh’s Western General Hospital.
“We want to ensure that every patient with secondary breast cancer has the knowledge and the opportunity to discuss trials as part of their treatment pathway.
“I’m delighted that the Patient Trials Advocate service is now being expanded to include the whole of Scotland. I’ve been working with Make 2nds Count for over a year now and I think this service really is one of a kind. I enjoy the opportunity to talk to many secondary breast cancer patients, sharing my knowledge with regards to available trials and guiding them to explore their options.”
Since the service piloted last year more than 100 patients have been supported. Of those, 100% backed the initiative and 95% said they would talk to their clinician about the possibility of accessing clinical trials.
One of those who knows only too well the benefits of a clinical trial is Edinburgh mum-of-four Lesley Stephen. Diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer out of the blue in 2014, the disease had already spread to her lungs, liver and bones.
Two years later she was told she had run out of treatment options. But she subsequently got the chance to take part in a clinical trial and is still living with the disease six years later.
Lesley says: “I had undergone 18 months of treatment, which was unsuccessful, when I heard of a friend who was taking part in a clinical trial. That inspired me and gave me hope that there just might be another option.
“I researched potential trials myself, which was not easy, and I realised that there was a lack of awareness. But because of the trial I took part in, I have had another six years of life I never expected to have. This just shows why the patient advocacy service is so important. People need to know that there perhaps, is another possibility out there for them.”
Make 2nds Count was founded by mum Lisa Fleming, 38, of Edinburgh, who had no previous breast cancer diagnosis, warning signs or lump when she was told she had secondary breast cancer.
Her aim is to support patients and families, educate and raise funds for research into the disease. So far the charity has raised more than £1million.
To find out more about the Patient Trials Advocate service visit:
Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by the Health Promotion and Education Team at Heart Research UK
Healthy Heart Tip: Keep an eye on your waistline
Your waist circumference is an indicator of your risk of developing heart disease. If you carry too much fat around your middle, your risk of developing heart disease is higher, however this risk can be reduced by losing weight. We explain how to measure your waistline and tips for maintaining a healthy waistline.
What is a healthy waistline?
A healthy waistline for men is anything below 94cm (37 inches) and anything below 80cm (31.5 inches) for women. You are at a high risk if your waist circumference is 102cm (40 inches) or over for men or 88cm (34.6 inches) or over for women. If you are a man from African Caribbean, South Asian, Chinese or Japanese origin, a healthy waist circumference is anything below 90cm (35.4 inches).
How to measure your waistline
Checking your waist circumference will help you to identify whether you are carrying too much fat around your middle. To measure your waist, you first need to find the bone at the top of your hip and your bottom rib. You need to wrap a tape measure around your middle at the centre of these two points. Relax and breathe out when the measurement is taken. Ensure the tape measure is touching your skin, but not pulled too tightly. You can repeat the measure two more times and take the average.
Maintaining a healthy waistline
If your waist circumference is within the healthy range, this is great news. You should keep an eye on your waist circumference by measuring it from time to time. If your waist circumference is above the healthy range, you should try to lose weight through healthy eating and exercise. You can find lots of ideas for healthy eating and physical activity from the healthy tips and recipe pages on our website.
Proposals to limit the promotion of food and drink high in fat, sugar or salt have been published.
The Scottish Government’s consultation seeks views on restricting the promotion of confectionery, cakes, crisps, savoury snacks and sugary soft drinks at checkouts and front of store, and on multi-buy discounts.
The aim is to reduce the health harms associated with poor diet and higher weight.
The consultation will help assess what impact the proposed restrictions would have on businesses and public health, including on health inequalities. It will run for 12 weeks to 23 September 2022.
Minister for Public Health Maree Todd said: “Our diets remain too high in calories, fat, sugar and salt which can have serious consequences for our overall health.
“In Scotland, two out of three adults are overweight or obese, with those living in our poorest areas more likely to be overweight and experience the most harm as a result.
“We know that promotions can encourage over-consumption and impulse buying.
“By restricting the promotion of less healthy food and drink we can better support people to make healthier choices and help create a Scotland where everyone eats well and has a healthy weight.”
Food Standards Scotland (FSS) Head of Nutrition Science and Policy Dr Gillian Purdon said: “We welcome the launch of the Scottish Government’s consultation on restricting promotions of foods high in fat, salt or sugar.
“FSS supports the introduction of promotional restrictions on these products as part of a suite of recommendations to address the nation’s poor diet. Promotions can encourage us to buy more than we need, and don’t necessarily save us money.
“Evidence shows that a considerable amount of the food and drink we buy is on promotion, and is often skewed towards less healthy choices such as confectionery, sweet biscuits, savoury snacks, cakes, pastries, puddings and sugar containing soft drinks. These foods account for around 20% of calories and fat in our diet, and more than half of our free sugar intake.
“Restricting promotions of these types of foods is one way to support people to make healthier choices.”
An Edinburgh young person living with juvenile arthritis and complex autoimmune issues is raising awareness of the loneliness of living with a chronic condition for a new charity campaign.
Jessica Rhodes, now 12, was just three years old when mum Tanya noticed she was tiring easily when walking to nursery. Despite numerous GP visits and lots of tests, no one could find anything medically wrong.
Over the next few years, Jessica developed increasingly unusual symptoms and was referred to the Rheumatology Department at the Sick Kids where doctors battled to get things under control.
She was diagnosed with uveitis – inflammation in the eye and one of the world’s most common causes of blindness. Because of this and her joint pain, doctors began to talk about juvenile arthritis.
Over the five years since being diagnosed, Jessica has experienced numerous appointments and in-patient stays, medications, invasive procedures and joint injections, and very few days free from pain.
By 2019, Jessica was experiencing intense muscle spasms and could not walk without collapsing. She was given a wheelchair to attend school – but could only manage short periods due to pain and extreme tiredness. Tanya had to give up her job and find home-based work to care for her.
Jessica said: “I saw so many doctors. I didn’t know why I was getting ill all the time, and why I had to have so many different tests. It was quite scary. I have tried lots of different medications, some helped, some didn’t. Some gave me mouth ulcers and made it hard to eat.
“Eventually they discovered that I have arthritis, uveitis and Raynaud’s disease. At the time, I had no idea what any of that meant and I felt very confused. I have arthritis in my knees, ankles, shoulders and hands. But the inflammation isn’t only in my joints; my eyes and skin are affected as well.
“I need pain relief most days. I’ve lost count of the number of injections I’ve had. I have monthly infusions and regular steroid injections and I have a methotrexate injection every week. It makes me feel sick and rubbish the next day, but I know it helps make me less sore all the time.”
Jessica is now the face of Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity’s (ECHC) new ‘Never Alone’ fundraising appeal which aims to raise awareness of the impact that living with a chronic condition can have on children and raise funds to support them throughout their hospital journey.
Jessica added: “It can be lonely having a long-term illness. I have had to miss quite a lot of school for appointments and treatments at the hospital. When I was in Primary 5, I had a lot of complications from my condition. I was in a wheelchair and couldn’t go to school for a long time. I missed school. I missed being with my friends and teachers.
“I try to join in all activities with my friends. Sometimes I can’t because I’m in too much pain and that’s really frustrating. Sometimes my family has to cancel our plans because I’m too ill to go out.
“I love music and I really enjoy singing in my choir. But I had to stop playing the cello because holding it hurt too much and I’ve missed a lot of choir practice too. I love playing basketball but sometimes it means I’m in pain for days afterwards.
“When I come to the hospital, the ECHC team are on hand to make sure I’m never alone. At the worst points, they have really supported me and helped me feel less negative about coming to hospital.
“They listen to me, understand how tough things can be and make sure I have fun. The ECHC Hub at the hospital is a great place to go and relax after an appointment or treatment. I’ve also made friends and even been on outings with the team. It’s not so lonely with them beside me.
“Sometimes I worry about what it will be like when I’m older, and if it will get worse. I worry what that might mean for my future. But arthritis and my other conditions aren’t the most important part of who I am, and I will work hard and persevere to do the things I want to do.”
As part of the new campaign, ECHC carried out a survey of parents and carers whose children have long term health conditions. 77%* said that their child’s health condition makes them feel lonely.
The survey showed that missing out on social life and activities was the main cause of loneliness for children with health conditions (29.2%), with missing out on school and education also stated as a key reason (24.6%).
Pippa Johnston, Director at ECHC, said: “Jessica will always have to deal with her arthritis. And sadly, she’s not the only child who suffers from a long term, chronic condition.
“The hospital sees 110,000 children and young people every year, many of whom must attend on an ongoing basis – over weeks, months and years. It can be a lonely experience and this loneliness can have long term effects on a child. We have an opportunity to change that.
“We’re asking the public to help children like Jessica through their hospital journeys. Donations can fund marvellous magicians, dancers and musicians to visit children at their bedside and in isolation; arts and craft workshops and the running of our youth group so children can make friends; and film screenings, garden play sessions or baby sensory classes to bring families separated through hospital admissions together again.
“We rely solely on donations to be able to do this. Please consider making a donation so Jessica and other children like her never have to feel alone. Thank you.”
To make a donation to ECHC’s Never Alone appeal, please visit:
With great sadness and frustration, I read recently about an inquest into the death of an 80-year-old with coeliac disease who was fed cereal containing gluten in hospital. The patient fell ill within hours and started to vomit. She died four days later from aspiration pneumonia.
As someone with coeliac disease myself, it is upsetting to realise that even among medical professionals there is such a lack of understanding of this serious autoimmune disease.
One in 100 people have coeliac disease, and there is no cure. The only treatment is a strict gluten free diet. Even a crumb of gluten can cause a severe reaction.
My own mother, who is 86, has had difficult experiences in hospital. She was offered toast containing gluten, which would have made her very unwell. Another time she was told she was ‘too late’ at 4pm for gluten free food. The hospital clearly regarded a gluten free diet as a specialist request, rather than a medical necessity that should be offered as part of standard care provisions.
At Coeliac UK, we are calling on all hospitals to urgently review their guidelines and protocols. We’re asking the NHS to update the information about coeliac disease on their website as the current list of symptoms is misleading. And we want to see better training for healthcare professionals to improve their understanding of coeliac disease, and their management of patients who have the condition.
No one with coeliac disease should have to worry about being glutened in hospital.
The British Dental Association Scotland has warned Ministers they risk undermining the future sustainability of NHS dentistry, as they move to scale down vital financial support for the service.
For the last three months practices have received a 1.7 multiplier to the fees paid to provide NHS care, a reflection of the unprecedented backlog practices have faced as they try to ‘live with COVID’. The Scottish Government has now moved to pare the multiplier down to 1.3 for the next 3 months.
This reduction follows no dialogue with the profession despite the BDA calling for regular discussions with the Government about the latest activity data and any proposed changes.
The discredited low margin/high volume model dentists in Scotland work to means treatment can often be delivered at a loss, a growing problem given the growing levels of unmet need, particularly among those from move deprived communities.
Official data suggests the total number of high street NHS dentists in Scotland has fallen by over 5% since the onset of COVID. The BDA warn heavy-handed policies will only push Scottish dentists down the road of their colleagues in England, where thousands of dentists have left the NHS since lockdown, amid warnings from MPs south of the border that NHS dentistry now faces a ‘slow death’.
The BDA has again urged the Scottish Government to, in the short term, develop a suitable interim funding package to support dentists and their teams as they work through the backlog, and begin work on a new, sustainable long-term model for NHS dentistry.
Dentists remain anxious that the Government will look to remove the multiplier altogether at the first opportunity despite its stated intention not to return to the pre-pandemic financial arrangements. The BDA has repeatedly voiced its strong opposition to a return to the pre-Covid “treadmill”.
David McColl, Chair of the British Dental Association’s Scottish Dental Practice Committee said:“Ministers are playing with fire, pulling away the life support from a service millions depend on.
“This multiplier helped ensure NHS dentists received fees for care that actually covered their costs. Slashing them will leave colleagues churning out dentures at a loss while thinking twice about their future.
“Scotland has already lost too many NHS dentists since lockdown. Ministers are now blindly heading down the path the Westminster Government has chosen, which has sparked an exodus.
“Cuts have consequences. The Scottish Government promised free NHS dentistry for all. Short-sighted policies like this will likely result in the exact opposite, and stark oral health inequalities will only widen further.”
ARGET OVARIAN CANCER LEAD MARCH TO DOWNING STREET TO DEMAND GOVERNMENT TAKE ACTION ON THE OVARIAN CANCER AWARENESS CRISIS
“Enough is enough.” These are the words etched onto paper by over 20,000 people in an open letter, published by Target Ovarian Cancer, urging the government to take action on the ovarian cancer awareness crisis –a disease which kills 11 women every day.
Target Ovarian Cancer campaigners marched to Number 10 Downing Street yesterday to amplify the voices of thousands of people who have signed the open letter demanding that the government take urgent action to save lives.
This momentous milestone – the first time thousands have come together to call on the government in this way – comes following the alarming findings of the charity’s latest research which revealed that four out of five women could not name the key symptom of ovarian cancer, persistent bloating.
This is in addition to the Ovarian Cancer Audit Feasibility Pilot which revealed 14% of women diagnosed in England between 2013 and 2018 died within two months of diagnosis, and 30% died within the first year.
The open letter has been led by Target Ovarian Cancer – the UK’s leading ovarian cancer charity that improves early diagnosis, funds life-saving research and provides much-needed support to everyone affected by ovarian cancer.
As there is no current effective screening process for ovarian cancer, knowing the symptoms – persistent bloating, abdominal pain, feeling full quickly, and needing to wee more urgently – is essential to survival and early diagnosis.
Annwen Jones OBE, Chief Executive of Target Ovarian Cancer, said:“At Target Ovarian Cancer, we know that there is a huge crisis in ovarian cancer awareness and diagnosis and are overwhelmed by the strength of support our open letter has received.
“It’s extremely sobering to see over 20,000 people come together to demand that the government take immediate action to save lives. 20,000 voices cannot be ignored.
“The reality is that too many people are dying as not enough is being done to make the symptoms of ovarian cancer known. The reality is that diagnosis is coming too late because of this. The reality is that we need the government’s support to reach anyone who could be diagnosed early with this disease in order to save lives.
The open letter tells the government what is needed to combat the crisis: dedicated ovarian cancer symptoms awareness campaigns across the UK.
One supporter who joined fellow Target Ovarian Cancer’s campaigners is Annie Griffin, who was diagnosed with stage Ia mucinous ovarian cancer – a rare type of ovarian cancer – in 2020.
Annie added:“If we don’t share our ovarian cancer experiences with our MPs how will they know what we go through? How can we expect change if we don’t speak up?
“The weeks and months that it took to get diagnosed and finally understand what was wrong with me took their toll. I genuinely thought it was middle age, perimenopause, and fibroids. Nothing rang alarm bells, and I don’t want that to happen to other women. That’s why we need more awareness around ovarian cancer, that’s why I’m on a mission to help make that happen.”
The charity was outside Westminster today on behalf of 20,000 people, demanding the government take urgent action on the ovarian cancer awareness crisis.
Della Ogunleye, 60 from London, who was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2019, also attended the open letter hand in, added:“Target Ovarian Cancer amplifies our voices.
“Together, we can reach places and have conversations that we may not be able to achieve alone. The saying goes, if you want to go fast go alone, if you want to go far go together.
“We need greater awareness of symptoms now. By standing together our voices will be louder.”
To find out more about Target Ovarian Cancer or access its support line visit:
